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:
The main duties of an employee
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Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling,
reasonably practicable;
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Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous
that can’t be avoided; and
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Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual
far as is reasonably practicable.
The main duties of the employee are as follows:
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Follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety;
make proper use of equipment provided for their safety;
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Co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters;
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Inform the employer if they identify hazardous handling activities;
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Take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk.
More on back injuries and lifting at work: betterbacks.gov.uk
News:
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Work related deaths has dropped in the 2008/09 year according to provisional figures - 25th June 2009
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Inspection results show some construction companies are still failing in their health and safety duties - 18th May 2009
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Unsafe lorry loads posing unnecessary safety risks - 4th May 2009
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A machine toppled over as it was being readied for moving crushing a worker and causing him serious injuries - 20th April 2009
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Worker suffers hand injuries in a slipping accident at work which sees his employer prosecuted - 13th March 2009
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Campaign hopes to make property developers aware of their health and safety responsibilities - 23rd February 2009
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A boys hand was caught in print rollers and crushed at work in a cleaning accident - 6th February 2009
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Manslaughter charges brought against a roofing boss after a worker died falling from a roof - 23rd January 2009
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Workers death in forklift accident results in successful prosecution - 22nd January 2009
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Agricultures high proportion of working deaths targeted by a Health and Safety Executive campaign - 5th January 2009
If you have suffered a personal injury at work - CALL NOW FOR FREE ADVICE ON MAKING A CLAIM
Tel 0800 0322210
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