HSA - Manual Handling

Manual Handling

Legislation

What legislation covers manual handling?
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Applications) Regulations 2007, Chapter 4 of Part 2, outline the requirements that must be adhered to in relation to manual handling.

How do I comply with the legislation?

These Regulations requires the employer to organise the work to allow the use of mechanical or other means to avoid the need for the manual handling of loads by employees in the workplace. Organisational measures can include designing or automating a work activity to eliminate the need for manual handling (e.g. arrange for wrapping or packaging in situ or bringing treatment to a patient rather than vice versa). It can also mean giving special consideration to the bulk purchase or movement of raw materials so as to eliminate the need to lift sacks or bags (e.g. flour, grain, powdered chemicals and animal feedstuffs or cement) and to introduce new arrangements (e.g. cement silos on building sites). Employers must consider whether manual handling can be eliminated or reduced in the design of systems of work.
At the outset the employer will need to carry out a full risk assessment of existing manual handling tasks before making an informed decision on what manual handling tasks need to be avoided or reduced.
The Regulations set out a framework for employers to avoid or reduce manual handling activity. Employers must assess their manual handling operations and take steps to avoid or reduce the risk of injury. The risk can be avoided or reduced through the introduction of appropriate organisational measures such as improved layout of work area to reduce unnecessary long carrying distances; or the use of appropriate means, in particular mechanical equipment.
Risk assessment is a process which involves gaining a detailed understanding of a task being carried out, collecting all relevant technical details of the task, identifying if there are risk factors/hazards present, exploring what options or solutions are available to reduce or eliminate the risk factors/hazards and putting a plan in place to introduce the agreed control measures.

Regulations

What is defined as manual handling in these regulations?
Regulation 68 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007 defines manual handling of loads as

“ Any transporting or supporting of any load by one or more employees, and includes lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving a load, which by reason of its characteristics or unfavourable ergonomic conditions, involves risk, particularly of back injury, to employees.”

These characteristics or unfavourable ergonomic conditions are the risk factors which are outlined in Schedule 3 of the 2007 Regulations and have the potential to cause harm.

What are the employer’s duties under the manual handling regulations?
The Duties of the Employer with regard to manual handling are specified in Regulation 69 of the General Application Regulations 2007, Chapter 4 of Part 2. This regulation states that employers must:

(a)take appropriate organisational measures, or use the appropriate means, in particular mechanical equipment, to avoid the need for the manual handling of loads by the employer’s employees,

(b)where the need for the manual handling of loads by the employer’s employees

cannot be avoided, take appropriate organisational measures, use appropriate means or provide the employer’s employees with such means in order to reduce the risk involved in the manual handling of such loads, having regard to the risk factors specified in Schedule 3,

(c)wherever the need for manual handling of loads by the employer’s employees

cannot be avoided, organise workstations in such a way as to make such handling as safe and healthy as possible, and—

(i) taking account of the risk factors for the manual handling of loads specified in Schedule 3, assess the health and safety conditions of the type of work involved and take appropriate measures to avoid or reduce the risk, particularly of back injury, to the employer’s employees,

(ii) ensure that particularly sensitive risk groups of employees are protected

against any dangers which specifically affect them in relation to the manual handling of loads and the individual risk factors, having regard to the risk factors set out in Schedule 3,

(iii) ensure that where tasks are entrusted to an employee, his or her capabilities in relation to safety and health are taken into account, including, in relation to the manual handling of loads by employees, the individual risk factors set out in Schedule 3, and

(iv) when carrying out health surveillance in relation to the manual handling of

loads by employees, take account of the appropriate risk factors set out in

Schedule 3, and

(d) without prejudice to section 9 of the Act, ensure that those of the employer’s

employees who are involved in manual handling of loads receive general indications and, where possible, precise information on—

(i) the weight of each load, and

(ii) the centre of gravity of the heaviest side when a package is eccentrically

loaded.

Is there an appropriate guidance document to aid in compliance with the regulations?

There are two guidance documents available in relation to the Manual Handling of Loads Regulations

The Guide to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 Chapter 4 of Part 2: Manual Handling of Loads and
The HSA guidance document “ Management of Manual Handling in the Workplace”

This guidance on the Management of Manual Handling in the Workplace offers a complete guide to manual handling management and gives comprehensive details on the following topics:

How to carry out a manual handling risk assessment
Key factors in the management of manual handling
Case study examples of different manual handling solutions in the workplace
The legislation and employers duties
The role of ergonomics in addressing manual handling issues
A risk assessment template form.

