Manual Handling Injuries – the massive cost…

Every year over a third of all accidents reported to the HSE or local authorities are due to manual handling – the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or bodily force. The majority of such accidents cause back injury and lead to, on average, 20 days off work. In some cases the victim never recovers.

This massive human and economic cost is not just caused by the handling of heavy loads. Many injuries arise through the repetitive movement of light or difficult to handle loads.

Loads themselves can be as diverse as a box of goods, an animal or a patient and the environments in which injuries occur include everything from a factory to an office, a hospital to a bank, a building site or while making deliveries.

At the beginning of 1993, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 came into force to help prevent many of these injuries.

Stannah have developed a booklet, which takes a closer look at the Regulations and how employers can meet with the necessary requirements and includes a section on how the range of Stannah Goods Lifts can solve some of the problems associated with manual handling. In the booklet you will find help and advice about the issues involved, what problems to look out for and ways to reduce the risk of injury.

You can download a PDF of our ‘Guide to Manual Handling’, request a printed copy or call Stannah on 01264 351922.