The two key things are training and risk assessments. Anyone, no matter what industry or working environment you are in, must have manual handling training if manual handling tasks are encompassed in their role. This training is not just a one off thing; there must be ongoing training to ensure that people receive refreshed training on a continual basis.
The second key thing is risk assessing a task. An employer should fully risk assess a manual handling activity to look at things such as:
- Is there any mechanical assistance that could prevent the use of people for the task?
- Is the task doable in relation to weight?
- How many people need to be involved in the task?
- Have all those involved been properly trained for the new task?
- And last but not least – in keeping with the topic of this blog – are there any obstacles on the route that need to be considered!
The latter, as the focal point for this particular blog post, is often missed. If a supervisor or manager asks an employee to fetch something, they may not consider what obstacles need to be negotiated along the route. As long as the employee has had the standard training and the object is easily managed, any problems along the route may not be anticipated.
So what sort of problems need to be addressed? Well, like I said, all activities should be risk assessed anyway, so the route must be safe to navigate by whoever is going to be carrying out the task. Common things to consider would be stairs, steps, slopes, difficult terrain (like grass), the weather if it’s outside, the floor in general (if you need to step inside a freezer room that could be slippery for example), whether any cleaning is ongoing on the route which may cause the floor to be wet, or other simple things like boxes or goods on the ground that could pose a tripping hazard.
Stairs, as per the title of the blog, are a common one. What should be considered is whether the load if manageable on stairs. If the load requires the use of both hands to lift the load, this will naturally result in the inability to use the hand rail. If the stairs are steep, this could be a serious danger. Will it require two people to make sure the task is safe? Touching on another example from above; if you need to cross an open outdoor area and it has been raining all day, what if the ground is wet? You may not see a pool of water on the floor with a huge box against your chest.
Here’s a classic one – restaurants are busy places during the lunch and dinner rushes, which is why there are often designated routes for people to go; such as a separate entrance and exit to the kitchen. Imagine you’re carrying plates full of food in both hands and on your arms when someone rushes out of the door you are trying to get out of and barges straight in to you. This goes to show that it’s not just obstacles that need to be considered; the route itself when it comes to other users and ‘people traffic’ need also to be looked at too.
Ultimately it’s not always about the weight of a load being too heavy and causing an injury. If you slip, trip, or fall because of a hazard due to the fact you were carrying a load, your employer may equally be liable even if you have been fully trained and you were lifting and carrying in the correct way. So give us a call on our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today for help and advice about your manual handling personal injury claim.