No workplace, whether it be your office, a warehouse or even a construction site can avoid what has anything to do with the physical movement of people which is lifting/carrying/pushing the pull/ move objects in order to complete their work. Manual handling is a leading contributor for injuries with back pain being amongst the most common strains & sprains almost always resulting in MSDs. In order to mitigate these risks, employers must ensure that workers who perform manual tasks are adequately trained.
The past few years have seen a huge rise in the demand of instant online manual handling courses which many organizations and individuals are opting to sign up for. This post can outline the importance of investing in manual handling training, what an online course usually entails and how it is useful.
What is manual handling?
Anything that one does with their hands, arms or body to lift, carry push pull or move an object is called manual handling. While you are probably engaged in these activities in almost every industry, they can also be draining, and if not handled correctly, lead to accidents or injuries.
Manual handling: This is one of the most common workplace accidents, and a large number of people get injured from it. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that a significant number of the injuries sustained both in the UK and abroad result from poor manual handling. Neck and back pain as well as shoulder injuries are among the most common, and if left untreated they can lead to chronic pain and disability.
We know what you are thinking: Manual handling training is crucial, but why must you perceive this significance?
Conclusion: Manual Handling Training Techniques is a Need for Workers and Employers It teaches workers the knowledge they need to stay safe while lifting and moving items, protecting themselves from injuring.Err ne Lint ins muss INt EIT? Such training allows employers to demonstrate that they care for their workers and helps an employer to reduce infringement of health and safety statute law, as well as reducing absenteeism arising due to work related ill-health.
Here are some of great reasons as to why manual handling training is essential:
Avoidance of Harm: Training teaches the labour force how to lift and transfer every thing which means less pressure on their muscle tissue or stress in their joints.
Mandatory: Manual handling training is mandatory under health and safety acts in a range of countries. From my knowledge, this will make the workplace a “haven” and save the employers from law suits.
Reduced Downtime: Skilled employees are efficient in handling the materials and they are also more likely to contribute, which means less time is spent on downtime.
Reduced absenteeism: Ensuring that you will have a lower rate of injuries means not only fewer days lost to absence due to these injuries but also it creates a healthier workforce and thus has a stable workforce.
What is Manual Handling Online Course?
What is the purpose of an online Manual Handling Course — The purpose of an online manual handling course is to teach workers about the basic principles behind safe manual handling. Typically these are online training courses that can be offered on desktop or mobile with employees completing them at their own pace.
Course content may only vary slightly from provider to provider but common topics covered usually include:
Fundamentals of anatomy and physiology: This section of the course gives learners an understanding of how our body works. It educates on muscle, joint and bone use when carrying out manual tasks. It enables workers to understand why some lifting methods are safer than others.
Tasks at risk: this is the generic manual handling risk and one would learn how to assess an object in terms of weight, size and shape in order to determine the safest way of moving it.
When Moving Things, Use Proper Lifting Techniques: Bend at your knees to lift whatever your moving, use the legs to do the lifting but straighten that back; very easy tip that can eliminate lots of injuries. A lot of these techniques can be explained via videos or even diagrams and thus, many online courses will include these.
MRBA: Manual Reset Back: A worker before they undertake any Manual Risk Assessment work should assess what is around them and the object that they are about to be lifting Type things like how heavy an object is or if there are any obstacles in a path which may cause risk , manual back
Use of Equipment: Guidelines on utilizing trolley, lifting aids and conveyors to facilitate manual handling tasks and minimize physical workload.
Posture and ergonomics. This applies not only to lifting or carrying but also standing or sitting for long periods of time, as inappropriate biomechanical positions can lead to chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Ergonomics is having knowledge about the practices that will keep workers in good posture while performing their day-to-day tasks.
Health and Safety Legislation — information about legislation like the health and Safety at Work Act, which obliges employers to ensure a safe working environment (this includes safe manual handling)
Sign up now Injury Prevention Recognizing fatigue and or over-exertion, improper lifting, prevention of injuries from happening
Practical Actions and Techniques: The course is likely to provide practical techniques for alleviating or reducing the risk of manual handling tasks (e.g. restructuring working environments, altering height levels).
Cost-Effective
They are usually more affordable than live training classes. As a result, it reduces costs of travel, venue hire and instructor fees on the part of employers. It does not mandate employees to leave work and so is less disruptive for your business.
Easy Record-Keeping
As a result of the online training platform that records the tasks by its default, thus it provides a certification at once complete. Employers can utilize it to keep track of employee training and show that they are complying with health and safety laws.
Reduced Risk of Injury
Finally, online training is a great way for employers to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries. An employee who knows what is safe and what is not, will not suffer an injury from something that could have been avoided.
This is one of the best modes to host workers who are using heavy machines, and can make them know how it can be done safely through an online manual handling course. It simplifies the process for an organization to roll out enterprise-wide training resources and it also allows employees working from home or with some other commitment. Online training can not only help organizations move closer to complying with health and safety guidelines, but also create a more safe, healthy and paid workplace!