The Risks of Bad Manual Handling
Manual handling is the term given to a varied assortment of activities which can include lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying - and bad manual handling is the root cause of many back injuries and of much chronic back pain (back injuries and pain being responsible for a huge proportion of all days ‘off sick’). In fact, the Health and Safety Executive state that ‘manual handling causes over a third of all workplace injuries’. These can include all work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) such as pain and injuries to arms, legs and joints, and many different repetitive strain injuries (RSI). Certain back injuries and MSD can sometimes be long-term and terribly debilitating, affecting not just day-to-day ability to work and productivity but even ongoing quality of life.
Easily avoidable injuries and ailments
Frustratingly, a great many of those injuries and ailments could so very easily be avoided if staff in the workplace were given a few common sense pointers – using provided lifting aids where appropriate and removing potential obstacles - and rules for safe manual handling – bending from the knees, and not stooping or flexing the back when lifting, for example, and keeping the load close to the waist. However, in order to ensure the health and safety of your workforce, it makes sense to provide proper manual handling training especially for those members of staff whose jobs involve regular manual lifting – indeed, manual handling safety is your responsibility under law: The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 apply to workplace activities involving any lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying.
Training really does make a difference
Ifast provide thorough half-day training courses in manual handling to UK businesses that can be held on your own premises. Unlike lesser training providers, our courses are not just about ticking boxes and avoiding litigation, but they will actually enable the workforce to take care of themselves, with course content including:
- Legislation – Knowing and understanding the obligations of both employer and employee relating to manual handling
- Anatomy & Spine - Basic knowledge and understanding of the anatomy and the function of the spine
- Principle of Manual Handling – How to adopt safe lifting and handling techniques
- Practical Exercises – Putting those manual handling techniques into practice.
Taking good care of your staff – your company’s greatest asset – and providing a healthier and safer environment will help avoid many incidences of accident and injury, which will of course reduce the amount of days lost. An employer who cares for their staff is an employer who values their staff – and a workforce who know that they are valued will reward that with increased loyalty and hard work.
