Manual Handling
Manual Handling is a way of transporting or supporting an object by hand or bodily force. Some of the operations may include; Pushing, pulling, lifting, putting down, carrying or other means of moving a load. In order to reduce risks, many precautions will need to take place.
In the workplace Manual Handling will take place very regularly each day. Because of this, many accidents may happen if people don’t do it safely. A couple of examples can go from something as simple as filing paperwork in the office to bricklaying at a construction site. The importance of Manual Handling is often ignored; however, it is known as one of the most causes of injuries in the workplace. There are many different techniques used to avoid the risk of injury.
Lifting and how to do it properly
A lot of people do not consider how important it is to think about how you lift things safely. A third of injuries from unsafe Manual Handling are due to people not lifting objects properly. Whenever somebody is lifting something, whether it’s a small heavy object or a large bulky object they need to take a lot into account. Some of these include:
- The nature of the load
- Environmental conditions
- Training
- Work organisation
- Individual capability
Lifting something manually has many risks. 
Some of these risks may affect your body, to reduce this from happening when lifting people should reduce the amount of twisting, stooping and reaching from the ground or above shoulder height. This will reduce the risk of any injuries. Also, to avoid carrying heavy objects for a long period of time, plan your route and where you want to place the object before deciding to lift it up.
Top tips for lifting
Find a stable position- Feet should be apart with one leg forward, this will help maintain balance. The person lifting will need to be prepared to move their feet during the lift to maintain their stability.
Keep the load as close to the waist as possible- Keep the weight as close to their body for as long as possible while lifting. The heaviest side of the load needs to be closer to the body. If a close approach to the load is not possible, try sliding it towards the body before attempting to lift it.
People should not lift or handle objects they are incapable of doing so- It is very occasional that people get confused between what they think they can lift and also what they can safely lift.
If you would like to find out more about how Safety Forward can help you resolve your manual handling issues please contact us here.