Edge Services

Moving and Handling FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions with reference to issues surrounding the moving and handling of People, Children and Inanimate Objects.

1. As part of my job I move clients on a daily basis. Are we supposed to have moving and handling training?

   The risk of injury from moving and handling activities will be increased where employees do not have information or training necessary to enable them to work safely. Under the 'Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974' (Section 2) and the 'Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1999' (Regulations 10 and 13). Employers are required to provide their employees with health and safety information and training. This should be supplemented as necessary, with more specific information and training on manual handling injury risks and prevention, as part of the steps to reduce risk required under Regulation 4 of the 'Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended).

2. What is Manual Handling?

   Under Regulation 2 of the ‘Manual Handling Operations Regulations (as amended), 1992’ (MHOR, 1992) ‘Manual Handling operations’ are defined as the ‘transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force.’ The ‘load’ in this respect could be an inanimate object, a person or an animal.

3. What are the possible Hazards associated with undertaking People Handling activities?

   The key hazard associated with undertaking People Handling activities is that the manoeuvre may go wrong. The handler may slip or trip, as may the client; alternatively either party may adopt, even momentarily, poor posture, for instance an awkward twist or overreach. Any of these events could result in a severe musculo-skeletal injury to the client or handler. Recovery from such an injury could take several months or even years to fully recover from. In some extreme cases, a full recovery never occurs.

4. How many care staff are injured as a result of Manual Handling accidents?

   Annual Health and Safety Executive statistics regularly indicate that large numbers of staff accross the health services and social care sector experience ill-health as a result of manula handling activities.

5. How can an organisation reduce the hazards associated with People Handling?

   Client-based, holistic People Handling risk assessments and a thorough company-wide People Handling policy are both required in order for an organisation to arrive at informed People Handling decisions. Decisions will take proper account of both the safety of employees and the needs and preferences of the clients for whom they are caring.

   Training and supervising of staff as well as provision of equipmen will all help to reduce the hazards.

    

6. What should People Handling training include?

   Several interested parties including the Royal College of Nursing, the National Back Exchange and the Health and Safety Executive, in conjunction with the Welsh Local Government Association, have advised as to the content of Manual Handling training. Generally, the advice given is that the practical skills of safer moving and handling, including the key principles of normal human movement, should be the focus of the course.

   However, the course content may also include the employer’s and employees’ legal responsibilities, ergonomics and risk assessment, back care, spinal mechanics and function and local policies and procedures including accident reporting. Depending on the duration of the training, other subjects covered may include risk management skills, creating change and the use of assessment tools for practical manoeuvres.

7. Which professional bodies recommend training as a means of reducing the risk of People Handling injuries?

   The following organisations, among others, all offer guidelines which recognise the benefits of People Handling training;

   • Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales
   • The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
   • British Association/College of Occupational Therapists
   • Commission for Social Care Inspection
   • The Health & Safety Executive
   • The Healthcare Commission
   • National Back Exchange
   • The Royal College of Nursing
   • Scottish Commission for Regulation of Care

8. What are the benefits of undertaking People Handling training?

   An effective training and supervision programme coupled with the use of appropriate People Handling aids should benefit all the staff and clients within an organisation.

   From the staff’s point of view, heavy, back-breaking moving and handling tasks should reduce. Sickness and injury levels should also reduce, as should accident and incident levels.

   The employer will see better attendance, safer working practices, fewer accidents and incidents to process, and are less likely to have a legal claim made against them in court.

   The client’s immediate benefit should be an improvement in the quality of their care. Most dependent clients will appreciate being lifted more safely and comfortably in a hoist. Other clients will be encouraged to be more independent, and will benefit both physically and mentally, reducing the side effects associated with immobility and contribute towards physical rehabilitation programmes.

9. Do you ALWAYS need at least two staff to operate a hoist?

   Not necessarily, unless your own policy specifies this. The legislation does not make it a requirement to always operate a patient hoist with two members of staff, this decision will be made by the risk assessor and detailed in the individual client's assessment documentation.

10. I have heard that handling belts/slings or turntables have been 'banned' - is this true?

    Very unlikley, unless your own policy states this. Rarely are small manual handling aids 'banned' they are, of course, inanimate and will not in themselves cause harm. The harm caused is by the handler and is often because of a lack of training and/or supervision in the equipments safe use.