Health and Safety Arrangement AET H&SD 022 Manual Handling Operations V1 Rev Feb 14 Page 9 of 9This is an AET Corporate Health and Safety Controlled Document

ACADEMIES ENTERPRISE TRUSTMANUAL HANDLING OPERATIONSReview date: Feb 2014

Produced with Guidance from the British Safety Council

Health and Safety Arrangement Manual Handling OperationsArrangement content

1.Introduction2.Definition3.Identifying Manual Handling Risks4.Lifting4.1.Lifting Students4.2.Students Lifting4.3.Lifting objects4.4.Deliveries4.5.Supplies/Ordering Heavy items5.Manual Handling Risk Assessments6.Lifting Equipment7.Training and Information8.Good Lifting Technique8.1.Stop, think and plan the lift:8.2.Plan the route:8.3.Adopt a good posture8.4.Get a firm grip:8.5.Lifting the object8.6.Carrying the load8.7.Putting the load down

IntroductionMore than a quarter of all accidents reported each year to the enforcing authorities is associated with manual handling. The vast majority of these accidents result in three days or more off work, most commonly due to sprains or strains often of the back. Injuries tend to be cumulative rather than being attributable to any single handling incident. There are also spontaneous injuries such as fractures, cuts and bruises.

Definition2.1Manual handling includes any occasion where any item, person or object is lifted, lowered, pushed, pulled or physically moved in any way.

2.2Schools lifting and handling operationsManual handling in Academies includes:The lifting and handling of boxes, equipment, tools, paper, desks, tables, art work, ladders, bottles etc;The occasional lifting and handling of students: e.g. students with a disability needing toileting assistance, student having an accident.

Identifying Manual Handling RisksThe Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to make an assessment of the risks associated with any manual handling operations that are of concern to the Academy.

Any risk assessment must begin by analysing what is required for each type of lifting operation. Consideration must also be given to the frequency of the operation, the capability of the lifter and the working environment.Some lifting and handling in Academies will present a very low risk and will not need to be formally assessed. Many lifting and handling operations in the Academy will have been performed for many years, using efficient and safe methods developed from experience.In such cases a simple record that a check has been made and that the operation is considered to be safe will suffice. It will need to be reviewed, however, if there is any alteration to the lifting and handling operation.There are some lifting and handling operations which present risk to those people who perform them. Such operations may include:A technician carrying boxes of equipment;Staff lifting, moving, pushing and pulling furniture, drama equipment;An administration officer carrying boxes of photocopier paper;A teacher who may have to lift a student for example during P.E.

An analysis of the Academys accidents and sickness records may help to identify any lifting and handling issues that may need a manual handling risk assessment.Do not just assess the load the effects of the lifting and handling operation on the person or persons doing it must also be examined. If this work is likely to cause injury or illness now or in the future, a decision must be made to determine what protective and preventative measures need to be taken to eliminate the risks or reduce them to the minimum. This could mean altering how it is done or by introducing mechanical means to help people do the lifting and handling, such as introducing a hoist to help lift a disabled student or providing a trolley to help move heavy or unwieldy equipment. Weight is not the only consideration, fragility of the load, awkwardness; shape and size are all factors.LiftingLifting Students Manual lifting and handling of students, particularly those with physical disabilities, can present significant risk to both the student and the staff. Only Staff whose contract of employment requires them to lift students and where they have been suitably trained should regularly lift students.

Students with specific needs may have a personal care plan. Lifting requirements should be included within such a plan. If a child does not have a personal care plan but requires lifting and moving on a regular basis a suitable manual handling plan should be drawn up and shared with those involved. This plan should include details of any equipment used to assist moving the student, such as the use of a wheelchair or mobile hoist or an evac-chair in an emergency. Suitable training must be given to anyone who will be required to use any such equipment (See AET H&SD 016 Fire Safety). Students should be involved in the care plan and encouraged to self-help where practicable and safe.Students LiftingStudents should only lift and carry items suitable to their size and strength. PE is a subject where students will often be asked to carry apparatus and equipment. This needs to be carefully assessed and rules should be established, understood and followed.

Assessments of manual handling operations that students will undertake should include details of instruction and training given and levels of supervision required. Instruction and training may be provided as a part of the lesson and as such would be documented within a lesson plan. Levels of supervision would depend upon theclass group, individual behaviours within the class and the task being undertaken. In some instances it may be suitable for a teacher to be supervising the whole class whilst they move simple objects e.g. chairs. In other cases, such as moving a heavy or awkward object e.g. stage blocks, stage props, collapsible tabling, and netball posts, trampoline, piano etc. the level of supervision may need to be increased.Lifting objectsTo lifting items like heavy boxes, awkward loads or heavy equipment, the same method of risk assessment used for lifting and handling a child can be used.

