Hazardous manual handling (risk assessment + preventions)

Essentially, manual handling of loads is a significant cause of occupational ill health. Several risk factors make manual handling of loads hazardous and increase the risk of injury. These factors can be categorized into; the load, the task, the environment, and the individual.

In this article, you will get more insights into these categories. We’ll also guide you through some easy steps to follow when doing a risk assessment at your workplace. Finally, we will provide you with a beneficial checklist to make it even easier for you to start.

A risk assessment is a careful examination of what in the workplace could potentially cause harm to people working there. From the risk assessment, specific actions are planned to take control measures to prevent these risks. Preventative measures, such as using ergonomic lifting equipment, can often be cost-effective and beneficial for employee health & safety. It will also benefit the workplace from a productive point of view.

Why is manual handling risk prevention important?

Technology has made some jobs easier, but many still require workers to lift and move heavy items. MSDs caused by manual handling are among the most common causes of lost or restricted work time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), MSD cases accounted for 33% of all worker injury and illness cases in 2013.

Most often, MSDs are the result of many repeated, moderate-force applications that are sustained over an extended period. Prevention is vital to avoid this type of MSD disorder.

What are the main risk factors in manual handling?

Manual handling in the workplace involves transporting or supporting a load by one or more workers. This includes the lifting, lowering, pulling, pushing, carrying, or moving of a load. Several risk factors make manual handling of loads hazardous and increase the risk of injuries.

Two groups of injuries are often associated with manual handling:

1. The first includes cuts, fractures, etc., due to sudden or unexpected events such as accidents.
2. The second includes damage to the musculoskeletal system (MSDs) of the body. This results from gradual and cumulative wear and tear through repetitive manual handling.

Prevention is vital when it comes to work-related MSDs due to manual handling. These disorders may have severe consequences for the workers. They could restrict their ability to undertake a wide range of work and leisure activities.

The risk of lifting or moving loads can be associated with all types of MSDs. The more workers are exposed to manual handling risks, the more likely they are to report an MSD complaint.

Work-related back pain is the most common MSD caused by the manual handling of loads. About one-fourth of European workers suffer from back pain, which tops the list of all reported work-related disorders. Several risk factors make manual handling of loads hazardous and increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury. These can be categorized as follows:

The load being:

• Too heavy. A weight of 20 to 25 kg is too heavy for most people to lift safely.
• Too large. If the load is large and can’t be lifted or carried close to the body, the muscles tire more rapidly. Primarily if the load is handled several times in an hour.
• Difficult to grasp. It can result in the object slipping, causing sudden movement to the load and increasing the risk of accidents.
• Difficult to reach. It is easy to injure your spine if you have to bend or twist your body to reach a heavy object.
• Unbalanced. This term describes a situation where the load being carried is not evenly balanced, resulting in uneven loading of muscles. This can happen when the center of gravity of the load is not in the middle of the worker’s.
• Of a shape or size that limits the workers’ view. This increases the risk of tripping, falling, or collision.

The task:

• Being too strenuous e.g. carried out too frequently or for long periods of time with insufficient recovery time.
• Involving awkward movements or postures e.g. bent or twisted trunk, over-reaching, raised arms, or holding loads away from the body.
• Involving repetitive handling of loads.

The work environment:

• Lacking sufficient space when carrying out manual handling may lead to straining body postures and dangerous imbalances in the loads.
• Slippery, uneven, or unstable floors may increase the risk of accidents.
• Extreme temperatures. Heat makes workers feel tired, and sweat makes it harder to hold objects, resulting in more force that must be used. Colder environments can result in numb hands that make it harder to grip objects.
• Poor lighting may increase the risk of accidents when handling loads. It can also force workers into awkward body positions to try to see clearly what they are doing.

Individual and lifestyle factors include:

• Physical capabilities such as weight, height, and strength.
• Age – the risk of low back disorders increases with age and with the number of years at work. The first case of low back pain often occurs by the age of 30.
• Lack of experience or training.
• Prior medical history.
• Lifestyle and habits e.g. smoking and lack of exercise.

What is a manual handling risk assessment?

Employers are required to assess the health and safety risks resulting from work-related tasks, such as manual handling. A risk assessment is a careful examination of what in the workplace could potentially cause harm to people working there. After assessing the risks, it can be decided if more needs to be done to prevent them. The challenge is to reduce or eliminate the risk of injuries, accidents, or ill health that arise from hazardous manual handling.

A good risk assessment can actually benefit businesses by reducing the costs of lost output and employee sick leave. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work offers a helpful checklist to help carry out a risk assessment.

What can I do to prevent the risks of hazardous manual handling?

After completing the risk assessment, a list of control measures should be made in order of priority. The following control measures can be taken to help prevent manual handling risks in the workplace:

Elimination of manual handling

Consider whether the work can be organized in a way to avoid or at least reduce the manual handling of loads. Look into the possibility of redesigning tasks or using powered or mechanical handling equipment, such as lift trucks or conveyors.

Technical measures

If manual handling cannot be avoided, automation and the use of lifting and transporting equipment should be considered. Examples of ergonomic lifting devices include vacuum lifters, hoists, and trolleys.

These preventative measures can often be cost-effective. Benefits of using ergonomic lifting aids include:

• Improved/maintained productivity
• Reduced employee turnover costs
• Increased workforce flexibility
• Reduction of injury and ill health among the workers

Organizational measures

Should only be considered if elimination or technical measures are not possible. These measures include improving workplace conditions to reduce risks. For example, keeping material close to the place where it’s being processed and positioned in a way that limits reaching or bending.

Frequent or heavy tasks should be carried out by several people. If possible, the amount that is handled should be reduced, and the load split into smaller units. A worker should take breaks or alternate tasks when performing manual handling tasks to avoid fatigue.

Provide information and training to workers

Make sure to inform them of the potential manual handling risks and how to recognize and avoid them. Workers also need to receive adequate training on the use of the equipment and correct handling techniques.

Cost-effective preventative measures for your industry

When assessing workplace risks associated with hazardous manual handling, it’s important to take into account the various aspects. Taking the load, the task, the environment, and the individual into account are vital. After doing a manual handling risk assessment following our simple four-step guide, the necessary preventative measures can be taken.

Using ergonomic lifting equipment can be cost-effective and provide benefits such as improved productivity and reduced employee turnover costs. More about manual handling challenges and ergonomic lifting solutions for your industry is provided here.