Manual handling injuries account for over a third of all accidents reported to the enforcing authorities each year. Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) the employer has legal duties to:
This assessment is necessary to ensure that employees do not suffer injuries from manual handling tasks and it is important to note that there is no maximum weight given for manual handling tasks.
Most of the assessments can be done in house and will just require a few minutes’ observation to identify ways to make the activity less hazardous, i.e. less physically demanding.
When making these observations employees should be consulted, as more often than not they are aware of what the problems are and the easiest ways of avoiding them. The overall responsibility for suitable assessments remains with the employer.
A general assessment of risk, as required by Regulation 3(1) of the Management Regulations may indicate the possibility of injury from manual handling operations; in this case a more specific assessment should be carried out. How detailed this further assessment needs to be will depend on the circumstances. In general, the significant findings of the assessment should be recorded and the record kept, readily accessible, as long as it remains relevant.
Assessments need not be recorded if:
When making a more detailed assessment the following categories should be considered:
The TASK
The INDIVIDUAL CAPABILITY
The LOAD
The working ENVIRONMENT
(These can be easily remembered by the acronym TILE)
Twisting
In many cases manual handling operations will involve some twisting, i.e. moving the upper body while keeping the feet static. The combination of twisting and lifting and twisting, stooping and lifting are particularly stressful on the back. Where the handling involves twisting and turning then a detailed assessment should normally be made.
However if the operation is:
As a rough guide:
Carrying
The guideline figures for lifting and lowering apply to carrying operations where the load is:
A more detailed assessment should be made for all carrying operations if the load is carried over a longer distance without resting or the hands are below knuckle height or above elbow height.
Pushing and Pulling
For pushing and pulling operations (whether the load is slid, rolled or supported on wheels) the guideline figures (below) assume the force is applied with the hands, between knuckle and shoulder height. It is also assumed that the distance involved is no more than about 20 m. If these assumptions are not met, a more detailed risk assessment is required.
Men Women
Force required to stop or start the load 20Kg 15Kg
Sustained force to keep the load in motion 10Kg 7Kg
There is no specific limit to the distance over which the load is pushed or pulled as long as there are adequate opportunities for rest or recovery.
Reviewing the assessment
The assessment should be kept up to date. It should be reviewed if new information comes to light or if there has been a change in the manual handling operations.
The assessment may also need to be reviewed if an injury occurs, or an employee becomes more vulnerable to risk due to illness, or the onset of disability or pregnancy.
Training
An employer must also provide training regarding manual handling. This should include manual handling risk factors and how injuries occur, good handling technique, appropriate safe systems of work, use of mechanical aids.
Remember that training by itself cannot overcome:
Overview
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 come into force today.
The main changes made by these Regulations are:
No changes are being made to:
Minor changes in wording have been made to the requirements for reporting gas hazards and injuries. It remains a defence in proceedings to prove that the organisation was unaware of the circumstances which gave rise to a reporting requirement, provided they have taken reasonable steps to be made aware.
A new regulation (15) restricts the need to report the same incident twice, provided that all the information required in respect of the multiple reporting requirements has been given and timescales are met.
New categories of reportable injury to employees
The list of major injuries is now contained within regulation 4 rather than within a schedule. Fractures other than to fingers, thumbs and toes are still reportable though with the caveat ‘as diagnosed by a medical practitioner. ‘Any amputation’ as a category has been replaced with ‘amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe’.
Dislocations, chemical/ hot metal injuries to the eye, electric shock related injury, heat induced illness, hypothermia, and unconsciousness (in general), injuries requiring resuscitation in general and those requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours are no longer reportable as major injuries.
The sight loss category has become, ‘any injury diagnosed by a registered medical practitioner as being likely to cause permanent blinding or reduction in sight in one or both eyes’.
Next there are three new categories:
Loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia is an altered category (previously loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to substances was reportable).
Another new category is:
Note. For the time being we do not have a definition of ‘enclosed space’.
