May 26, 2004—The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published two new booklets with revised guidance on manual handling, such as the pushing and pulling of heavy objects, to help employers and employees take sensible steps to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MDSs) and other injuries. The guides have been thoroughly revised to take account of improved knowledge of the risks from manual handling and how to avoid them, although the essential messages about reducing risks remain the same.
Almost a third of all UK industrial injuries are caused by manual handling accidents, says HSE. They are also part of a much larger problem: an estimated 1.1 million people in Britain suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including those caused by manual handling. MSDs account for around half of all work-related ill health in Britain. As a result of MSDs, an estimated 12.3 million working days were lost in 2002-2003. In 1995-1996 MSDs cost the UK 5.7 billion.
Copies of L23 “Manual handling: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended)—Guidance on Regulations,” ISBN 0 7176 2823 X, price 8.95, are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 6FS, tel.: 01787 881165, and from good booksellers.
“Getting to grips” is a short, free booklet aimed particularly at smaller businesses, and which is also suitable for supervisors, safety representatives, and individual workers. Copies of INDG143 (rev2) “Getting to grips with manual handling: a short guide,” ISBN 0 7176 2828 0, for priced packs of 10, individual copies free, are also available from HSE Books.
