The term Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) covers any injury, damage or disorder of the joints or other tissues in the upper / lower limbs or the back.
An injury could be caused by simply repeatedly carrying out an action too often without a break, and not necessarily by moving a very heavy item e.g. stacking shelves with small boxes all morning. So whatever your business you should consider the way your staff move and carry out their daily tasks whether on a construction site or sitting at a till.
In brief, the Regulations require employers to:
- Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided.
- Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
None of us can avoid lifting and carrying but the way you and your staff carry out these actions could make all the difference to them individually and to your company financially.
Why not consider sending staff on one of our half day basic Manual Handling courses? Or please call us on 01722 326 390 and let us tailor a more advanced course just for you and your staff.
