According to the HSE, over a third of all workplace injuries are caused by manual handling. There’s a common misconception that manual handling injuries are only an issue where workers are frequently lifting heavy objects, however these types of injuries can occur across almost any kind of workplace. Proper manual handling training should be a key part of every organisation’s health and safety policy, and can often be as simple as implementing a mandatory e-learning course for all workers to complete.

What can poor manual handling practice do?

Manual-handling related injuries most commonly arise from hazardous events like stooping while lifting, holding the load too far away from the body, twisting movements involving the trunk of the body, and frequent or prolonged effort.

Injuries can also arise based on the type of the load being handled. Handling heavy, bulky, unstable loads, loads that are sharp, hot, or slippery, or loads being handled in a constrained environment can all lead to injury.

What are the most common types of injury?

The most common injuries are:

• Prolapsed spinal disc
• Muscle strain and sprain
• Torn or overstretched tendons and ligaments
• Rupture of a section of the abdominal wall can cause a hernia
• Loads with sharp edges can cause cuts
• Dropped loads can result in bruises, fractures and crushing injuries

What can manual handling training teach?

The best way to avoid injury from manual handling is always to try to avoid manual handling in the first place, for example by redesigning the task, automating or mechanising it. Where this isn’t practicable, formal training can instruct workers on the proper way to lift and carry loads to help minimise the risk.

At ACT, our iAS E-learning course offers step-by-step instruction on correct lifting technique, as well as teaching workers how to assess the risk of each manual handling task before they attempt it. Our online course also teaches the impact of potential harm caused by incorrect lifting. The course is ideal for including in worker inductions, to make sure that best practice is being used right from the beginning. Health and safety training online is a simple and cost-effective way to greatly reduce the risk of injury in a workplace.

 

If you’d like to build your health and safety knowledge further, our NEBOSH General Certificate course is a great place to start. It’s designed for anyone looking to develop practical skills and gain a respected qualification in workplace safety. To find out more, get in touch with the ACT team today.