Health and Safety in the Workplace: The Benefits of Manual Handling Training

By Aidan C Lehane

Having a positive health and safety environment in your workplace can have a big impact on the morale of the staff and their overall well being. Proper Manual Handling is a big part of a company’s overall health and safety strategy. Manual Handling involves any activity that involves moving an object of weight from one place to another. It can involve pulling pushing and twisting. This brings a significant risk to employees especially for the delicate back areas. In this short article, we discuss the positive aspects of an effective manual handling strategy within your business:

A big reduction in the number of workplace incidents:

Injuries in the workplace are commonplace, especially in the retail and manufacturing sectors. Injured parties are mainly unable to work after such incidents which a problem for both the employer and the employee. Employees being asked to carry loads that are too heavy. Twisting movements and inadequate training which leads to sudden injuries or injuries which accumulate over time. The back is very hard to repair and prevention can be much more beneficial than treating such injuries.

Compliance with the law:

Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations Act of 2007. Employers are lawfully obliged to minimize the risk of injury to their employees by placing sound safety systems in place, producing safety statements for their business and undertaking risk assessments. Employers should look to minimize the amount of manual handling that an employee is subjected as much as possible. Failure to comply with the law can result in heavy fines and increased liability to lawsuits from injured employees.

Reduction In Employer Payouts and loss of employees

When an employee injures themselves in a place of work it has two negative connotations for the employer. 1. The employee that has built up knowledge of the workplace, is a part of the team and is loyal to the company is no longer able to work and contribute to the company’s goals. 2. They will rightly look to be compensated for their injuries if they have not received manual handling training and are not at fault for the injury.

Morale of the Team:

When an employee stuffs up their back and is no longer able to work, their teammates will see this and it can have a huge negative impact on morale.

Through proper health and safety policies including manual handling training and supervision, these injuries and all the negative consequences associated with them can be avoided. It’s a case of prevention by informing employees of proper lifting techniques and letting them know that they should not lift heavy loads and instead employ team work to make the job easier.

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