Welcome to
safety awareness training session on Manual Handling.
Manual Handling
Soudi Noori
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Outline
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What is Manual Handling ?
Why Are You Here?
The Back Structure
Manual Handling Injuries
What are the Warning Signs?
Protecting Your Back
Managing Manual Handling Risk
Safety Procedures
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What is Manual Handling ?
•The movement of a load by human effort alone.
•Manual handling may involve the transportation of the
load or the direct support of the load including
pushing, pulling, carrying, moving using bodily force
and, of course, straightforward lifting.
The Facts
•WorkSafe receives around 280 reports of injuries
from manual order-picking alone each year. These
cost around $11.5 million in treatment, rehabilitation
and compensation costs.
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• When you think of manual handling what
type of injuries do you associate it with?
Back
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Why Are You Here?
The aim of this presentation is to make
you more aware of what manual handling
is, therefore you can identify the tasks that
you do that could be potentially
dangerous.
Therefore by the end of this session you
will be able to:
Save Your
Back!
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The Back Structure
Cervical
Thoracic
Spinal
Cord
Disc
Lumbar
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The way the back operates:
The back is a very complex structure, with a delicate
spinal cord encased within angled bones at the rear of
a column of bones that are arranged like building
blocks. The spinal column has three key areas
cervical, thoracic and lumbar.
It supports the trunk and the head, which envelopes
the spinal cord, this is involved in every movement of
the limbs and body. There are a total of 33 vertebrae
of the spine and 24 permit movement. Between each
of these are moveable vertebrae discs of fibrous
tissues. They have a tough outer casing and a jellylike centre support.
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Manual Handling Injuries
There are many things that can go wrong with the spine, but, in
essence, up to 98% of all back pain is either caused by, or directly
linked to, compression – the term used to describe the spine when
it becomes squashed, or shortened from its natural length.
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Muscular sprains and strains
Back injuries
Trapped nerve
Hernia
Cuts, bruising and abrasions
Fractures
Work Related Upper Limb Disorders
Rheumatism
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Compressed disc
The thinner
section of the disc
is evident in this
x-ray
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What are the Warning Signs?
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Back or neck pain
Pain in wrists, shoulders, forearms, knees etc
Shooting or stabbing pains in arms or legs
Severe and continuous abdominal and back pain
Anyone Hurt?
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Protecting Your Back
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Lose any excess body fat
Few simple exercises before coming to work
Warm up cold muscles thoroughly before engaging in any manual
work (Stretching)
4. Take frequent breaks
5. Lift and carry heavy loads correctly
• keep the load close to the body and lifting with the thigh muscles
• Never attempt to carry or lift loads in excess of the
recommended maximum limit for one person
• Maintain correct posture and the natural curves of the spine
• Get help to lift or carry a heavy load whenever possible, using
another worker or appropriate mechanical aids
• Cool down after heavy work with gentle, sustained stretches
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1-Lose any excess body fat
Consult with your Doctor
1. Before starting any diet
2. if you have any health problem
1. Eat Less, move more
– Sounds too simple? It is! The amount of calories you intake each day
must be less than the amount you exert.
2. Try Food Guide Pyramid to understand how to eat healthy (next page)
3. Exercise in the morning before breakfast or on an empty stomach.
– What a gem this little tip is! By training 12hrs after you’ve eaten there is
not going to be nearly as much sugar in your system to burn. This means
your body taps into it’s fat stores much faster.
4. Do not skip your breakfast
5. Drink more water
– your body will find it harder to burn body fat when it is dehydrated.
6. Try five hours gap between meals…
Do not think about it , just do it….you will see the result!!
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Eat a variety of foods.
Eat less of some foods, and more of others.
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2-Few simple exercises before
coming to work
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Few simple exercises before
coming to work
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3-Stretching
Prevention is better than cure!
Following are some tips on how you can prevent manual
task injuries.
• Stretch prior to doing any manual handling tasks.
• Exercise and take short breaks frequently
• Cool down after any heavy lifting/manual handling.
• You can do just a few of the exercises anytime during the day. Try
some of them before you get stiff and sore.
• Include a variety of movements in your workday.
Some stretches may cause you pain or discomfort. If this occurs, stop
the stretch immediately.
Stretches for Manual Tasks
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If you experience pain during these exercises discontinue
them immediately and seek further advice.
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If you experience pain during these exercises discontinue
them immediately and seek further advice.
