Ergonomics In Practice > Industrial Ergonomics



	More than a third of all "over 3 day" injuries reported each year to the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities are the result of manual handling. Although manual handling injuries often affect the back, they can also affect the neck, arms and feet. A wide range of musculoskeletal disorders can be attributed to manual handling work (they can also be related to repetitive work - see our section on Work Related Upper Limb Disorders). The statistics associated with manual handling injuries are staggering: Over 70% of the population will, at some time, experience an episode of lower back pain much of this is attributable to activities at work, including manual handling At any one time about 1 person in 7 will currently be suffering from back pain About 50% of people who have time off work because of back problems have another attack within a year - making prevention easily as important as cure Manual handling injuries are not confined to "industrial work" - for instance 55% of injuries in the medical, veterinary and health services are attributable to manual handling.

	The costs to employers from manual handling injuries are very high - consider sickness absence costs, compensations claims and reduced productivity. This takes account only of the financial cost - who can quantify the personal suffering involved, and the effect on the families of those injured?

	Many employers are now considering how they can protect their staff from the potential dangers of manual handling. There is also a legal responsibility on most employers to comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992). These Regulations set out a procedure for assessing and controlling the risk to people carrying our manual handling activities. The guidance to the Regulations mentions ergonomics specifically: "...health, safety and productivity are most likely to be optimised if an ergonomic approach is used to design the manual handling operations as a whole".

	We can help you to assess and reduce the risk to your staff. We are familiar with a wide range of industrial and office situations and handling tasks, and can offer advice on risk assessment, risk reduction and training. We are confident that reducing the risks from manual handling brings many more benefits than compliance with the law and fewer injuries. Expected additional benefits can include: Reduced absenteeism. Improved productivity. Improved morale. Lower risk of compensation claims against the organisation. More efficient processes.

	Please feel free to contact us if you feel the way we work can be of benefit to you.

"A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs."
- Joan Welsh