Better Backs 2007 Speakers notes: Managing manual handling risk

Back to campaign pack

Slide 1

Managing manual Handling Risk

This presentation is part of the Better Backs campaign pack. It covers the material in the Better Backs information sheet “Getting to grips with manual handling”

Slide 2

(In 2005/6 1 million workers reported suffering from a work-related musculoskeletal illness, 437,000 of them reporting back pain. A total of nearly ten million working days were lost because of MSDs and the average time each person took off was 17 days.

Much back pain is associated with manual handling. Manual handling that presents a risk of injury can often be avoided or the risk reduced – e.g. by using a simple trolley to transport items instead of carrying them, or storing items at waist height instead of at floor level and so reducing the forces on the spine during handling.

Can you improve how manual handling risks are dealt with by your organisation? Let’s look at some ways of doing this by asking some basic questions.

Slide 3

Do managers recognise manual handling risks in the organisation that need tackling and do they support the action needed to manage them? – Are they committed to preventing and minimising the risks? Without commitment from the top it is unlikely that there will be sufficient effort applied by all managers to this topic.

Are people given enough support to carry out their role in managing manual handling risks? Or are they too busy with other issues, short of finance or skills thus preventing effective action?

Slide 4

Actively involving workers in the management process gives a reality check – they know how handling is really done, can probably flag up some areas where there can be quick wins, can suggest solutions and pilot them.

By being actively involved in joint problem solving you are more likely to make a difference and workers will have more buy-in to the solutions.

Everyone needs to know the part they have to play and there will be a need for managers to allow time for workers to work together with them.

Slide 5

Think about the handling etc tasks carried out which could cause back pain. Don’t just think about the core activities but consider support functions too like maintenance, cleaning and catering.

Use of the MAC tool can help assessing risk from lifting, carrying and team lifting. It is a basic tool to help assessing the risk from lifting, carrying and team lifting operations. It uses a traffic light system to show risk factors that need attention and also helps to identify those tasks which need attention first. MAC can be downloaded from the HSE web.

The pack contains check lists for upper limbs disorders and working with VDUs which you can use to do a preliminary assessment to discover whether your workplace has risks that might cause these injuries.

Slide 6

Has action been taken to avoid risky manual handling? There are numerous ways of avoiding and reducing the risk e.g. by use of handling aids such as scissor tables, or reducing the risk factors such as providing handles to improve the grip on the load?

The Better Backs Pack contains an information sheet “Are you making the best use of lifting and handling aids?” and a full version of the leaflet can be downloaded from the CD. They show the types of handling aids which are available for a wide range of tasks and includes and things to consider when choosing handling aids.

It can be a good idea to check controls will work by loaning or hiring equipment. Even so there may be further issues to address to get the best result for your business

Are there any other improvements you can take? If so have you prioritised what to do first?

Slide 7

Do managers and workers have the skills and information to play their part or do they need training and/or information?

The team may need to identify areas where they have competence gaps and arrange briefings etc. e.g. a session using the MAC tool training on the HSE web site.

The HSE website has a section on involving workers which contains useful information on how best to do this.

Slide 8

Do systems allow workers to report back pain and symptoms as early as possible?

Are there systems for reviewing work activities, managing sickness absence and return to work? See Information sheet 7 in the pack A short guide to managing sickness absence and return to work: advice for employers. Again there is more material available from the HSE website.

Slide 9

Have workers or their representatives contributed to the design of systems?

Is there occupational health support available when needed?

Are workers and managers aware of the need to stay active with back pain? If you have back pain, Stay Active is the advice you will get from your doctor, physiotherapist, osteopath and the pharmacist. Most back pain is not due to serious disease or damage and is called non—specific, simple low back pain. See Information sheet 6 Staying Active and returning to work in this pack for more detail on why you should stay active, what that means and how you can do it.

Slide 10