Manual Handling
Nick Giles
OHS Manager
What is Manual Handling?
“ any activity requiring the use of force exerted
by a person to lift, push, pull, carry or
otherwise move, hold or restrain any object ”
OR
“Anything you need to use your muscles for”
!
Manual Handling
• About 60% of workplace injuries across
all injuries are caused by manual
handling
• Injuries usually involve the back, neck or
shoulders Injuries
 Sudden – eg from lifting something heavy
 Wear and tear – eg from repetitive work
Attitudes to Being Injured
•
•
•
•
Bad luck
Fate
Injuries are caused by being careless
Haven’t been injured before so unlikely
to happen in the future
• Most people think it wont happen to
them
• OHS Says that every injury is
preventable
What Makes a Manual Handling Task
Hazardous
• High force – lifting something really heavy, pushing a
heavy trolley, straining
• Unsafe awkward posture – bending / twisting
• Sustained work – holding a heavy item for some time
• Repetitive work – using the same muscles, tendons,
ligaments over and over
• Unstable / unbalanced loads which are difficult to
grasp
Exercise 1: List Manual Handling Tasks
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO MANUAL HANDLING INJURY
Poor Fitness
Poor
Techniques/
Posture
Environmental
Hazards
Inadequate
Equipment
WORKPLACE
INJURY
Lack of Work
Experience/
Formal
Training
Unsafe Work
Practices/
Difficult Tasks
Structure & Function
of the Spine
Function - support body in an upright
posture, and protect the spinal cord.
Structure - Spinal column is made of:
• Vertebrae (bony segments)
• Discs (cushion the vertebrae; act as shock
absorbers)
• Spinal cord (nerves)
Muscles Supporting the Spine
• Back muscles (superficial long muscles/deep short muscles attaching to
vertebrae)
• Abdominal muscles (broad, sheet like muscles that run diagonally in both
directions & provide support to spine in lifting)
These muscles provide much of the support for your back and spine
All these muscles are prone to injury during unsafe manual handling.
Spine Anatomy – Straight Back
There are 3 curves:
Cervical (inward);
Thoracic (outward);
Lumbar (inward).
As We Get Older
• We can be more prone to injury
• It takes longer to recover from an injury
• The back becomes less flexible
Your Role
Know your own capabilities
Size up the risks involved in each task
Work out the safest way of undertaking the task
Feedback your ideas about risky tasks and solutions to managers/health and
safety representatives
You may be asked to help complete risk assessments
Report all incidents hazards and near misses
Tactics
• Plan ahead
• Don’t rush
• Unusual / unfamiliar task – step back and
think about how to do it safely
Practical Techniques to Reduce Injury
Correct posture
Safe lifting technique
Ordering smaller packages
Store heavy and frequently used items between shoulder and hip height
Using a trolley
Making best use of our available storage space
Plan ahead when moving items
Avoid twisting by moving your feet
Stretch / warm up before manual handling
!
Risk Control
Eliminate
Eg. Avoid double handling, deliver to point of storage
Substitution
More Effective
Eg. Order smaller packages
Engineering
eg trolley, lever, handle
Administrative
Eg. Training, warning signs, job rotation
Less Effective
Exercise 2: Risk Assessment
Safe Lifting Technique
•
•
•
•
•
Size up the load
Move as close to the load as possible
Always bend your knees, tighten your abs
Raise the load using your leg muscles
Turn by moving your feet
Hug Your Load
Keeping a Straight Back
• Kneel instead of bending
• Squat
• Lunge
Work Smarter Not Harder
Benefits of safer manual handling
• Not getting injured
• More energy when you go home from work
– you’ll enjoy life more.
• Be fit and healthy into old age
Other Tactics
• Stretching exercises – before, during, after
work
• Getting enough rest
• Keeping fit
Outside of Work
• Look after yourself at home too
– Gardening
– Moving house
– Moving furniture
– Working on the car
– Lifting the kids
– Helping mates