Objective
To Identify significant work place manual handling hazards and evaluate the risks in order to formulate appropriate control measures for issue to employees before operations commence in order to combat the highest source of accidents in our industry.
Types of Assessment
There are two types that are currently in use namely:
- Generic and
- Operational or Group.
The pre-written generic type of risk assessment is not designed to assess the on going variations that may exist at the workplace.
A generic assessment and control measures can be written for an operation, for example the handling of bags or the loading or unloading grass collectors. Nevertheless it is the risks of the Task, Load, the Environment and the Individual's capacity that may alter in respect of the individual operation or the individual operator or group.
The Assessment Process
Identification of hazards
All employees have a duty to observe and report unsafe manual handling operations, and systems.
Risk assessment
Where manual handling hazards are identified, Managers Supervisors, and Appointed Competent Persons have a duty to ensure that risk assessments are carried out and that suitable and sufficient control measures are put in place.
Method
Having identified the manual handling operational hazards, the risks can be evaluated either using numbers or words to indicate severity or risk values by the same format as the general risk assessments.
However manual handling risk assessment varies from the general procedure in that the hazards can be listed for most manual handling operations in advance.
The assessment is therefore a decision on which of the pre listed hazards are high, medium or low risks in consideration of the operation under assessment. For example:
The Task:
- twisting
- pulling /pushing etc.
The Load:
- Weight
- Sharp or hot etc.
The Environment:
- Poor light
- Poor foothold etc.
An Individuals Capacity:
- Operator size
- Operator health etc.
Other Factors:
In order to complete a suitable and sufficient assessment there are a number of additional factors to be considered e.g.
- Is the operation hindered by personal protective equipment?
- Is there a public presence?
- Is work carried out in a confined area?
Appointed Assessors:
Appointed manual handling assessors should be competent to carry out assessments as a result of their training and experience.
This training is required in order for the assessor to understand the relationship between the risks of the task, load and environment in relation to the capabilities of individuals carrying out manual handling operations.
Example: The weight that a young strong healthy male can safely lift with the correct technique will be in excess of the weight of a comparative woman or older male.
Control Measures
Following an assessment, control measures will consist of the actions , procedures or safe systems of work put in place to prevent muscular strains, tendon sprains, skeletal damage and injuries such as Work Related Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs), e.g. Repetitive Strain Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Statistically.
The most commonly reported injuries in the grounds maintenance industry are those resulting from manual handling operations and the most common manual handling injuries reported are those involving back strains and damage. It is therefore essential that employees are made aware of the correct procedures in order to prevent injury. Equally, managers must be aware of the consequent potential for lost time and civil claims.
Training
The training and instruction of employees in manual handling techniques is one of the best control measures that can be adopted. This can be used for the instruction of individuals in specific operations e.g. using a wheel barrow. Or as group instruction for general physical tasks such as team lifting and carrying.
Manual Handling Trainers
It is important that all manual handling trainers are conversant with the appropriate manual handling techniques, the reasons for injuries and the relevant body physiology.
Supervision
In addition to training, the supervision through day to day direction and instruction of employees by competent managers or supervisors is vital to the reduction of injuries. This is especially the case where employees are new to the work or the operations.
References
The Manual Handling Regulations 1992, as amended