Manual Handling with control measures

 Manual Handling 

 

Manual Handling

Introduction

Manual handling is an essential part of many jobs across various industries. It refers to the process of lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects by hand or bodily force. While manual handling is an integral part of most workplaces, it can be hazardous, and accidents can occur. Manual handling injuries can cause severe pain, long-term disability, and even death. However, if proper safety measures are taken, these injuries can be prevented. In this article, we will explore the principles of safe manual handling and the strategies that can be implemented to reduce the risk of injury.

What is Manual Handling?

Manual handling involves using physical effort to move an object. It can involve lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, or moving an object. Manual handling is common in many industries, and it can lead to injuries such as strains, sprains, and fractures. The injuries can be acute or chronic, and they can affect the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Manual handling activities can range from simple tasks like carrying a box to more complex activities such as moving heavy machinery or equipment. In general, manual handling activities can be classified as:

Lifting and carrying: This involves lifting and carrying objects from one place to another. Examples include carrying boxes, bags, or tools.

Pushing and pulling: This involves moving objects by pushing or pulling them. Examples include pushing a trolley or pulling a cart.

Holding and restraining: This involves holding an object in place or restraining it to prevent it from moving. Examples include holding a ladder or restraining a tarpaulin.

Moving and manipulating: This involves moving or manipulating objects into position. Examples include moving furniture or equipment or positioning machinery.

Principles of Safe Manual Handling

The principles of safe manual handling are designed to reduce the risk of injury during manual handling activities. The principles include:

Assessing the risks associated with manual handling activities

Before manual handling activities begin, a risk assessment should be conducted to identify potential hazards and assess the risk of injury. The assessment should consider factors such as the weight and size of the object, the distance it needs to be moved, the height of the lift, and the condition of the working environment.

Eliminating or reducing the risk of injury

Once the risks have been identified, steps should be taken to eliminate or reduce the risk of injury. This may include using mechanical aids, such as trolleys or hoists, to move objects, reducing the weight of the object, or breaking the task into smaller, more manageable tasks.

The use of mechanical aids can help to reduce the risk of injury by reducing the physical effort required to move objects. For example, using a forklift to move heavy machinery or equipment can significantly reduce the risk of injury compared to manually lifting and carrying the object.

Reducing the weight of the object can also help to reduce the risk of injury. This can be achieved by breaking the load into smaller, more manageable loads, or by using lighter materials.

Breaking the task into smaller, more manageable tasks can also help to reduce the risk of injury. This can be achieved by dividing the task into smaller steps or by using a team to share the workload.

Using the correct lifting techniques

The correct lifting technique involves using the legs to lift the load, rather than the back. The load should be held close to the body, and the worker should avoid twisting or reaching. The following steps should be followed when lifting an object:

Assess the load: Before lifting the load, workers should assess its weight, shape, and size. If the load is too heavy or awkward to lift, a mechanical aid, such as a trolley or hoist, should be used.

Get a good grip: Workers should use a secure grip, such as a power grip or hook grip, when lifting the load. The grip should be positioned at the mid-point of the load, and the fingers should be wrapped around the object.

Position the feet: Workers should position their feet shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly in front of the other. This helps to maintain balance and stability during the lift.

Bend the knees: Workers should bend their knees and lower their body towards the load. The back should be kept straight, and the head should be lifted.

Lift with the legs: Workers should use their leg muscles to lift the load, rather than the back. The load should be lifted smoothly and steadily, using a controlled motion.

Hold the load close to the body: The load should be held close to the body, with the elbows tucked in. This helps to reduce the strain on the back and prevents the load from swinging.

Avoid twisting: Workers should avoid twisting their body while lifting the load. Instead, they should pivot on their feet to change direction.

Lower the load: When lowering the load, workers should reverse the lifting process. They should bend their knees and lower the load to the ground in a controlled motion.

