Manual Handling Procedure for Managers

Crossroads CareManual handling procedure

F.24b

Manual handling procedure for managers

1.0 SCOPE

1.1 This procedure, the accompanying policy, guidance for staff and guidance for volunteers (F.24a, F.24c and F.24d) set out Crossroads Care’s position in relation to the manual handling of inanimate loads and objects.

1.2 The intended outcome of this set of documents is to ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken to provide and maintain safe working conditions in order to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries.

1.3 This procedure refers to the manual handling of inanimate objects or loads by Crossroads Care staff in either an office or domiciliary environment. For a definition and examples of ‘manual handling’ see Appendix 1 at the end of this document.

Please note:where reference is made to ‘staff’ within this procedure, the term will include volunteers as appropriate to the context and their use within individual schemes.

1.4The procedure does not refer to the manual handling of service users. For information on this, please refer to the following policy documents:

adults’ mobility assistance (F.25a, F.25b, F.25c and F.25d)
children’s mobility assistance (F.26a, F.26b and F.26c).

2.0RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGERS

2.1 Managers have a responsibility to ensure thatthe manual handlingpolicy, procedure and guidanceare implemented throughout their scheme in order to ensure the health, safety and welfare of staff and of all other persons who may be affected by their work activities, including service users. This includes ensuring that:

special arrangements are made, where necessary, for staff with health conditions who could be adversely affected by manual handling operations
staff carrying out manual handling activities receive adequate information, instruction and training with regular refresher training as required (see 5.0 below)
manual handling training is provided by a suitably qualified trainer
a full record is kept of staff training
safety arrangements for manual handling operations are regularly monitored and reviewed

for suitability as part of the staff supervision process

staff are aware of the requirement to wear suitable footwear when carrying out manual handling tasks
staff adhere to safe systems of work.

2.2 Managers are also responsible for ensuring that:

a suitable record is kept of all manual handling accidents/incidents / near misses reported by staff and that these are reported to the insurance brokers (Watson Laurie) using the incident report form DT.03

any injuries or incidents relating to manual handling are investigated and the necessary action is taken to prevent further accidents/incidents from occurring
injuries lasting more than seven days, dangerous occurrences and major illnesses resulting from mobility assistance activities are reported to the Health and Safety Executive in accordance with the Crossroads Careaccident, incident and near miss reporting, recording and investigation procedure (F.09).

3.0 RISK ASSESSMENT

3.1 Effective management of the risks from manual handlingactivities involves:

avoidingthe need for staff to carry out manual handlingtasks that involve the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable (see 3.2 below)
assessingthe level of risk from manual handlingtasks that involve a risk of injury and cannot be avoided (see 3.3 - 3.5 below)
reducing the risk of injury to the lowest level by the introduction of suitable control measures (see 3.6 below).

3.2 When deciding whether a manual handling task involves the risk of injury, a balanced approach is required. If a manual handling activity involves the occasional lifting of small, regular-shaped, lightweight items, the risk can be deemed negligible. If, however, the task involves repeated movement of a heavier item, or one that is an odd, uncomfortable shape, then the risk is increased and the task could have the potential to cause injury. Please refer to Appendix 1 for other considerations.

3.3 Managers are responsible for ensuring that:

manual handling risk assessments are carriedout on all manual handling tasks involving a risk of injury
records are kept of all manual handling risk assessments carried out
risk assessments are conducted by a trained, competent person in consultation with staff who are familiar with the task.

3.4A manual handling risk assessment will consider the following fivecategories (TILEE):

Task: think about the task and what it involves.
Individual: think about the person or people who will be carrying out the task.
Load: consider the load that is to be moved.
Environment: look at where the load will be moved from and to.
Equipment: for example the use of mechanical aids and personal protective equipment.

See Appendix 2 for more details.

3.5 Manual handling risk assessments will be reviewed regularly or where there is a significant change in:

the activity or process being undertaken
the working environment
the number or abilities of personnel
the nature of the load/s to be handled.

Re-assessments may also be required where accident / incident monitoring shows that the original control measures have not been sufficiently effective.

3.6 Where a specific risk of injury is identified and manual handling is unavoidable, then practical control measures to reduce the risk must be introduced. Suitable control measures to reduce the risk of injury include for example:

the use of automation or mechanical aids
redesign of the system of work
changing the working environment
the use of personal protective equipment (for example gloves).

The list is not exhaustive.

3.7 A model manual handling risk assessment form is provided at FT.10.

4.0 WEIGHT GUIDELINES

4.1 Where appropriate you are required to provide staff with general information on the weight and nature of a load (for example, its centre of gravity, where this is not positioned centrally).

4.2 There is no maximum weight that a member of staff can be required to handle. Manual handling activities need to be assessed on the basis of an ergometric approach that fits the task to suit personal abilities and limitations.

4.3 Guideline weights are provided in Appendix 3, setting out an approximate boundary within which a load is unlikely to create a risk of injury sufficient to warrant a detailed risk assessment.

It is important to note, however, that:

the weights in the guidelines are not intended to provide safe weight limits for lifting
even operations lying within the boundaries of the guidelines should be avoided or made less demanding wherever it is reasonably practicable to do so.

