Manual handling injuries are very common in the workplace and account for thousands of casualties every year. The majority of people recover quickly from their injuries but for some this is not the case.

This case study revolves around a worker who was lifting boxes in a warehouse. He was relatively new to the job and had received no in-house or induction training.

He was asked to move 20 large boxes each weighing about 15kg. The items were to be piled up to shoulder height at a different location on the warehouse floor. The claimant lifted around half a dozen boxes without difficulty but when piling one on top of another this brought him up to shoulder level and the strain of lifting to this height caused a neck and shoulder injury.

He immediately went to hospital where soft tissue injuries were diagnosed. He spent 4 weeks off work but managed to return to full duties after that time. He was not paid earnings or SSP during his absence.

The claimant made a claim for compensation for his work related injury for the pain and suffering sustained. His claim was based on the fact that he had received NO "manual handling" training and was moving heavy boxes more than 10 metres without any aids or equipment.

The employer accepted that they were negligent and we managed to recover £3250 in pain and suffering damages along with lost earnings.

The case was settled out of court as are the vast majority of claims that we deal with. The legal costs were recovered from the employers insurers.

Read also - pushing and pulling injuries sustained at work

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

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