About
Manual Handling operations may result in injury, accidents and ill health.Â
These work activities account for approximately 25% of all reported work related injuries every year and it is estimated that many more occur which are never reported.
Manual handling is defined as any transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force
This includes:
Lifting
Putting down
Pushing
Pulling
Carrying
Moving etc.
In addition the bodily force does not have to be applied directly on to the object. Instead it may be made by way of a rope or a lever, etc. Consequently manual handling can take many forms, for example:
A nurse moving a patient from a bed
A secretary carrying a box of photocopying paper
A chef lifting a heavy pot of soup or large meat joint
Manual handling carried out by employees may result in injury whether it is immediate or as a build up over a long period of time i.e. acute or chronic.
For example:
Fractures
Damaged muscles, ligaments and tendons
Slipped discs
Trapped nerves
Abrasions and cuts
Hernias
As a result of these injuries many hours may be lost due to employees being on sick leave.
As far as reasonably practicable the employer must remove any need for their employees to undertake any form of manual handling where there is a risk of them being injured.
Associated Legislation
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (Amended 2002) are aimed at helping employers and the self-employed to reduce the risk of these injuries and work related accidents occurring by effectively managing the movement of staff, equipment and objects.