1 Introduction
1.1 Manual handling relates to the moving of items either by lifting, lowering,
carrying, pushing or pulling. But it's not just a case of "pulling something" due to
the weight of the item, although this can be a cause of injury. Injuries can be
caused because of the amount of times a packer has to pick up or carry an item, the
distance the packer carries it, the height the packer has to pick it up from or put
it down at (picking it up from the floor, putting it on a shelf above shoulder
level) and any twisting, bending stretching or other awkward posture that may be
adopted whilst doing a task.
1.2 Manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work and causes
over a third of all workplace injuries which include work related musculoskeletal
disorders such as upper and lower limb pain/disorders, joint and repetitive strain
injuries of various types.
1.3 Manual handling injuries can occur almost anywhere in the workplace and heavy
manual labour, awkward postures and previous or existing injury can increase the
risk. Work related manual handling injuries can have serious implications for both
the employer and the person who has been injured. Employers may have to bear
substantial costs, through lost production, sickness absence, costs of retraining,
wages/overtime to cover for the absent person and potentially compensation payments.
The injured person may find that their ability to do their job is affected and there
may be an impact on their lifestyle, leisure activities, ability to sleep and future
job prospects.
1.4 It is essential that the risk to packers is properly managed. If possible all
manual handling should be eliminated, however, this is not always possible and where
such handling is necessary, the risk of injury to the packer should be reduced by
using mechanical handling devices (MHDs).
1.5 A recent survey of self-reported work-related illness estimated that in 2001/02,
1.1 million people in Great Britain suffered from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
caused or made worse by their current or past work. An estimated 12.3 million
working days were lost due to these work-related MSDs. On average each sufferer took
about 20 days off in that 12-month period.
1.6 Manual handling injuries can occur wherever people are at work. In terms of CTUs,
it will be associated with packing and unpacking. Heavy manual labour, awkward
postures and previous or existing injury are all risk factors implicated in the
development of MSDs.
- consider the risks from manual handling to the health and safety of their
employees; and
-
consult and involve the workforce. Packers know first-hand what the risks in
the workplace are. So they can probably offer practical solutions to
controlling them;
Health and safety regulations will generally require employers to:
-
avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably
practicable;
-
assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can't be
avoided; and
-
reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is
reasonably practicable.
1.7 Packers have duties too. They should:
- follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety;
-
make proper use of equipment provided for their safety;
-
cooperate with their employer on health and safety matters;
-
inform the employer if they identify hazardous handling activities; and
-
take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk.
2 Manual handling practice
When involved in manual handling the
following practical tips should be considered:
2.1 Think before
lifting/handling. Plan the lift. Can handling aids be used? Where is the load going
to be placed? Will help be needed with the load? Remove obstructions such as
discarded wrapping materials. For a long lift, consider resting the load midway on a
table or bench to change grip.
2.2 Keep the load close to the waist.
2.3 Keep the load close to the
body for as long as possible while lifting. Keep the heaviest side of the load next
to the body. If a close approach to the load is not possible, try to slide it
towards the body before attempting to lift it.
2.4 Adopt a stable position. Workers should be prepared to move their feet
during lifting to maintain stability. Avoid tight clothing or unsuitable footwear,
which may make this difficult.
2.5 Get a good hold. The load should be hugged as close as possible to the
body. This may be better than gripping it tightly with hands only. Maintain balance.
2.6 Start in a good posture. At the start of the lift, slight bending of the
back, hips and knees is preferable to fully flexing the back (stooping) or fully
flexing the hips and knees (squatting).
2.7 Don't flex the back any further while lifting. This can happen if the legs
begin to straighten before starting to raise the load.
2.8 Avoid twisting the
back or leaning sideways, especially while the back is bent. Shoulders should be
kept level and facing in the same direction as the hips. Turning by moving the feet
is better than twisting and lifting at the same time.
2.9 Keep the head up when handling. Look ahead, not down at the load, once it
has been held securely.
2.10 Move smoothly. The load should not be
jerked or snatched as this can make it harder to keep control and can increase the
risk of injury.