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If you experience pain during these exercises discontinue
them immediately and seek further advice.
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4-Take Frequent Breaks
Everyone needs a break, and it will be a good thing for
you ………
•Have a glass of water
•Rest on your chair for 3-5 minute
•Try stretch exercise
•Splash your face and neck with cold water
•……..
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5-Safe Lifting Technique
• Plan the lift
• Keep the load close to your
body
• Maintain the natural curves
of your spine
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Managing
Manual Handling Risk
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Identify the problem and agree to act
Involve the right people
Assess the risks
Reduce the risks (Control)
Train and inform
Systems allow workers to report back pain and symptoms
Systems for reviewing work activities, managing sickness
absence and return to work
• Carry out regular checks
Don’t take back pain lying down, Stay active
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Safe Procedures
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Safe operation of Pallet truck
Pallets
Stacking cartons on pallets
Stacking shelves
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Safe Operation Pallet truck
Moving materials with a hand pallet truck may seem easy, but safe handling requires skill.
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Avoid moving loads up or down ramps.
Do not carry riders on the truck.
Center the forks evenly under the load to maintain good balance.
Avoid overloading the truck.
Ensure the stability of the load.
Use both forks for lifting a load.
Pull rather than push loads
Operate at a controllable speed, since hand pallet trucks do not
have brakes.
• Park the pallet truck out of traffic areas in a safe, level place with the
forks lowered.
• The handle should be left in the up position to eliminate tripping
hazards.
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Safe Use of Pallets
If you use pallets with racking units, you should avoid:
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using a pallet which can't cope with its load
poorly designed or constructed pallets
using damaged pallets
using the wrong type of pallet for the racking system used or the
material or substance stored
• poor handling of pallets
Handling Pallets
• Always wear gloves when handling wooden pallets.
• Because they are heavy and awkward to carry, move a pallet by
standing on its edge and sliding it.
• Don’t throw pallets because you can injure yourself and damage the
pallet.
• Don’t store pallets on their edges or ends. Pallets stored on edges
tend to fall and cause injuries.
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Is that Pallet Safe to Move?
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Stacking cartons on pallets
Problems
Strain injuries may occur when stacking cartons on pallets, where:
• the load is lifted from the floor, or from below mid-thigh height;
• reaching above shoulder height when stacking cartons on pallets;
• there is too much twisting and bending when placing cartons on a
pallet;
• excessive forward reaching is required when placing cartons on the
far side of a pallet;
• the cartons are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the
number of cartons to be moved or the distance moved, are taken
into account; and
• the cartons are awkward to grasp due to their size and shape.
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Solutions
• Talk to your customers or suppliers about the size, shape and weight
of cartons and their contents.
• Reduce the weight of the carton.
• Limit the height of the stack of cartons.
• Where team lifting is necessary, ensure a safe procedure is agreed
and followed.
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Stacking shelves
Problems
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Strain injuries may occur when stacking shelves where:
items are double handled;
items are stored above shoulder level;
items are lifted from below mid-thigh height;
items are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the number of
times the items are moved or the distance moved, are taken into
account;
the weight of items is unknown and they are heavier than expected
for their size or shape;
excessive forward reaching is required when lifting or placing loads
on and off shelves;
there is not enough space to handle items safely; and
the load is unstable or awkward to move.
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Solutions
• Use height adjustable trolleys for unloading and loading items.
• Eliminate double handling by keeping the amount of stock stored to
a minimum so that items can be placed directly onto shelves for sale
or use.
• Organise storage so that heavy or high turnover stock is stored at
waist height.
• Limit the height of shelves to shoulder height.
• Limit the depth of shelves.
• Stack stock in their cartons rather than unloading individual
containers onto shelves.
• Ensure cartons are correctly labelled with their contents and weight.
• Store large awkward items such as bicycles and wheelchairs at
ground level.
• Use step stools and steps to avoid over reaching.
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Safe Design
The following principles of stocking store shelves are a
good example of safe design in the store area:
• Weight of product – Lighter items should be placed on
higher shelves. Heavier items should be placed on
shelves between shoulder and midthigh height, ideally at
waist height.
• Type of container – To reduce the risk of breakage,
avoid placing glass containers on the bottom or top
shelves where possible.
• Days of supply – Restrict the amount of any one
product on display, dependent on sales.
• Product display on top shelves – To enable easy
reach, products on the top shelves should not be
stacked on top of each other.
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Thanks
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