HSE ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE ON REDUCING ROLL CAGE INJURIES

HSE press release: E133:03 - 16 July 2003

New guidance on reducing manual handling injuries in the food and drink manufacturing industries has been published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

'Roll cages and wheeled racks in the food and drink industries: Reducing manual handling injuries' gives advice on reducing musculoskeletal and other injuries which frequently occur when workers push or pull cages or racks, particularly up slopes or on uneven ground.

Roll cages and wheeled racks are used to transport goods within a factory or store, or by a lorry to a warehouse or retail store.

When loaded with goods they can weigh up to 500kg or more and can create particular difficulties when being moved outside or on and off delivery vehicles. Some companies that use roll cages regularly have found up to a third of their accidents are roll cage related. Wheeled racks tend to be smaller but can still weigh 400kg or more when loaded and are more commonly used in the factory itself to move products around.

Roll cage and wheeled rack injuries regularly occur from:

• pushing/pulling loaded cages or racks, particularly up slopes or over steps;
• trying to prevent roll cages overbalancing;
• repetitive loading/unloading;
• trapping hands or feet; and
• roll cages falling off lorries (e.g. from the tail lift).

The guidance summarises the findings of two research reports, Safety of Roll Containers, and The use of castors on racks in the food processing industry, published by HSE in 2002, which made recommendations on designs to improve safety.

Important design features to reduce injuries and noise include:

• using larger diameter wheels (which can reduce pushing forces by a quarter);
• careful selection of wheel material;
• careful selection of castor and bearing materials and construction;
• proper positioning of handles; and
• restricting load height.

The guidance goes into some detail on recommending suitable technical specifications for each of the above.

It also summarises issues that should be covered in risk assessments, and lists safe working practices that the research reports found were important in reducing injuries.

Richard Morgan of the HSE's Food Section said: "This guidance will be of help to those involved in the selection and purchasing of roll cages and wheeled racks. Frequently design specification from a health and safety viewpoint can be overlooked and this guidance seeks to clarify and set out the main design points, which should be considered. The guidance will also be helpful to those carrying out manual handling risk assessment in the use of this equipment and gives some sensible pointers on safe working procedures."

Copies of Safety of Roll Containers Research Report 009, ISBN 0 7176 2535 4, price £15.00, and The use of castors on racks in the food processing industry Research Report 099, ISBN 0 7176 2183 9, price £20.00, are also available from HSE Books. HSE's Research Reports are available on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/index.htm

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