Need a few pointers on safe lifting at work? We can lend a hand. Using the correct lifting techniques – and making sure that the whole team knows how to – is an integral health and safety responsibility for any employer.
When your staff need to lift heavy objects frequently, best practice becomes even more important. Whether you lead a team in manufacturing or supervise construction sites, it’s always worth knowing the best ways to lift.
Manual handling at work: Three steps for success
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Carry out training
Training modules should cover the correct techniques, risk assessments, and ways to reduce the risk of accidents. Since nearly one in five non-fatal accidents at work are caused by handling, lifting or carrying, it’s vital that your staff know the risks of poor technique.
For extra peace of mind, you might choose to assess your employees at the end of their training course. This is the best way for your team to consolidate their knowledge and skills. Proper lifting technique needs careful explanation, but can be summarised with a few key pointers:
- Squat down, with the feet a shoulder-width apart
- Keep straight posture, looking forwards with chest out and back straight
- Lift slowly, never rushing straightening the knees or hips
- Hold the load close to the body
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Use the right equipment
Remember that your employees don’t need to just rely on their own strength to lift heavy items at work. As an employer, you should familiarise yourself with the best ways to make use of lifting and handling aids before training your team.
It’s important to know when extra equipment should be used, because this helps you to strike the balance between maximising human resources and reducing the risk of injuries. For example, rope can be paired with various lifting and loading tools to simplify lifting or any other heavy task at hand.
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Use machinery, where necessary
Official guidelines set out in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations suggest that 25kg is the maximum weight men should lift at work. For anything heavier, you should find the appropriate tools and machinery to assist your colleagues.
Luckily, there’s a varied selection of lifting equipment on the commercial market.
- Pallet trucks and forklifts make popular choice for lifting and moving pallets and boxes around a warehouse or factory floor.
- On the production line, belt conveyors and lifting hoists appear more frequently.
To lift small items vertically – from one floor to another – service lifts make a fantastic choice:
- Capacities start low but can reach up to 500kg for custom-ordered trolley lifts.
- These lifts are incredibly versatile and support a range of industries including catering, retail, and hospitality.
- Alternatively, a goods-only lift could offer a load capacity of up to 3000kg, suitable for heavier applications in warehousing and industrial manufacturing.
Overview
Ensuring that everyone on the team receives alighacham94 the right training is essential. If they’re going to be lifting heavy equipment manually, they need to be trained first. You should cover the lifting technique itself, then go into detail on using supplementary tools and machines safely.