Benefits of Using the Correct Lifting Technique

Using the correct lifting technique offers several benefits, including:

Reduced risk of injury: The correct lifting technique helps to reduce the risk of injury to the back, muscles, and joints. It minimizes the strain on the back and distributes the weight evenly across the body.

Increased efficiency: Using the correct lifting technique helps to increase efficiency by reducing the time and effort required to move the load. It also minimizes the risk of damage to the load or the surrounding environment.

Improved productivity: Workers who use the correct lifting technique are less likely to suffer from fatigue or injury, which can lead to increased productivity and efficiency.

Reduced costs: By reducing the risk of injury and damage, using the correct lifting technique can help to reduce the costs associated with accidents, such as medical bills and lost productivity.

Training and Education

To ensure that workers use the correct lifting technique, it is essential to provide them with adequate training and education. Workers should be trained on the correct lifting technique and provided with information on the risks associated with manual handling. They should also be educated on the importance of warming up and stretching before lifting heavy objects.

Employers should also ensure that workers have access to mechanical aids, such as trolleys and hoists, to assist with lifting heavy objects. This can help to reduce the risk of injury and improve efficiency and productivity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, manual handling is an integral part of many work activities, and it is essential to understand the risks involved and the proper techniques to avoid injury. Lifting and moving objects incorrectly can result in back injuries, strains, and other physical ailments that can have long-lasting effects on an individual's health and well-being. Therefore, it is crucial to follow proper manual handling techniques such as assessing the load, maintaining good posture, and using appropriate lifting aids. Adequate training and supervision of staff are also crucial to ensure that they are aware of the risks and are equipped with the necessary skills to carry out manual handling tasks safely. By taking these steps, we can create a safer and healthier work environment and reduce the likelihood of workplace injuries. Remember, prevention is always better than cure, and investing time and effort in proper manual handling practices can go a long way in promoting workplace safety and well-being.

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Vibration hazard types on the workplace and their health effects with the control measures

 

Vibration Hazards and Control Measures

 

We have two types of the vibration hazards which are related to our workplace. These are:

1.      Hand-Arm Vibration HAV

2.      Whole Body Vibration WBV

Hand-arm Vibration

Most of the time the workers which are using power tools are at risk of facing the first type of vibration hazard which is Hand-Arm Vibration.

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Health safety and welfare requirements for new offices/Construction Site

 

Health safety and welfare requirements of Construction Site

 

Construction workplace have several health, safety, and welfare requirements. These are the most important things which should be provided before/during commencing the activities on a site.

 

In this article I will try to cover all the requirements to setting a new workspace so that we can familiar of what can be asked by a health & safety local legislation body at any time and we can make ourself able to show the compliance.

Welfare requirements for the offices/Sites are:

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Accident Investigation on a workplace

 

Accident Investigation

 

 

Workplace accident investigation is an ideal tool identify the outcomes which will arise after the accident. 

Why do you need to investigate occupational accidents?

For identification the cause of incident.

To prevent comparative accidents later

To meet legal needs.

To determine the cost of an accident

Determines the consistency of product safety guidelines.

To process a worker's payment request

In either case, you should investigate the event, which does not include injury or property damage, to determine which risks need to be adjusted. Don't believe you are twice as happy. 

It is important for the organization to review the accident concisely at the moment of the actual accident occur.

Inappropriate or false investigations can confuse the problem and increase the expected risk. Accident investigations are conducted by health and safety experts who visit the site to understand the current reality. 

The purpose of accident investigation is to avoid reoccurrence.

Similar accidents can occur later if you can’t able to find the reason for the accident once you have done the identification you can easily find a way to control or eliminate it.

Frustration is rarely a reason of an accident. Workplaces, work restrictions, management issues or lack of work experience can be the reasons of an incident.

You need to examine all these to determine what is the reason behind the incident, once identified we can eliminate it or control it. 

Once the cause is identified, precautions should be taken and applied to prevent recurrence. HSE Officers should always remember that successful accident investigation involves finding the truth, not the errors. 

