No matter what work is done there is a need for manual handling training. This is completed to protect the employee and the employer as manual handling injuries make up more than a third of injuries at work which can sustain serious implications for all parties involved.
Most injuries that occur can be avoided by the use of correct training as set out by the Manual Handling Operation Regulations 1992. It only takes one incident performing a minor task that could end up leaving an employee badly injured. There are over 300,000 workers in the UK that suffer from back pain and injury. Manual handling training is set out to ensure employees know how to work safely; protecting limbs, tendons, shoulder and back. These injuries can take quite a while to heal and the loss of man hours can cost a company a lot of money each year in legal and medical costs. Manual handling training is setup to ensure that the employee knows how to avoid injury keeping them and the company safe.
Manual handling training is not just for those employed in an industry that involves heavy lifting but also those people who are employed in the community, warehousing and NHS sectors. Any job role which involves lifting, all staff members should undertake manual handling training.
Whenever an employee is injured the employer could be liable for thousands of pounds in compensation, plus the legal expenses. The employee could have to change career or sustain an injury that prevents them from working indefinitely.
Health and safety in the workplace is there to make sure that handling objects or moving people is done safely and is now a legal requirement although some injuries do go unnoticed as this type of injury can be slow onset but still has an effect on physical well being. Courses are set to ensure that staff undertake their duties in a safe manner and take responsibility for their own practise. Obtaining training from professionals can mean the difference between having productive days in the workplace and having employees with bad backs.
Manual handling is something that all employees do on a daily basis no matter what they do, although training can be more important in certain jobs and trades. It is essential that poor posture and lifting techniques are corrected to avoid injuring the back. Manual handling goes further by evaluating what it being carried and how far you have to carry it. The right technique is important plus undertaking a manual handling risk assessment before commencing the task should be completed.
