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NHS Employers Report NHS Employers Report
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including manual handling injuries, are the most common type of occupational ill health in the UK. Back pain and other MSDs account for approximately 40 per cent of all sickness absence in the NHS, resulting in a cost in the region of £400 million each year.
The Health and Safety Executive defines manual handling as the transporting or supporting of a load, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving. For some members of staff, manual handling accidents can result in long periods of sick leave and for others it can even lead to the end of their career.
In the past, the accepted response to back pain was bed rest. Evidence now shows that it is much better to keep as ‘normally active’ as possible. Trying to reduce the pain by avoiding movement slows recovery and can lead to long-term back pain. Manipulation can sometimes help to ease the pain and aid recovery.
Research also shows that the longer someone stays off work because of back pain, the less likely they are to ever go back.
Steps should be taken to reduce the risk of MSDs through manual handling injuries and to encourage early reporting of the symptoms, ensure access to proper treatment and offer suitable rehabilitation.
The Legal Position
All employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety at work of their staff, and this includes the prevention of accidents and work-related ill health such as MSDs, back pain and upper limb disorders (ULDs). The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 places general duties on employers and others.
There are also other regulations that impose specific requirements including:
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.
As well as making good sense, consulting employees on health and safety matters is a legal requirement. If there are known safety representatives appointed by trade unions, the law requires employers to consult with them. If there is no-one in the organisation representing employees at risk from undertaking manual handling, employers should consult the employees themselves or any representative they have elected for health and safety.
Employer Responsibilities
To reduce manual handling accidents, employers should:
• avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, as far as is reasonably practicable
• assess the risk of injury from any unavoidable hazardous manual handling
• reduce risks to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable
• ensure that assessment and action plans are written, and are available to all
• develop, implement and communicate a policy and local codes of practice relating to manual handling in the workplace
• employ a competent person such as a back care adviser
• monitor policy and codes of practice, and take action if they are not properly applied.
Employee Responsibilities
Employees also have duties. They should:
• follow appropriate systems laid down for their safety
• be aware of and understand their organisation’s manual handling policy
• make proper use of equipment provided for their safety
• co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters
• inform their employer if they identify hazardous handling activities or any dangerous defects in equipment
• take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including manual handling injuries, are the most common type of occupational ill health in the UK. Back pain and other MSDs account for approximately 40 per cent of all sickness absence in the NHS, resulting in a cost in the region of £400 million each year.
The Health and Safety Executive defines manual handling as the transporting or supporting of a load, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving. For some members of staff, manual handling accidents can result in long periods of sick leave and for others it can even lead to the end of their career.
In the past, the accepted response to back pain was bed rest. Evidence now shows that it is much better to keep as ‘normally active’ as possible. Trying to reduce the pain by avoiding movement slows recovery and can lead to long-term back pain. Manipulation can sometimes help to ease the pain and aid recovery.
Research also shows that the longer someone stays off work because of back pain, the less likely they are to ever go back.
Steps should be taken to reduce the risk of MSDs through manual handling injuries and to encourage early reporting of the symptoms, ensure access to proper treatment and offer suitable rehabilitation.
The Legal Position
All employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety at work of their staff, and this includes the prevention of accidents and work-related ill health such as MSDs, back pain and upper limb disorders (ULDs). The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 places general duties on employers and others.
There are also other regulations that impose specific requirements including:
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.
As well as making good sense, consulting employees on health and safety matters is a legal requirement. If there are known safety representatives appointed by trade unions, the law requires employers to consult with them. If there is no-one in the organisation representing employees at risk from undertaking manual handling, employers should consult the employees themselves or any representative they have elected for health and safety.
Employer Responsibilities
To reduce manual handling accidents, employers should:
• avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, as far as is reasonably practicable
• assess the risk of injury from any unavoidable hazardous manual handling
• reduce risks to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable
• ensure that assessment and action plans are written, and are available to all
• develop, implement and communicate a policy and local codes of practice relating to manual handling in the workplace
• employ a competent person such as a back care adviser
• monitor policy and codes of practice, and take action if they are not properly applied.
Employee Responsibilities
Employees also have duties. They should:
• follow appropriate systems laid down for their safety
• be aware of and understand their organisation’s manual handling policy
• make proper use of equipment provided for their safety
• co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters
• inform their employer if they identify hazardous handling activities or any dangerous defects in equipment
• take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk
