RR7 - Manual handling in food/drink industries. Injury rate v weight of unit loads lifted
An informal analysis of HSE national injury statistics appeared to indicate that some foods sector industries which handled heavy loads (eg brewing/malting) had a higher manual handling injury rate than others (eg dairies and soft drinks). System Concepts was commissioned by HSE in May 2001 to try to verify this finding and to try to determine a statistical association between loads lifted (eg light and heavy sacks) and manual handling injury/absence from injury, based on data from a number of food/drink company sites. It was envisaged that any information arising from such a project could be used to help encourage food and drinks companies to reduce the weight of the heavier loads which still are commonly used in the sector.
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