MANUAL HANDLING Samuel Nii Tettey (Ergonomist)

THE MH PROBLEM COSTS TO EMPLOYERS Case Study 1 Manual handling injury claims cost a company £ over a 3 year period. This totalled 20% of their employers’ liability claims. Case study 2 In one year a firm lost 373 working days because of manual handling injuries. This cost about £ in wages paid to absent workers. There were also overtime payments and other costs. The introduction of handling aids, manual handling training, and a rehabilitation programme reduced days lost to 74 and wage costs to about £

3 COSTS TO EMPLOYEES Case study 1 A worker suffered back pain resulting from repetitive heavy lifting. He was off work for 8 weeks on reduced earnings (sickness benefit). He was unable to enjoy his usual leisure activities and was worried that he would not be able to return to his normal job. To prevent a recurrence, the company installed a hoist which removed the need for manual handling. Case study 2 A worker was placing a heavy length of timber on a stack when it slipped. He tried to catch it and suffered an injury to his lower back. He took bed rest and stayed inactive for several weeks. He was not advised to keep active and the pain continued. Some months later he received physiotherapy, but by this time the injury had become chronic and the treatment did little to help. He is still in daily pain and can’t stay sitting or standing for long. He is still unemployed several years later.

MH RISK ASSESSMENT FLOWCHART IS THERE RISK OF MH INJURY? CAN MH BE AVOIDED? CAN MH TASK BE MECHANISED OR RISK REDUCED TO INSIGNIFICANT LEVEL? CARRY OUT RISK ASSESSMENT YES NO YES FORMAL RISKT ASSESSMENT NOT NECESSARY BUT REVIEW WHEN THERE IS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE 4

Patient Handling Techniques To Prevent MSDs In Health Care There are several factors, which make patient handling activities hazardous and thereby increase the risk of injury. These risk factors are related to different aspects of patient handling: 5

Risks Related To The Task Force: The amount of physical effort required to perform the task (such as heavy lifting, mulling and pushing) or to maintain control of equipment and tools Repetition: Performing the same motion or series of motions continually or frequently during the working day Awkward positions: Assuming positions that place stress on the body, such as leaning over a bed, kneeling or twisting the trunk while lifting 6

Risks Related To The Load Some objects cannot be lifted like ordinary loads; so safe lifting “rules” do not always apply Holding load close to the body may not be possible Load may have no handles Some of the time it is not possible to predict what will happen while handling a load Load may be bulky 7

Risks Related To The Environment Slip, trip and fall hazards Uneven work surfaces Space limitations (small rooms, lots of equipment/materials clustering environment) Inadequate lighting Overcrowded environment 8

Other MH Risks No assistance available Inadequate equipment Inadequate footwear and clothing (close fitting or loose) Lack of knowledge or training 9

MH RISK ASSESSMENT The following list of MH risk factors is to assist the employee to determine the risk of injury from manual handling operations and to decide on suitable controls A manual handling assessment is required if the operation involves a significant risk of injury, and cannot be avoided, mechanised or automated at reasonable cost 10

MH RISK FACTORS Does task involve…? StoopingStrenuous pullingStrenuous pushing BendingRepetitive handling Frequent prolonged effort TwistingLittle /inadequate rest or recovery time Large vertical effort Long Distance travel Fast pace workOther (List) Holding away from body Reaching above shoulder 11

MH RISK FACTORS Contd. Does/Is the individual …. Require unusual strength Need special information or training Have a health problem Other (List) Pregnant A young, inexperienced person 12

MH RISK FACTORS Contd. Is the load ….? HeavyHeavy at an endUnstable BulkyRough on surface Unpredictable (people/animal s) Hot/coldContain hazardous substance In open container Contents liable to move/shift Difficult to grasp 13

MH RISK FACTORS Contd. Is/does the environment……? Hot/humidHave varying floor levels Have doors that open outward ColdFloor in poor condition Have steps/ stairs WindyCrowdedHave difficult storage conditions Poorly litFloor slipperyMake it difficult to adopt good posture 14

MH RISK FACTORS Contd. Other factors include….. Restrictive clothing making lifting hazardous? Other (List) PPE requirement making lifting hazardous? Team lifting required? 15

MH RISK EXERCISE Consider a manual handling activity at your workplace and list all the handling hazards, those at risk and the current control measures provided. Next determine whether the measures are “unacceptable”, “further controls required”, or “controls are acceptable” Indicate on a separate sheep suggested further control requirements for each task 16

MH EXERCISE Contd. Manual handling activities to be performed _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 17

MH EXERCISE Contd. Handling hazards Enter here all hazards associated with the activity: task, individual, load, environment, etc. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 18

19 Handling hazards contd. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

MH EXERCISE Contd. Those at risk Indicate those at risk (e.g. staff, public, others ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 20

MH EXERCISE Contd. Indicate the current measures 21

MH EXERCISE Contd. Adequateness of current control measures. Indicate by circling the appropriate response UnacceptableFurther measures required Current measures adequate 22

Further Control Measures List further measures required ________________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ 23