Manual handling injuries can occur wherever people are at work. It makes no difference whether you work in a factory, office or on a farm. If your job involves lifting of any kind then you are at risk of sustaining injury.

An employer has a duty to minimise the risk of lifting injuries by preventing and controlling the way their employees perform their duties. You cannot remove the prospect of an injury being sustained completely from the workplace but you can take steps to reduce the risks.  Employers must adopt measures to ensure that the risks of injury are minimised fully.

The most common injury associated with lifting is back pain. It is said that up to 5 million working days are lost due to back pain every year.

Read also - pushing and pulling injuries sustained at work & Manual handling injury case study

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 set out the main duties of both an employer and an employee:

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The main duties of an employee

  • Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling,
    reasonably practicable;

  • Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous
    that can’t be avoided; and

  • Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual
    far as is reasonably practicable.
     

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The main duties of the employee are as follows:

  • Follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety;
    make proper use of equipment provided for their safety;

  • Co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters;
     

  • Inform the employer if they identify hazardous handling activities;
     

  • Take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk.

More on back injuries and lifting at work: betterbacks.gov.uk

 

 

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