Manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work and causes over a third of all workplace injuries which include work related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) such as upper and lower limb pain/disorders, joint and repetitive strain injuries of various.
Manual handling injuries account for over a third of all the injuries reported in the non-metallic industries. In 2010-11 the numbers ranged from 51% of the injuries in the Cement industry to 30% of the injuries in the Concrete industry.
The HSE have developed a number of tools that can help you assess manual handling operations. The tools can help you assess lifting and handling tasks (MAC tool), repetitive tasks (ART tool) and pushing and pulling tasks. See the musculoskeletal disorders page for further detail.
Slips and trips are the most common of workplace hazards and make up over a third of all major injuries. On average they account for 20% of the injuries in the non-metallic minerals industries.
Further information can be found at the slips and trips microsite including the Slip Assessment Tool and other resources.
There is a wide of range of machinery used across the non-metallic mineral industries. The different machines all present different risks when operators have to use them. Employers must do everything they can to prevent access to dangerous moving parts of machinery. In most cases it is possible to prevent access to dangerous moving parts of machinery by using fixed guards.
When carrying out your risk assessment for the use and operation of machinery you should think about:
Further useful information can be found on the work equipment and machinery webpages.
Falls from a height remain the most common cause of workplace fatality. On average they account for 10% of the injuries in the non-metallic minerals industries. It is important to remember that you do not have to fall far to be hurt. Many injuries occur when the fall is from below head height.
Further information, advice and guidance on falls from a height can be found at the falls from a height in the workplace microsite.
Occupational respiratory disease is a medical term used to describe diseases caused by, or made worse by, something you breathe in at work, eg. wood dust, stone dust, poultry dust or fumes.
In the non metallic mineral industries the biggest respiratory risk comes from Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS). This can be found in stone, rocks, sands and clays. Exposure to RCS over a long period of time can cause Silicosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Exposure to RCS must be either prevented or controlled in the workplace to reduce the risk of respiratory disease.
Further information, advice and guidance on respiratory disease and silicosis can be found at the lung diseases microsite.
Work-related skin problems are very common. Work-related skin problems are caused or made worse by exposure to/coming into contact with substances such as chemicals, and also through having wet hands for long periods, while at work. In the non-metallic mineral industries the substances that can cause skin health problems are:
Further information, advice and guidance on how to prevent skin health problems can be found at the Skin at work microsite.
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