With workers required to frequently lift and manoeuvre stock, manual handling is a commonplace task in retail. But, accounting for 21% of all non-fatal work-related injuries, manual handling is a leading cause of occupational musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the second most common cause of workplace injuries.
With more than a third of all work-related illnesses a result of MSDs and with three million working days lost on average each year to such injuries, the cost to businesses is considerable and the need for effective compliance control is not only essential, but legally non-negotiable.
Employers are by law required to undertake a risk assessment and implement any all reasonably practicable measures in order to identify and crucially reduce the risks associated with manual handling. And yes, while no manual handling operation can be truly safe, identifying risks and implementing best practices can and will significantly reduce the risk of an accident or injury.
BEST PRACTICE GUIDE – LIFTING
Plan and prepare
You should always have a plan before attempting a lift. Before lifting, ask yourself the following questions.
- Do I need help from a colleague or a handling aid?
- What distance do I need to carry the load?
Prepare you route. Remove any potential obstacles and identify a suitable rest point for longer lifts.
Stand strong
Adopting a stable position is crucial. To do so:
- Place the feet apart with one leg slightly forward
- Be prepared to move the feet during the lift in order to maintain stability
- Wear appropriate footwear
Get a Grip
- Get a good hold of the load
- Hug the load keeping the heaviest side of the load as close to body as possible. Do not grip with just the hands
Perfect that posture
- Start to lift with just a slight bend of the knees
- Avoid stooping (fully flexing the back)
- Avoid squatting (fully flexing the hips and knees)
- Throughout the lift, maintain the level of flex in the back and keep it consistent.
Avoid twisting and sideways and leaning
- Twisting the back or leaning sideways should be avoided at all times, but especially while the back is bent
- Keep shoulders level and facing the same direction as the hips
- Turn by moving the feet, not by twisting the back
Don’t look down
- Look ahead at all times whilst carrying the load. Be prepared for unexpected obstacles
Smooth moves
- Be careful to avoid jerky movements. These make it harder to control the load and increase the risk of injury
Know your limits
- What people can lift and what they can lift safely are two very different things. If in doubt, ask for help. It’s better to be safe than sorry
Put it down
- Place the load down carefully, maintaining good posture at all times. If the loads needs to be placed in a precise position, place it first then adjust
BEST PRACTICE GUIDE – PUSHING AND PULLING
Handling devices
Handling aids such as trolleys should:
- Have handle heights that are between shoulder and waist height
- Be well maintained and run on smooth wheels
Slopes
If a slope or ramp forms part of the route along which the load is being moved employees should seek help from another worker to compensate for much higher pushing and pulling forces.
Uneven surfaces
The force needed to move a load across an uneven surface can be as much as 10% greater than the force required to move the same load on a flat surface. Larger wheeled aids will help reduce the problem and the force needed.
Stance and Pace
In order to prevent fatigue employees should keep their feet a safe distance from the load and move at a pace no faster than walking speed.
Time to take action?
Effective risk assessments are essential in identifying and understanding the risks in your business in order to implement change, but they often mean piles of paperwork and hours of your time. At DRI we do things differently. With our Risk Assessment solution, you can create and manage your assessments digitally, simply and efficiently, monitoring your business’ entire risk status to ensure everyone is safe and healthy. With real-time reporting, a central location to store compliance data, reminders of outstanding actions and visibility of your organisation’s risk status, our software does the hard work for you, to keep you, your business and your customers safe.
Contact us today to learn how we could help your business stay on top of its compliance requirements.