Examples of operations in schools which may require assessments will be:moving furniture around in classrooms;taking deliveries of assorted sized items of boxes and packages;moving equipment stored at awkward heights;pushing and pulling trolleys and P.E. equipment;carrying dangerous items such as chemicals and glassware;lifting timber;setting up temporary stages;moving temporary gas heater cabinets and cylinders.

Staff should be consulted and involved on any decision and any subsequent assessment.DeliveriesAcademies should have well established procedures for receiving and getting heavy, awkward and bulky parcels and equipment to where they are needed. Typically, for deliveries, the delivery driver will unload the item from the vehicle. If the Academy has a loading bay the driver will be asked to unload the item from there. If not the driver may be directed to an accessible entrance nearest to the destination where the driver will be expected to off-load the item and place it inside the entrance.A designated person, usually the Caretaker or a technician, will then either lift and carry the item to its destination or lift it onto a trolley and then take it to its destination which may be on the same or different level of the building. The person will then, if carrying the item, place it on a shelf, into a storeroom, on a worktop or in a cupboard. If the item is on a trolley they will lift it from the trolley before placing it on the shelf, etc.

Supplies/Ordering Heavy itemsWhen ordering equipment, tools, stationary, furniture, food, water etc check the weight. It may be possible to buy lighter weight equipment; smaller boxes of stationery, smaller dispensable water bottles and so on.

Manual Handling Risk AssessmentsFor some assessments knowledge of the operation and the use of this guidance will be all that is required. However, if at least one member of staff should be either already qualified or nominated to attend a manual handling.

Use the form AET H&SF 0017 Manual Handling Risk Assessment (template) to complete the risk assessment. The form is a template so can be completed and saved to your computer. Remember to save the document as manual handling and name of the task.Heads of Departments and manual handling risk assessors will need to consider what the risks are involved in any operations and what, practically, can be done to reduce the risks. The areas of obvious concern are the lifting and moving parts of an operation that will involve bending, stooping, kneeling, rising - usually at the same time as pushing, pulling, twisting and perhaps walking or climbing and descending stairs.Heads of Departments and the risk assessor should discuss how lifting and handling operations are done in the school with the employees who carry out those operations. A discussion about the delivery of boxes of equipment and materials should provide answers to the following questions:Can any of the operations either be avoided or made easier and safer?Can a delivery company deliver to the exact destination so that employees need not be involved?If not, can two people be asked to carry out the task so the load is shared and the risks reduced?Can the Academy provide a trolley, one where the platform is at a suitable and safe height for receiving the item from the delivery van and for off loading onto shelves, worktop, etc when the destination is reached?Can the Academy arrange with the supplier for regular bulky loads to be delivered in smaller more easily manageable packages?Is the storage area free from obstruction that may cause employees to over reach?Is there anyone who is required to lift such loads for whom there is an added risk of injury or ill health perhaps due to their physical build, long term illness, or temporary condition (such as pregnancy)?If so duties should be changed and reallocated taking this into account?If, having considered the lifting operations and the people involved, the risks are minimal, all that needs to be done is to record this fact.

Lifting EquipmentIt should be noted that where mechanical aids to lifting and handling are introduced, like hoists, instruction and training in their use will need to be provided. Manufacturers are usually willing to provide general training. Lifting equipment should be subject to annual inspection, or every 6 months if it is used for lifting people. All equipment must be regularly maintained. (See also HSE guidance document Are you making the best use of lifting and handling aids http://hse.gov.uk/pubs/indg398.

Training and InformationManual handling assessments should identify where employees require training in lifting techniques or in the use of specialist equipment. Academies must ensure that such training is provided as soon as possible after the need has been identified. Details of any training provided should be recorded (See AET H&SD 017 Health and Safety).Training in correct lifting techniques would benefit everyone, as back sprains and strains are cumulative. The HSE leaflet Managing Back Pain http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/backpain/index.htm should be read by all employees. The Back Care web-site http://www.thebackcare.co.uk also provides free guidance on how to manage back pain and problems.The HSE leaflet Getting to Grips with Manual Handling http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf set out safe lifting, carrying, pulling and pushing etc. It is an excellent leaflet which should be read by all Academy employees. The following section outlines a good lifting technique referred to in the Getting to Grips with Manual Handling leaflet.Employees should also view the HSE presentation on back care exercises (See AET IBH&S 003 HSE Presentation Back Exercises). A Manual Handling Operations toolbox talk is available to use as refresher training during staff team meetings, inset days or a student lesson (See AET H&S TT 006 Manual Handling).