To explain why and how the accident happened? Safety officers need to collect data about incident that occurred before and during the incident. The safety officers were then able to determine the circumstances of the incident /accident by looking at the actual evidence and meeting with the witness. It is important to kept the record of the steps taken after the accident.

 Three things we need to consider for preventing accidents.

1.     The data which we collect needs to be investigated adequately. 

2.     A recovery drill needs to be conducted.

3.     All the activities must be adhered with local legislative.

 

Important measures which need to be consider for accident investigation.

Your organization's safety and health for the projects should include the following things for Accident Investigation.

 

What type of error do you need to investigate?

Who needs to investigate and what needs to be investigated?

What kind of preparation do safety officers need to make investigation?

Who examines the report and provides awareness and suggestions?

Do I Need a medical treatment for all injury/Wounds?

Incident lead to property damage?

Are there any accidents that could cause real injuries or serious financial accidents? 

Reportable accident

All the accidents that will in result of serious injury need to be reported to the Ministry of labor (MOL). It is a legal requirement to report it to concern authorities. Ministry will then issue the advisory to all the related parties to avoid the reoccurrence.

 

 

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Demolition hazards and control measures which we may face at a demolition site

 

 Demolition hazards & control measures 

Introduction

Demolition work involves the dismantling, destruction, or removal of structures, buildings, or other infrastructures. Demolition work can be hazardous due to the presence of numerous risks such as falling objects, electrical hazards, and exposure to hazardous substances. Therefore, it is essential to identify, assess, and control the hazards associated with demolition work to ensure the safety of workers and the general public. In this article, we will discuss demolition hazards and controls.

Demolition Hazards

Falling Objects: During demolition work, there is a risk of falling objects such as bricks, debris, and equipment. Falling objects can cause serious injuries or even death if they hit a worker or a member of the public. The risk of falling objects can be reduced by using safety nets, barricades, and warning signs.

Electrocution: Demolition work often involves the use of heavy equipment that can come into contact with overhead power lines. This can cause electrocution and result in serious injuries or death. Workers should be trained on the safe use of equipment and should be made aware of the location of overhead power lines. The use of insulated tools and equipment is also recommended.

Hazardous Materials: Demolition work may involve the presence of hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead, and mold. These materials can cause serious health problems if they are not properly handled and removed. Workers should be trained on the safe handling and removal of hazardous materials. Personal protective equipment such as respirators and protective clothing should be worn.

Noise Pollution: Demolition work can produce high levels of noise that can cause hearing loss or other health problems. Workers should wear earplugs or earmuffs to protect their hearing. Noise barriers can also be installed to reduce the impact of noise on the surrounding environment.

Structural Failure: Demolition work can cause the structure being demolished to fail prematurely. This can cause serious injuries or death to workers or members of the public. The demolition contractor should carry out a structural assessment to identify any weak points and ensure that the structure is properly supported before any demolition work commences.

Demolition Controls

Planning: A detailed demolition plan should be developed and approved by relevant authorities. The plan should identify the hazards and risks associated with the demolition work and outline measures to control or eliminate these hazards.

Training: Workers should be trained on the safe use of equipment, the handling of hazardous materials, and the use of personal protective equipment.

Equipment: The use of appropriate equipment such as cranes, excavators, and jackhammers should be used to minimize the risk of injury or damage.

Site Preparation: The site should be properly prepared before any demolition work commences. This includes the removal of hazardous materials, the installation of barricades and warning signs, and the proper support of the structure being demolished.

Environmental Controls: Measures should be taken to control noise pollution, dust, and other environmental impacts.

Supervision: A qualified supervisor should be present on site to ensure that the demolition work is carried out safely and according to the plan.

