WhoshouldIsee Tracks

Manual Handling

Many accidents are caused by lifting heavy things too often, by twisting round to stack things at the side, or by pulling loads when ‘giving a good heave’.

Most can be prevented, in fact, employers have the legal duty to reduce exposure to such risks. “So far as is reasonably practical,” states the HSE Manual Handling Regulations, companies should “avoid the need for their employees to undertake any manual handling operations at work which involve a risk to their being injured’.

It’s not only in employers’ legal interests to make sure their employees are handling goods and loads safely, it’s also in their economic interests – millions of working hours are lost every year through injury, and personal injury compensation claims are on the increase.

Lifting something by hand is hard work, but there are ways of lightening the load. Pallet Trucks & StackersHand pallet trucks (HPTs) are a good handling solution where low load weights are involved, limiting manual stress for the operator when pulling and pushing the load. However, they are often restricted in overall capability.

HPTs should only be used on flat surfaces and over relatively short distances. If over used, or overloaded, operators quickly get fatigued, productivity falls, accidents rise sharply.

Traditional electric powered pallet trucks reduce the risk of personal injury by minimising the manual effort required, however, many are inappropriate for the needs of many applications.

Many powered pallet trucks are built with these applications in mind. Powered pallet trucks are also available in pedestrian controlled and ride-on options.Stackers are a high lift type of pallet truck, typically used for loading and unloading racking and vehicles.

Stackers can also be manually operated or powered; pedestrian-controlled or ride-on versions. Lifting, Pulling & PushingEquipment such as scissor lifts or moveable powered workstations, will help employers meet their legal obligation to protect their workforce from injury.

A scissor lift truck can be loaded with the goods, and then raised or lowered to the height needed to transfer the loads safely to the next stage. If the goods are extremely heavy, or have to be transported, a powered workstation can do the job efficiently.

Generally, people can exert more force towards and away from their bodies than sideways.For both pulling and pushing, a secure footing should be ensured, and the hands applied to the load at a height between waist and shoulder wherever possible.

Remember that pushing or pulling a truck or trolley is still a manual handling operation. Trucks and trolleys are often pushed by manual effort, but battery powered equipment is also available for these kinds of applications.Many accidents are caused by lifting heavy things too often, by twisting round to stack things at the side, or by pulling loads when ‘giving a good heave’.

Most can be prevented, in fact, employers have the legal duty to reduce exposure to such risks. “So far as is reasonably practical,” states the HSE Manual Handling Regulations, companies should “avoid the need for their employees to undertake any manual handling operations at work which involve a risk to their being injured’.

It’s not only in employers’ legal interests to make sure their employees are handling goods and loads safely, it’s also in their economic interests – millions of working hours are lost every year through injury, and personal injury compensation claims are on the increase.

Lifting something by hand is hard work, but there are ways of lightening the load. Pallet Trucks & StackersHand pallet trucks (HPTs) are a good handling solution where low load weights are involved, limiting manual stress for the operator when pulling and pushing the load. However, they are often restricted in overall capability.

HPTs should only be used on flat surfaces and over relatively short distances. If over used, or overloaded, operators quickly get fatigued, productivity falls, accidents rise sharply. Traditional electric powered pallet trucks reduce the risk of personal injury by minimising the manual effort required, however, many are inappropriate for the needs of many applications.
Many powered pallet trucks are built with these applications in mind. Powered pallet trucks are also available in pedestrian controlled and ride-on options.Stackers are a high lift type of pallet truck, typically used for loading and unloading racking and vehicles. Stackers can also be manually operated or powered; pedestrian-controlled or ride-on versions.

Lifting, Pulling & PushingEquipment such as scissor lifts or moveable powered workstations, will help employers meet their legal obligation to protect their workforce from injury.A scissor lift truck can be loaded with the goods, and then raised or lowered to the height needed to transfer the loads safely to the next stage. If the goods are extremely heavy, or have to be transported, a powered workstation can do the job efficiently.

Generally, people can exert more force towards and away from their bodies than sideways. For both pulling and pushing, a secure footing should be ensured, and the hands applied to the load at a height between waist and shoulder wherever possible.Remember that pushing or pulling a truck or trolley is still a manual handling operation.

Trucks and trolleys are often pushed by manual effort, but battery powered equipment is also available for these kinds of applications.

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