2.11 Don't lift or handle more than can be easily managed.
There is a difference between what people can lift and what they can safely lift.
2.12 Put down, then adjust. If precise positioning of the load is necessary,
put it down first, then slide it into the desired position.
3 Mechanical handling
Many packages are placed within cargo
transport units manually. However, to assist the packers a number of mechanical
handling devices (MHDs) are used.
3.1 Sack truck – heavy and difficult to
lift and grasp items can be moved into the CTU by means of a simple sack
truck.
3.2 Conveyor – a belt or roller conveyor that can be
extended into the length of a CTU can be used to deliver packages to the packers
where they are to be stacked. Generally used for light packages
3.3 Pallet
truck – with the increase in pallets being used as the platform for a unitized
package, a manual or motorized pallet truck can be used to move pallets into their
position. Where the CTU cannot be easily connected by a ramp to the loading bay, a
pallet truck can be used to reposition pallets delivered by a fork truck.
3.4
Electric or manual hoist – standard pallet trucks may not be able to carry two
loaded pallets into the CTU so a hoist truck may be required.
3.5 Lift truck
– as an alternative a fork truck can be used to position pallets within the
CTU.
4 Mechanical handling techniques
Mechanical handling devices should comply with the following guidelines:
4.1 Care should be taken that there is sufficient height in the CTU for the hoist or
lift truck when positioning upper pallets and a proper risk assessment carried out
for the material handling equipment.
4.2 Ensure that the correct equipment is provided for the task and it is fit for
purpose.
4.3 Lack of good handles can increase the amount of undue effort needed to move the
load. MHDs should have handle heights that are between the shoulder and waist.
Handle height in relation to the different users can be a risk factor for their
posture; they may find it uncomfortable and/or unable to apply a suitable grip.
4.4 If the equipment is without brakes it could be difficult to stop. If it has
brakes but the brakes are poor/ineffective this could also make it difficult to
stop.
4.5 When purchasing new trolleys etc., ensure they are of good quality with large
diameter wheels made of suitable material and with castors, bearings etc. which will
last with minimum maintenance.
4.6 Ensure that the wheels suit the flooring and environment, e.g. are the wheels on
the device suited to the aluminium T floor in a refrigerated CTU.
5 Mechanical handling safety
5.1 Material handling devices should be maintained as part of a regular programme and
a well promoted fault reporting system.
5.2 The use of mechanical handling devices described above presents packers of CTUs
with additional risks and handling issues.
5.3 Wheeled MHDs such as the sack truck or the pallet truck have relatively small
diameter wheels, often narrow in width presenting a very small footprint. The small
footprint associated with a high mass will increase the risk of a floor failure.
Such a failure can result in:
5.4 Mechanical handling devices can be powered, so that a motor or engine propels the
device into and out of the CTU or non-powered. Non-powered devices, whether empty or
laden, require that the packer move them by either pulling or pushing.
5.5 When people push and pull, for example trollies, there may be risk of other
musculoskeletal disorders which are discussed below.
5.6 The UK produced the following statistics on reported incidents related to pushing
and pulling:
- 11% of manual handling – reported accidents investigated by HSE involved pushing
and pulling;
-
the most frequently reported site of injury was the back (44%);
-
the second most frequently reported site of injury was the upper limbs
(shoulders, arms, wrists and hands), accounting for 28.6% of the total;
-
12% more accidents involved pulling than pushing (where the activity could be
identified within the reports); and
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35% of pushing and pulling accidents involved wheeled objects.
5.7 There are a number of risk factors associated with pushing and pulling of loads.
To make it easy to remember, it can be broken down to TILE:
5.7.1 Task
- steep slopes and rough surfaces can increase the amount of force required to
push/pull a load;
-
packers should enlist help from another worker whenever necessary if they
have to negotiate a slope or ramp, as pushing and pulling forces can be very
high;
-
for example, if a load of 400 kg is moved up a slope of 1 in 12 (about 5º),
the required force is over 30 kg even in ideal conditions with good wheels
and a smooth slope;
-
the risk also increases over longer distances and when the frequency of
pushing/pulling does not provide sufficient rest/recovery time;
-
obstacles can create risks by the worker trying to avoid collision;
-
large amounts of effort to start or stop the load moving or even to keep it
moving;
-
position of the hands is comfortable for the worker. The hands are best
positioned between the waist and shoulder height; and
-
to make it easier to push or pull, employees should keep their feet well away
from the load and go no faster than walking speed. This will stop them
becoming too tired too quickly.