This document is available on line at www.hsa.ie

Risk Assessment

How do you carry out a manual handling risk assessment?

There are four key steps to carrying out a manual handling risk assessment:

1. Identify the manual handling tasks that need to be assessed

Compile a list of tasks which involve manual handling
Consult with workers and safety representatives
Conduct a full walk through audit

2. Develop a risk assessment schedule

A plan should be put in place that will identify tasks, when risk assessments are to be completed and why the assessment is being carried out

3. Carry out a risk assessment process

Stage 1: Task Observation and Description

Gain a detailed understanding of how the task is performed and identify the subtasks which will that contribute to the overall task
Should be a team effort with worker consultation
The person carrying out the assessment should have a thorough practical understanding of the type of manual handling tasks being carried out

Stage 2: Collect Task data

Need good quality information about the task, including technical and general information
Technical information may include data on load weight, physical measures of a work area, dimensions, number of manual lifts in a task, light levels, noise levels frequency of activity and activity duration etc
Other information may include the type of personal protective equipment provided, level of consultation with workers, postures observed (bending, reaching or twisting), quality of work surface, number of staff performing the task, types of aids provided if any, and any drawings of the layout of work area.
Photographs of the key sub tasks should be documented in the risk assessment as they will assist during the process of identifying risk factors

Stage 3: Identify the Risk factors
Refer to the risk reference factors outlined in the Schedule 3 of the General Application Regulations 2007. They include:

(1) Load Characteristicssuch as weight, size, instability, movable contents, positioning, consistency, difficult to grasp etc

(2) Physical effortrequired by the manual handling, including strenuousness, twisting or unstable posture required, likely to result in a sudden movement of the load etc

(3) Characteristics of the working environment including available space, uneven or slippery ground, unstable floor or foot rest, unsuitable temperature, humidity or ventilation

(4) Requirements of the Activity including over frequent or prolonged physical effort, insufficient bodily rest or recovery period, excessive lifting, lowering or carrying distances, uncontrolled rate of work

(5) Individual Risk Factors

Stage 4: Solution Development an Action Plan

Develop solutions to eliminate or reduce risk factors
Evaluate the controls which are feasible for each problem
Document the rationale for choosing a particular control measure
Identify any new hazards, which may result from the implementation of control measures such as mechanical aids etc and put in place control measures to eliminate those hazards.
Develop a plan of action to identify what changes are planned and to communicate all changes to relevant personnel.

4. Review the effectiveness of the control measures or solution

Regular reviews need to take place to ensure that the controls measures are effectively implemented.
Workers must accept and implement the control measures to underline the effectiveness of the control measures

Further information on manual handling risk assessments are detailed in visual format on the HSA website.

Who can carry out a manual handling risk assessment?

A competent person should carry out the manual handling risk assessment. This is a person who has adequate knowledge, training and experience to carry out the task properly and objectively. This may be somebody within the company or the employer may feel the need to hire an external consultant depending on the situation.

Employers must satisfy themselves that the person conducting the manual handling risk assessment is capable of doing so properly and effectively.

Management Programme

What are the main elements of a Manual Handling Management Programme?

Modern medical and scientific knowledge stress the importance of an ergonomic approach to remove or reduce the risk of manual handling injury. Ergonomics is sometimes described as “fitting the job to the person rather than the person to the job.” The ergonomic approach therefore looks at manual handling as a whole. It takes into account a range of relevant factors including the nature of the task, the load and the work environment.

An effective way of managing manual handling in the workplace to develop a manual handling management programme (MHMP). The programme should not be considered in isolation but as part of the overall system for managing health and safety.

The main elements of a manual handling management programme include:

Develop a manual handling policy

This should be a management commitment to the avoidance and reduction of manual handling of loads in the workplace. The policy should have a set structure, which could include the following:

Introduction, (need for the policy, purpose of document, the approach)
Manual Handling Policy (aims, objectives,)
Definitions (key words and phrases),
Responsibilities, (employees, management, record keeping etc)
Procedures (risk assessment, training, accident reporting/investigation and resourcing)
Consultation

Worker involvement through consultation on health and safety issues will allow the worker to give feedback on problem tasks and suggested solutions to avoid or reduce risk. Consultation should occur at all stages from the planning of new systems of work to the reviewing of controls measures.

