The Manual Handling Operations Regulations

Duties of employees are already in place under HSWA and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations supplement these general duties as they apply to manual handling. 

State the three measures to be taken to reduce the risk to employees under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. 

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2002 % The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992... 

Over one third of all reported lost-time absences are attributed to injuries caused by manual handling. This problem is common across Europe and has resulted in a Directive aimed at reducing this toll. In the UK the contents of the Directive are contained in The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR). 

In other words, if the risk of injury is very small compared to the cost, time and effort required to reduce the risk, then no action is necessary. It is important to note that money, time and trouble must grossly outweigh not balance the risk. This duty requires judgement on the part of the employer (or his adviser) and clearly needs a risk assessment to be undertaken with conclusions noted. Continual monitoring is also required to ensure that risks do not increase. There are numerous examples of this level of duty, including the Manual Handling Operations Regulations and The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. 

The method statement should take into account the conclusions of risk assessments made under the Management, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. It can also help other contractors working on a site to understand the effects work will have on them. It can help the principal contractor to draw up the construction phase safety plan. 

Until a few years ago, accidents caused by the manual handling of loads were the largest single cause of over three-day accidents reported to the HSE. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations recognized this fact... 

Health and Safety Executive (1992) Manual handling Guidance on the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 HMSO, London... 

The above comments have been directed at general activity risk assessments. It is easy to forget that more specific assessments could be required in order to comply with (for example) the Manual Handling Operations Regulations, the Display Screen Equipment Regulations (which apply to display screens in use in site offices) and the assessment requirements within the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations. These are addressed in more detail later in this chapter. 

There is no prescribed format for risk assessments. Health and Safety Executive guidance is limited to Five Steps to Risk Assessment , which is considered to be insufficiently detailed for construction industry needs, and specimen examples in the guidance material associated with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations and the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (see below). 

Under previous legislation, the employer s liability for injuries to employees was limited to cases where the employer had failed to ensure that employees were not required to lift a load so heavy as to be likely to cause injury to him (her) . In addition, the general duty of care required the employer to take reasonable steps to provide a safe system of work, place of work and safe work equipment. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are much less specific, and do not contain a Regulation barring their use in civil claims. More information on the... 

Schedule 1 to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations specifies four interrelated factors which the assessment must take account of. The answers to the questions specified about the factors form the basis of an appropriate assessment. These are ... 

Working conditions to minimise physical strain The requirements of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and risk assessments... 

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