|
|
Case Studies
|
Manual Handling Experience
HSEC has completed a research project for the HSE (contract report 98/00/1696) which assessed in detail a number of litigation cases involving alleged back injuries to the low back. Many of these litigation cases had actually been investigated by HSEC staff; however, access was obtained to other sources. A number of risk factors were determined which increased the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Many of these involved complex postures.
We are also proactively involved with a number of companies to assess potential risks from existing or proposed processes and to advise on further control measures to achieve best practice manual handling. This experience includes a number of warehouse activities which are predominantly manual handling to engineers performing precision work and where those tasks involve an element of handling.
Many of the assessment methods tend to assess risk by looking at the worst case lifts. While this is sometimes appropriate it does not allow the full effects of risk reduction methods to be demonstrated. For example, manually stacking a lorry can involve repeated stooping to pick loads up from the trailer floor and stack them at various heights. A method of delivering loads at waist height into the back of the trailer would obviously reduce the risk of injury, however, there would still need to be a reduced amount of lifting at floor level when stacking some of the loads. Our approach is to include a risk profile of such work in any assessment so that these improvements can be shown as a reduced proportion of the work with potential risk.
We offer a range of services ranging from assessing actual manual handling risks to advising on a suitable safety management process to effectively assess, supervise, manage and review risk control measures.
Click here to find out more about our recent projects on manual handling
|