Consultation can be formal or informal but should always be formally documented.

Risk assessment and implementation of controls

All manual-handling activities must be assessed. Based on this, changes can be made to the workplace processes and layout to suitably avoid or reduce the risk.

Training

It cannot be overstated that the primary objective in avoiding or reducing the risk of injury should always be to optimise the risk assessment process. Training should always be given to compliment other measures, which have been put in place but not as a single solution.

It is not sufficient to just provide training for employees.

Manual handling training needs to be specific to the tasks involved. It should aim to ensure that the employee understands the reasons for doing the job with least risk, can recognise the risks and decide the best way to go about it and can perform the task safely.

The role of ergonomics in the design of work activity

The primary focus of ergonomics is on the design of work activity that suits the person in that it takes account of their capabilities, limitations and behaviour.

Consideration needs to be given to the role of ergonomics particularly at the design and planning stages of the workplace and activities.

Essential considerations in ensuring a proactive approach to ergonomics include:

Designers should have appropriate training, information and guidelines to design the work area so that work can be carried out with minimal risk.
Manual handling issues are identified and resolved in the planning process
Management commitment and employee involvement in the planning activity are essential
Design strategies should emphasis fitting the job demands to the capabilities of the job.

Other important design aspects such load design, layout of workstation and eliminating the need for unnecessary lifting or the arrangement of materials to allow for more efficient movement of materials need to be considered.

Does the Health and Safety Authority hold a register of Manual Handling instructors?
The Health and Safety Authority does not hold a register of Manual Handling Instructors.Current Health and Safety Authority requirements are that Manual Handling Training for employees should be provided by a trained instructor

The Health and Safety Authority is developing new manual handling training standards with FETAC and are also looking at developing a process for registration of Training Providers (i.e. Providers who deliver instructor courses). This process is at an early stage.

The Authority will advise at a later date on our plans for the new standards.

Mechanical Aids

As an employer, do I have to put in mechanical aids to eliminate manual handling of loads?

When assessing manual handling (or any other) risks to employees, the first consideration after identifying the hazard, is to eliminate it. If the hazard cannot be eliminated completely it must be reduced until the work can be carried out safely. The results of the risk assessment should highlight the hazards involved in all tasks. The employer must then put appropriate control measures in place to avoid or reduce manual handling activities. The HSA guidance ‘Management of Manual Handling in the Workplace’ outlines a variety of case studies and possible manual handling solutions.

Maximum Weight

What is the maximum weight that can be lifted safely?

The regulations set no specific requirements such as weight limits as these are based on too simple a view of the problem. However the guidance booklet does offer numerical guidelines, which take into account weight, repetition and location of lift by means of identifying activities, which involve risk. In using the guidelines the person carrying out the risk assessment should take into account the nature of the work activities and have an appreciation of what realistic improvements can be made to avoid or reduce risk.

Other factors that should be considered include repetition, individual capacity, posture and the work environment.

The Guideline Weight can be used to help determine if the load is too heavy. Working outside these guidelines is likely to increase the risk of injury.

manual handling maximum weight

Used by kind Permission of the Health and Safety Executive

Example:

A man is lifting a load weight of 40kg, the man is lifting the weight close to his body and he lifts the load from the floor to knuckle height. In looking at the Guideline weights it is evident that the lifters hands enter more than one box during the operation, therefore the smallest weight figure applies. In this case the smallest weight is 10kg. Therefore the conclusion is that there is an increased risk of injury as the load is greater than the guideline figure.

It is important to note that the load is readily grasped with both hands and that the operation takes place with the lifter in a stable body position.

The guidelines are for infrequent operations up to about thirty operations per hour, where the pace of work is not forced, adequate pauses to rest or use different muscles are possible, and the load is not handled by the lifter for any length of time.

Reduce the weight if the operation is repeated more often. As a guide:

Where operations are repeated	Figures should be reduced by:
Once or twice per minute	30%
Five to eighth times per minute	50%
More than 12 times per minute	80%

Training Standards

What is the current situation regarding the development of Manual Handling Training Standards?