5.7.2 Individual
- packers may have different characteristics and capabilities. For example, a tall
worker may have to adopt an awkward posture to push a trolley with low handles,
while a shorter worker may have difficulty seeing over the load;
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individual concerns such as strains and sprains may temporarily reduce the
amount of force a worker can safely handle;
-
the task may require unusual capability, if this is so think about how and
who should carry out the task;
-
specialized training or instruction may be needed for lifting and carting
equipment.
5.7.3 Load
- consider the mass of the load and the mass of the equipment being used by the
worker;
-
ensure the load is not excessive and that it is sufficiently stable for
negotiating any slopes, corners or rough surfaces that may be encountered;
-
as a rough guide the amount of force that needs to be applied to move a load
over a flat, level surface using a well-maintained handling aid is at least
2% of the load mass;
-
for example, if the load mass is 400 kg, then the force needed to move the
load is 80 N. The force needed will be larger, perhaps a lot larger, if
conditions are not perfect (e.g. wheels not in the right position or a
device that is poorly maintained);
-
moving an object over soft or uneven surfaces requires higher forces. On an
uneven surface, the force needed to start the load moving could increase to
10% of the load mass, although this might be offset to some extent by using
larger wheels. Soft ground may be even worse;
-
operators should try to push rather than pull when moving loads, provided
they can see over them and control steering and stopping; and
-
plan the route and ensure the worker can safely see over the load.
5.7.4 Environment
- environmental factors such as temperature, lighting and air currents can
increase the risk of pushing/pulling;
-
hot and humid environments can lead to the early onset of fatigue;
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many CTUs are made of metal and when exposed to constant heat can become very
warm inside. Packers working inside can quickly be overcome with heat
exhaustion;
-
strong air movements can increase pushing forces and reduce the stability of
the load;
-
very cold environments can also increase the risk.
-
environments where there is poor or bright lighting can affect the worker's
judgement;
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CTUs generally do not have windows of translucent walls, so the interior can
be dark. Often illumination of the interior is poor or provided by a bright
light at the door end;
-
constant light change when packing (dark going in, bright coming out) can
have an adverse effect on the packer if carried out repeatedly;
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floor surfaces that are clean and dry can help reduce the force needed to
move a load;
-
constraints on posture may cause problems for the worker, which could affect
the task and injure the worker;
-
constant and repetitive twisting, lifting and / or lowering as a packer
places packages into a stack, perhaps from a conveyor can quickly result in
back injuries; and
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confined spaces and narrow passages/doorways could provoke a
tripping/trapping/abrasions injury.
6 Packaging information for manual handling
6.1 Consideration should be given to taking appropriate steps to provide general
indications and, where it is reasonably practicable to do so, precise information on
the mass of each package, and the heaviest side of any package whose centre of
gravity is not positioned centrally.
6.1.1 Consignors should label a load if there is a risk of injury and it is
reasonably practicable to do so.
6.1.2 Consignors need not provide this information if the effort involved in doing so
would be much greater than any health and safety benefits that might result.
6.1.3 It is much better to reduce risky manual handling operations by providing
lifting aids, splitting loads and telling people not to carry several items at once.
6.2 What information should be included?
6.2.1 If it is reasonably practicable to give precise information the consignor
should do so.
6.2.2 Giving information that will help to prevent injury does not necessarily
require consignors to quote masses to anything more than the nearest kilogram or
two.
6.2.3 More detailed information would not help packers avoid risks. This also applies
to indications of the heaviest side, unless the load is sufficiently out of balance
to take handlers by surprise.
6.2.4 The purpose of providing information about mass is quickly and reliably to warn
handlers when a load is heavy. The information should, therefore, be easy to
understand and placed where it can best be seen.