As part of its latest Simply Safety campaign, Norwich Union, soon to be Aviva, is urging employers to be aware of the hazards associated with manual handling.
Statistics for 2007/2008 indicate that two fifths of minor injuries resulting in three or more days of absence were caused by handling, lifting or carrying.
Phil Grace, liability risk manager for Norwich Union says: “Injuries caused by manual handling can occur in any place of work. Manual handling is one of the most commonly reported hazards by employees (43% of workers ) with injuries resulting in musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain.
“As musculoskeletal disorders are also the most common occupational illness in Great Britain, it is vital that employers encourage early reporting of symptoms to make sure injuries, and also working hours lost for the business, are minimised.”
Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR) 1992, employers are required to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of hazardous manual handling operations.
Norwich Union Risk Services (NURS) offers a three-day course which covers the MHOR legislation and gives attendees the skills and confidence needed to pass manual handling training on to other employees, www.nurs.co.uk. Alternatively, a one-day awareness course is available. NURS also has the expertise and capability to undertake a firms manual handling assessments on a consultancy basis.
A downloadable guide on the subject is also available at www.nurs.co.uk.