Beating bad backs
April 1st 2006

Back pain is not just torture for the sufferer, it can be crippling for businesses as well.

Here, RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) offers advice on appropriate training to help ease the pain of manual handling injuries

Back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders can affect all people, in all job roles and in all industries, with warehouse workers being among those most at risk. Many are irreversible and can result in significant periods of absenteeism, costing both employees and employers dear.

More than a third of all overthree- day injuries reported to the Health and Safety Executive each year are caused by manual handling, which can cover lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying.

A survey of self-reported work-related illness has shown that in 2004/05 more than a million people in Great Britain suffered from a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) which they believed was caused or made worse by work. The cost in lost working days was said to be a staggering 11.6 million.

Footing the bill

Employers may have to foot the bill for example for retraining, wages, overtime and civil liability. The injured person may find their lifestyle, leisure activities and ability to sleep affected The problem is so great that prevention of MSDs, such as manual handling injuries, has been identified as a priority by the Health and Safety Commission. It is clear that as well as having a moral responsibility to workers, it is in an employers' own interest to do all they can to prevent injuries resulting from manual handling.

Contrary to popular belief, most of these injuries are accumulative as a result of repetition of movement and bad posture, as opposed to lifting heavy objects. Prevention stems from an understanding of posture, so that principles of correct moving and handling can be applied in all situations.

Making sure that employees have the knowledge to avoid injuries makes sound sense, and there are now many manual handling courses available. These can be at different levels and so it is important to choose the right one.

Basic courses can mean as little as a few hours away from the workplace, but are likely to save much more than that in time off the job if they help to stop someone from being hurt.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, for instance, runs a half-day manual handling and postural awareness course. It outlines the seriousness of the problem in terms of people hurt and cost, and also gives statistics on the types and causes of manual handling injuries.

The four main types of back strain - cumulative, stress-related, degenerative and traumatic - are examined.

The course then gives a simple explanation of the problems in terms of anatomy and physiology, using models to demonstrate how the spine works.

A practical session shows how to protect the back through a good base movement (the correct stance for lifting, using the strongest muscles in the body - the legs).

The trainer works with the delegates as they practise correct procedures for lifting, pushing and pulling.

There are plenty of opportunities for extra practice, discussions and questions.

At a more advanced level, RoSPA offers a five-day Manual Handling Trainers and Risk Assessors Certificate.

Candidates go away confident about training others in manual handling awareness and will be able to carry out manual-handlingrelated risks assessments.

This course builds on the information in the awareness course, but also deals with health and safety law and Manual Handling Operations Regulations.

Greater attention is given to ergonomics and anatomy and lifting techniques, including using mechanical aids.

A day is devoted to risk assessments and this includes typical assessment forms and an introduction to risk management strategies for manual handling, including workplace design and the selection of mechanical aids. There is a practical session on communication, presentation skills, aims and objective setting, task analysis and the preparation of training sessions.

Requalification

Successful candidates are awarded a certificate, which is valid for three years, and receive a CD-ROM containing all the course materials required to deliver an awareness course. A requalification course is also available after three years.

RoSPA offers courses at its bases in Birmingham and Edinburgh, and also runs training at regional centres such as Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Hertfordshire and Belfast. In-company courses can be provided as required.

One of the bonuses of manual handling training is that employees can use the skills learned in their home and leisure time, making them less likely to be injured when away from work and thus helping to reduce absenteeism.

For more details about manual handling see www.hse.gov.uk/msd/hsemsd.htm#manual or for RoSPA courses see www.rospa.com/occupationaltraining Alternatively contact RoSPA on the number below or via the online enquiry system at www.hsssearch.com/enquiry