In 2004 The Health and Safety Authority carried out a review of Manual Handling training in Ireland. The objective was:

“ To carry out a review of Manual Handling Training in Ireland in order to understand the issues that contribute to the perceived variation in the quality and consistency of trainers and training courses and to make recommendations to address the issues in the medium to long term”

A number of interventions were introduced to ensure that the views of all relevant stakeholders were obtained. These interventions included:

Literature Review to review current research on best practice
Survey of Consultants/Training Providers
Survey of the Senior Labour Inspectorate Committee (SLIC) who represent the twenty-five EU Member States
Public Consultation process to invite submissions from stakeholders

The Health and Safety Authority received a total of forty-four submissions.

The findings of the review were that there was support for the development of a process or structure to accredit manual handling training providers and to develop suitable standards for manual handling training to include patient handling.

In 2006 the Board of the Health and Safety Authority allowed for the set up of a Manual Handling Training Advisory Group.

This group was set up in May 2006 and since then has been working on the development of draft Fetac Standards in the area of Manual Handling and Patient Handling.

During 2008 the advisory group will continue to work closely with Fetac and will also report to the board on current progress. There will be further updates on progress at a later date on the HSA Website.

What is the course content of a manual handling training course?

Training and Information alone are not enough to ensure safe manual handling, but rather are just one important aspect of a manual handling management programme. Training should be specific to the work tasks involved.

As there is a wide variety of manual handling tasks it is impossible to set down a specific training course. At the end of a training course, participants should have a clear understanding of the risks involved in manual handling and be apply to apply the skills learned to their specific work activities. To do this, it is essential that the course content should include both instruction and practical training and should cover the following topics:

Information on the law relating to manual handling
Information on anatomy and biomechanics of the spine and muscles. This should give training participants a basic understanding of the function of the spine, intervertebral disc, muscles and ligaments and how certain hazardous postures can contribute to the risk of injury.
Guidance on fitness for the task and written guidance can be given on exercises for flexibility and muscle toning. Practical exercises for flexibility and muscle toning are outside the scope of occupational manual handling training. Participants should not engage in such exercises without consulting a relevant medical professional.
Information on the specific manual handling hazards identified in the risk assessment and any possible measures to avoid or reduce manual handling.
Information on good handling techniques and practice at applying these techniques
Procedures for dealing with unfamiliar loads
Instruction on appropriate clothing and footwear while handling loads and on PPE if essential for the work activity
Instruction on the maintenance of the workplace in a safe condition
Co-operation of trained employees

How often do employees need refresher training?

Refresher training will be at intervals not more than every three years and when there is any major change in the work involved or equipment used or when an employee is transferred to another activity requiring different loads to be handled.

How often do manual handling instructors need refresher training?

Instructors must undergo refresher training at intervals of not more than every five years

Are there minimum requirements for the duration of employee manual handling training courses?

The Health and Safety Authority do not specify time duration for manual training courses. However the HSA do advocate that course content should reflect topics outlined in the Management of Manual Handling Guidelines. The duration of the training course should be tailored to the number and complexity of the handling procedures being taught. The employers must satisfy themselves that the instructor who delivers the course covers the relevant topics comprehensively.

Is there a list of approved manual handling instructors?

The HSA do not approve particular training courses or instructors and it is up to the employer to ensure that the training provided covers all necessary topics.

Suitable trainers are those who have received appropriate training and:

Have knowledge, skill and experience in the subject
Have the ability to communicate this effectively
Are able to give practical demonstrations
Have appropriate teaching materials

A typical instructor training course will last approximately 5 days. The training course will include:

All the contents of a manual handling training course as outlined above
Communication and presentation skills
Practical risk assessment of manual handling tasks
Design of training courses and the use and selection of training materials
Reference to reading material relevant to designing and carrying out a training course

Does the Health and Safety Authority hold a register of Manual Handling instructors?

The Health and Safety Authority does not hold a register of Manual Handling Instructors.

Current Health and Safety Authority requirements are that Manual Handling Training for employees should be provided by a trained instructor.

The Authority will advise at a later date on our plans for the new standards.

Have the Health and Safety Authority produced any publications on Manual Handling?

The Health and Safety Authority have produced several Manual Handling publications. Two of these are; Lighten the Load for the Retail Sector and Lighten the Load for the Construction Sector.