Conclusion

Demolition work can be hazardous due to the presence of numerous risks such as falling objects, electrical hazards, and exposure to hazardous substances. Therefore, it is essential to identify, assess, and control the hazards associated with demolition work to ensure the safety of workers and the general public. The use of appropriate equipment, the proper handling and removal of hazardous materials, the installation of safety measures such as safety nets, barricades, and warning signs, and the presence of a qualified supervisor are all important controls that can be used to mitigate the risks associated with demolition work. By implementing these controls, we can ensure that demolition work is carried out safely and efficiently.

 

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Hazards and Control Measures of working Alone at a workplace

 

Risk and Control Measures of Alone Working

 

 

What is a lone worker?

A lone worker is the one who works on his own without direct or close supervision and can be found in a different type of activities. Mostly we consider lone worker which is working alone without direct supervision and without his co-workers as well. 

 

Here are some examples of lone worker:

 

Watchman which are working alone most of the times.

Personal which are working outside the normal working hours.

Agriculture worker are also the example of lone working.

Drivers and operators are also fall in lone worker category.

Crane operator specially Tower Carne Operators

 

 

We have to consider about the safety arrangements for the lone workers as we care about the workers which working on the controlled workplace. It is important to make sure that the worker which is performing the activity alone is competent enough. Is he able to handle all the risk which can be there?

For the personal which are working out side the normal working hours can be instructed to work in the normal working hours. 

 

Things which need to be keep in mind related to lone working:

 

1.      Is there any risk of violence for the lone worker?

2.      Does the place is safe to work?

3.      Can young personal involved in the lone working?

4.      Can women be at risk?

5.      Is the medical condition of the worker suitable to allow him to work alone?

6.      Can a worker use effectively all the temporary tools, plants and equipments?

7.      Experience personal should educate the worker about the risks and control measure. Basically, teach them what they can do in case of emergency while working alone.

 

 

  

Only consider experience employees for lone working, new employee should not be sent for the job until they are fully qualified for the task.  

 

Regular communications required for the employees which are working alone. It could be achieve by radio or mobile phones and supervisors responsibility is there to check them time to time.

If no other means of communication is there, automatic alerts should be activated which raises the alarm in case of emergency.

 

  

Risks of working alone

 

Alone workers may face similar risks to others in your company, but the reality is that if they are lonely, the risks of a incident increase.

In particular, additional work-related risks include:

 

Lack of supervisors

Accidents

Emergency

Medical conditions

Violence or threats from others

 

These risks mean additional risk. If you are working alone, and there is no one around you to help in an emergency. If something goes wrong or you are in trouble, how will anyone else know that you are in need of help? If you have an emergency and no one around you then it will create delay, that delay can be fatal some time. 

That is the reason it is always important to reduce the risks before working alone.

 

Remember that when working alone, there is no backup on site and no other team member comes close for helping.

 

Control measures

 

Steps to overcome the hazards of the working alone:

 

Proceed with eliminate the need to work alone and make sure there are at least two people available all the times.

 

Working alone time amount can be reduce.

  

Provide emergency alarms for the lone worker in the workplace as a guideline for emergency services.

 

Provide an individual alarm for mobile users.

 

Provide suitable communication devices (such as radios and mobile phones) to alone workers.

 

 

 

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Pre Task Safety Briefing for a specific task at a workplace

 

Pre Task Safety Briefing 

 

 

We can say that these are a kind of toolbox talk. Pre-task briefings are used to make a specific task safe. In this we can identify the hazards which could be there and control measures to control these hazards and also about the Personal Protective Equipment which are required to commence the job safely and securely. In others it works like on the spot risk assessment.

  

We will cover here all the topics about Pre-Task Briefings. Hazards can happen before even starting the activity i.e., unloading or material shifting for that activity. So, it is important to start with pre task briefing. It is better to conduct it in the same language which your crew members are speaking otherwise they are unable to understand the hazards due to language barrier.

It needs to be conducted if the work procedure change or even if the machinery or equipment changes during the activity. These few minutes which we spend on pre task briefing will help a lot to educate the workforce.