Good Lifting TechniqueThe following, taken from the HSE guidance and provides an outline of the ideal way to lift objects. The principles of lifting in the way stated should be followed for any lifting task. Where a lifting task will not allow these principles to be followed a system will need to be designed to reduce the risk of injury to a minimum.

A good handling technique is no substitute for other risk reduction steps such as changing the task, load or working environment. Where it is unreasonable to not lift objects or where it may increase risk to others if a student or an object is not lifted and moved.Prior to lifting any object, first check whether or not it can be rocked, pivoted, slid or rolled there will still be some degree of manual effort attached to these types of movement, however they will enable some loads to be moved using their own centre of gravity as a balance.There is no single correct way to lift every object or person that needs to be moved. Training in good handling techniques should be provided for specific lifting operations for example the techniques used for lifting a student will differ from those used to lift an adult and will differ again to those used for lifting an object although the basic principles will remain the same i.e. do not lift and carry difficult, heavy or unwieldy loads that can be moved using other means or that are outside your own capabilities.If a manual lift is required the following points should always be considered:Stop, think and plan the lift:Examine the load to be moved;Assess its weight and shape and note any sharp edges;Is the load stable and evenly distributed? (Unstable loads would include containers with liquid in them, people and animals; loads where the weight is not equally distributed would include typewriters, VDUs etc.);If there are appropriate handling aids available, can you use them?If so use them, if not, can you continue without placing yourself at risk of injury?If you believe to continue will place you at risk, stop and seek further help;If you can continue plan your route;Are you wearing any clothing that may snag on the load or may restrict movement? Do you need to use gloves when lifting the object?Will you be able to see above the object whilst you are moving?

Plan the route:Is there a clear, unobstructed route between where the object is to be lifted and where it is to be put down?If not ,clear away obstructions and arrange for doors to be held open (if these are fire doors that have not been fitted with suitable hold open devices and suitable smoke / heat detectors you must ensure that they are closed as soon as you pass through).If you cannot arrange for doors to be open is there anywhere close to any door where you can safely put the equipment down before opening the door and passing through?Are there rest stops along the route to enable you to take short rest and recovery breaks if carrying a long distance or if carrying a heavy weight?Is the destination ready to accept the load being carried?

Adopt a good posturePlace your feet apart to give a balanced stable base for lifting;Your feet should be on either side of the object or along two sides of a box, for example;The leading foot (the one which is first stood on when moving off) should be pointed in the direction in which you intend to move;Your body should face in the direction in which you intend to move;Bend the knees so that your hands, when grasping the load, are as nearly level with your waist as possible;Do not kneel or overflex your knees your knees should not be fully bent as they will not provide enough power to lift the object when lifting the power is supplied by your leg muscles;Keep your back straight, maintaining its natural curve (tucking the chin in to your neck when lifting will help);Lean forward a little over the load if necessary to get a good grip;Keep shoulders level and facing in the same direction as the hips.

Get a firm grip:Try to keep your arms within the boundary formed by your legs;A hook grip will be less fatiguing than keeping your fingers straight;You may need to vary your grip as you lift the object if so do this smoothly;If the object is being lifted from the floor it may be necessary to first lift it onto a table at your waist height before altering your grip to carry it further.

Lifting the objectOnce you have got into the best posture possible and have a secure grip you should first test the weight of the object if it is heavier than you thought, or if you have not the strength to lift it fully exerting yourself at this stage could cause injury;If, after testing the weight, you believe you are capable of lifting the object smoothly start to lift, lifting your head and gripping the object and using your legs to raise you and the object; At the same time start to move in the direction you are to travel unless you are lifting onto another surface;Do not twist your body whilst lifting and do not bend sideways;Hold the load close to your body if it is an uneven load hold the heaviest part of it close to your body.

Carrying the loadKeep the load close to your body;Do not bend, twist, stoop or lean back;If you need to change direction move your feet not your trunk;If your arms start to feel tired put the object down as soon as you can;Dont change your grip unless the load is sufficiently supported.

Putting the load downThe method for putting a load down is the reverse of the method for lifting it keep your back straight and bend your knees, keeping the weight close to your body;Put the object down before arranging it neatly if precise positioning is required this can be done after it has been put down by sliding it;Never bend your back when putting any object down you will be injured if you do;Take care not to trap fingers or crush toes when setting an object down.