5.0 LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

5.1 General learning and development requirements relating to the manual handling policy, procedure and guidance for staff are contained in the learning and development policy, procedure and guidance (E.13a, E.13b and E.13c).

5.2 Risk assessors

Members of staff undertaking manual handling risk assessments will be trained to do so by an approved trainer(for example IOSH - Institution for Occupational Safety and Health).

5.3 Care staff

It is anticipated that manual handling of inanimate loads and objects will be included in the mobility assistance training updates that care staff receive on an annual basis.

5.4Office staff

Managers are required to assess the frequency of refresher training required by office staff, ensuring this is provided at reasonable intervals, depending on the nature of their job role.

5.5Volunteers

Managers are responsible for assessing the roles undertaken by volunteers (including trustees) within their scheme and the level of briefing / induction those volunteers require in relation to the manual handling guidance (F.24c).

6.0 ACCEPTANCE

6.1 All managers, care planners and other staff members involved in the implementation of this procedure are required to evidence that they have received, read and understood its contents.

Evidence required:

title and reference number of the document
name and signature of the staff member
job title
date.

6.2 Responsibility for following this procedure rests with the individual staff member. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary proceedings.

APPENDIX 1

DEFINITION OF MANUAL HANDLING

Manual handling is defined as the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force without mechanical help. It includes such actions as:

lifting
carrying
putting down
shoving
pushing
pulling
nudging
sliding.

Examples include:

carrying boxes
lifting / moving office equipment (for example computers)
accessing files
moving furniture
carrying shopping
handling laundry
vacuuming
handling wheelchairs, including in and out of vehicles
any one-off manual handling task (for example, taking a delivery).

APPENDIX 2

CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING RISK ASSESSMENT OF MANUAL HANDLING TASKS

1.0 Task

Bending and stooping to lift a load significantly increase the risk of a back injury.
Items will ideally be lifted from no lower than knee-height to no higher than shoulder height.

Outside this range, lifting capacity is reduced and the risk of injury is increased.

When items are required to be lifted from above shoulder height, a stand or suitable means of access needs to be provided.
Items that are pushed or pulled need to be as near to waist level as possible. Pushing is preferred, particularly where the back can rest against a fixed object to give leverage.
Carrying distances need to be minimised, especially if the task is regularly repeated.
Repetitive tasks need to be avoided whenever possible.
Tasks that involve lifting and carrying need to be designed in such a way as to allow for significant rest breaks (rotation of tasks) in order to avoid fatigue.
Wherever possible tasks that require twisting the body are to be avoided.

2.0 Individual

Consideration must be given to age, body weight and physical fitness.For special considerations regarding young workers and volunteers aged under 18visit:
Regard needs tobe given to personal limitation. Employees must not be required to handle loads that are beyond their individual capability.
Allowances need to be made for employees who have a genuine physical or clinical reason for avoiding lifting.
Pregnant women must not be required to undertake hazardous lifting or carrying tasks.See model maternity risk assessment (ET.20b).
Significant knowledge and understanding of the work is an important factor in reducing the risk of injury.
Individuals undertaking lifting or carrying need to be given suitable instruction, training and information to undertake the task with minimum risk.

3.0 Load

The load must be kept as near as possible to the body trunk of the person carrying it in order to reduce strain.
The size / shape of the load must not obscure the person’s vision.
It may be useful to provide an indication of the weight of the load and its centre of gravity. Unstable loads need to be handled with particular caution. Any change in the centre of gravity is likely to result in over balancing.
Ensure there is a secure hand hold, using gloves where necessary to protect against sharp edges or splinters.

4.0 Working environment

There must be adequate space to enable the activity to be conducted safely and the transportation route must be free from obstruction.
Lighting, heating and weather conditions must be taken into account.
Floors and other working services must be in a safe condition.
Adequate ventilation is required, particularly where there is no natural ventilation.

5.0 Equipment

The use of personal protective equipment may be necessary whilst carrying out manual handling activities unless its use restricts safe and easy movement.

APPENDIX 2

WEIGHT GUIDELINES

The diagram below shows a guideline weight for lifting and lowering in each zone. To make a quick and easy assessment:

decide which box or boxes your hands pass through when moving the load
assess the maximum weight of the load - if it less than the figure given in the box, the operation is within the guidelines but make sure this is within your own capability
if your hands enter more than one box during the operation, use the smallest weight
use an in-between weight if your hands are close to a boundary between boxes
reduce the guideline weights if you must twist during the operation - reduce by 10% if you twist beyond 45° and by 20% if you twist beyond 90°.

The guideline weights assume that the load is grasped with both hands and the load has no unusual characteristics

Follow these rules to reduce the risk of injury - but remember, there will always be some unusual loads or circumstances where a special approach or equipment is required.

PUSHING AND PULLING

Men Women

Force to stop or start the load in motion20kg 15kg

Sustained force to keep the load in motion10kg 7kg

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Policy/Manualhandlingprocedure/2013/10/APf024bLast reviewed July2014