Changes to Reportable Disease Categories
Reportable occupational diseases are now summarised in regulation 8 as follows:
And regulation 9 adds two further categories:
Conclusion
The regulations have essentially been redrafted with some sections imported from the old regulations into the new structure. Even where requirements are very similar such as in the list of general dangerous occurrences there are subtle differences in wording.
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Employers must ensure that they protect new and expectant mothers from potential hazards in the workplace.
The law requires employers to assess the risks to their employees, including new and expectant mothers, and do as much as possible to control those risks.
This risk assessment must take account of work, which is of a kind, which could involve risks to the health and safety of a new or expectant mother because of her condition, or to that of her baby, from any processes, working conditions and physical, biological or chemical agents.
A new or expectant mother is defined as an employee who is pregnant, or has given birth within the previous 6 months, or who is breast-feeding.
The Assessment
The risk assessment must consider the following:
Manual handling – all expectant and new mothers must avoid significant manual handling operations.
The use of chemicals and substances – where identified as being hazardous, the use of chemicals must be eliminated or substituted from the work program of the employee.
Working whilst standing – where the employee’s role involves considerable standing, there should be regular short rest breaks.
Operating hazardous machinery – operating certain types of machinery (i.e. noisy, vibrating, etc.) can promote fatigue, discomfort and put the employee’s safety at risk. The use of this type of equipment should be avoided.
Night work – this type of work can cause concern or stress to certain individuals. Where this is identified, the person should be offered the option of transferring to daytime work.
New and Expectant Mothers
When you are notified in writing by an employee that she:
You must:
Identify any risks to the new or expectant mother.
Where there are risks to the health and safety of a new or expectant mother, which cannot be avoided by the preventative measures taken, you will need to:
Information
You should ensure that all new and expectant mothers are provided with comprehensive and relevant information on:
Review of Assessments
The risk assessment for the pregnant worker must be kept under review. Although the hazards are likely to remain the same throughout the pregnancy the risk may vary through the different stages of pregnancy.
Co-ordination, speed of movement and reach are all likely to be impaired because of the pregnant workers’ increase in size.
Rest Facilities
Facilities should be provided for expectant and nursing mothers to rest, which are:
The requirement for employers and the self-employed to undertake a suitable and sufficient
risk assessment comes from The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999. Regulation 3 of these regulations states:
(6) Where the employer employs five or more employees, he shall record-
(a) the significant findings of the assessment; and
(b) any group of his employees identified by it as being especially at risk.
Part (b) requires employers to take particular account of young people and new and
expectant mothers.
It should be noted that if an employer has less than 5 employees it is still good practice to
record the findings of the assessment.
Employers do not need specific training or qualifications to carry out a risk assessment. As
an employer, you must appoint someone competent to help you meet your health and safety
duties. A competent person is someone with the necessary skills, knowledge and
experience.
A risk assessment is an examination of hazards that could potentially cause harm to people.
You will need to look at the effectiveness of existing control measures and the need for
further controls.
There are 5 steps to a risk assessment these are as follows:
1. Identify the hazards
First you need to work out how people could be harmed. As well as using your knowledge
and experience you can do this by walking around the business, asking employees and
looking at accident or ill health records.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how
You must identify which groups of people are at risk from these hazards, taking into
consideration the presence of cleaners, visitors, contractors and members of the public.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution
You will need to look at the controls you have in place and compare this with best practice to
see if there’s more you should be doing to bring yourself up to standard. This may mean that
additional control measures are required to reduce the risk to the lowest possible level.
4. Record your findings and implement them
Recording your risk assessments is a legal requirement where you have 5 or more
employees. However it is always good practice to do this as it shows employees and clients
that you have considered the risks and put relevant control measures in place. Your
employees can then refer to the risk assessment and make sure they are adhering to the
control measures in place.
5. Review your assessment and update if necessary
A risk assessment must be reviewed on a regular basis. It is important to review a risk
assessment after significant changes within the business such as new equipment, a change
in procedures or after an accident. Make sure employees are aware of the risk assessment
and the control measures in place. Involve employees in the process as they will have a
good understanding of the risks they come across every day.