 

These pre task briefings are normally given by a competent personal, supervisor, engineer, leadsman or workplace safety officer some time. It should be conducted on the real workplace so that we can take input from the workers.  

 

In the past few years, I have investigated or reviewed a large number of incidents reports. Impotent thing in my mind is that how many of them included comments from workers involved in accidents or injuries. Most of the time the answer was I did not think about that or that was not in my mind. They were not engaged that is the biggest reason of incident on workplaces.

The input from worker which are the actual one who perform the task and also in real danger.

 

 

Infect, each pre task briefing should include review the work sequence, list the hazards associated with the work, and summarize how to control these hazards. 

Now we will discuss how it will be conducted:

Categorized all the parts of the activity.

Understand the job and responsibilities related to the job.

Identify the hazards which are associated with the activity.  

Control measures which are required to make the workplace safe.

Discuss about the tools and equipment and also about the suitable PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to perform the job safely.

How many pre-tasks briefings we need to conduct? Frequency of the Pre-Task Briefing.

How to respond incase of emergency.

 

It is mandatory that each and every employee which is involved in the activity should sign on that form and verify that they have undertaken the work instruction.

 

If procced correctly these pre task briefing will help the workers to make them familiar with the activity and reduce the hazards or chances of getting injured.

  

Pre tsk briefings are the key to the framework if you have not started yet start conducting these it will surely help to achieve a safe workplace.

If you are already conducting pre task briefings then keep it up the good work. Enjoy

 

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Work Related Violence types and control measures of these incidents

 

 

Violence at Workplace

 

What is Violence (Work Related)?

 

Definition:

“Any incident in which a worker or an employee is threatened, attacked or abused by a member of public in situations that arise during their employment is called work related violence”.

 

This definition tells us that employees who come in contact with general members of public are at greater risk of being threatened or attacked.

 

People in their work where there is a risk of attack or intimidation, especially those at risk will include employee who are handling cash or who deal with members of the public in general, and in particular those who work in the role of enforcement or who have to handle difficult people.

 

Another group of workers who are particularly at risk are lone workers. The risk of violence against a lone worker was listed as a major threat, as well as difficulty accessing aid and assistance, if anything goes wrong, including violent incidents.

 

 

Employment Sectors and work activities in which we can have violence incidents

 

There are chances of violence in a workplace which relates to these sectors:

 

Health services

 

 In this section all the employee who are providing care, advice or training:

Doctors.

Nurses.

Ambulance staff.

Social workers.

Housing office staff.

 

 

Public transport:

 

In this section all the personal which are employed in an organization who is dealing public transport. For example:

1.      Drivers

2.      Helpers

3.      Bus Cleaners

4.      Ticketing counter staff

 

Bank staff and employees who are Handling Cash or valuables

1.      Security staff.

2.      Shop assistants.

3.      Cashiers.

4.      Delivery staff.

5.      Transport workers.

6.      Bank and post office staff.

 

 

Education sector staff

 

Employee which are working in education sector are also direct dealing with public. It includes:

1.      Teachers.

2.      Clerical staff.

3.      Caretakers.

4.      Library staff.

5.      Laboratory staff.

 

Enforcement’s agency staff and employees carrying inspections

 

Personal which are employing in enforcements agencies or those who are carrying out inspection are also facing the violence incident, these are:

Traffic wardens.

Employees who are working in any kind of jail (Prison).

Ticket inspectors which are checking the tickets in railways, buses etc.

Working with potentially violent people i.e Security staff.

Public house landlords.

Employee who are working in mental hospitals.

 

Employees Working Alone

 

Employee which are working alone are mostly facing issues with snatchers and are found easy target by robbers.

Gardening workers.

Taxi drivers.

Maintenance workers 

Lab Workers specially the ones which are dealing with chemicals

Night shift workers

 

 

 

From this study, we can say there are many jobs where workers are dealing directly with members of public and that is the reason are employees are at risk most of the times. Chance of workplace violence are always there if we are dealing with the public. 

 

 

 

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