Problems Associated with Manual Handling and Risk Assessment

Problems Associated with Manual Handling and Risk Assessment

Back pain and other aches arising from manual handling injuries are the most common type of occupational ill health in the UK. In fish and chip shops there are many tasks that, without proper controls, can cause back pain or upper limb injuries that can affect hands, wrists, shoulders and neck.

Lifting and carrying heavy items or pushing and pulling can be a major source of back pain, while forceful or repetitive activities and poor posture can be linked to upper limb injuries.

Your employer is required by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992) to:

• Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable

• Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided

• Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable

The risk assessment should cover all standard operations, including cleaning and maintenance activities. It should reflect how the work is actually done.

The main areas that are assessed are the task, load, working environment and individual capability.