016 – Manual Handling

Guidance Number:
Manual Handling / Issue Date and Version Number: To be added / Page:
1 of 2
Review Date: To be added
(or sooner if there is a change in legislation) / Related Guidance:
Risk Assessment
Name / Position / Contact Number
To be added / Head Teacher / To be added

INTRODUCTION

This guidance covers general manual handling activities within a school environment. It does not cover people moving activities. If people moving activities (i.e physical assistance of pupils) are undertaken, then all employees employed in such activities must receive specific training and people moving risk assessments must be undertaken.

Statistics show that manual handling is one of the most common causes of absence through injury in the workplace. More than one third of lost time accidents are caused this way. These injuries may often have long-term effects.

Schools should reduce the risk of injury by:

·  Ensuring that all significant moving and handling risks are identified and control measures implemented.

·  Ensuring that staff has clear information, training and guidance about safe working practices and reducing risk.

·  Supporting headteachers and heads of department to develop and implement safer working practices.

DUTIES OF HEADTEACHERS AND GOVERNORS

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to make a “suitable and sufficient” assessment of the risks to Health and Safety of their employees at work.

Where this assessment indicates a possible risk to employees from a manual handling operation the following measures should be applied:

·  Elimination of manual handling - where injury is possible the first question to ask is whether the movement of the load is necessary, perhaps the desired result could be achieved by other means i.e. by not moving and handling.

·  Mechanisation/automation - if the elimination of the tasks is not possible then consideration should be given to mechanisation methods. It should be remembered that some forms of mechanisation could introduce other risks that will also need to be addressed.

·  Assessment of risk - in cases where manual handling cannot be avoided and where the general risk assessment shows that there is a likelihood of injury, a full assessment is required

ASSESSMENT OF RISK

Where the assessment indicates that a possibility of injury exists from a manual handling operation and it is not reasonably practical to avoid that operation, a more specific assessment must be carried out.

The extent of this further assessment will depend upon the circumstances of the task. There is no threshold below which a manual handling operation may be considered “safe”.

The assessment should be carried out by someone who has a practical understanding of the type of manual handling tasks to be performed i.e. the load to be handled and the working environment.

DUTY OF EMPLOYEES

Employees must at all times make full and proper use of any safe system of work provided for their use, by the school.

Such systems of work include the provision of manual handling equipment and other aids provided for the safe handling of loads.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be used when issued. This will be a last resort when engineering or other controls cannot provide adequate protection.

The use of PPE may impair dexterity or inhibit movement and this must be considered during the risk assessment.

Staffs must inform their headteacher of any difficulties which may arise from manual handling operations.

Staffs must not undertake any manual handling operation which may involve a risk to themselves or any other employee.

TRAINING

Head Teachers and governors are to ensure that all staff working where manual handling tasks are required will receive adequate training, since its absence will increase the risk of injury.

Such training may be additional to general health and safety training and should include safe systems of work and the identification of unusual load characteristics.

The provision of mechanical handling equipment may also require training and must be treated with caution.

ACCIDENT REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION

Head Teachers should comply with the Reporting of Incidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 by ensuring that:

·  All accidents are reported using the CBC Assessnet system which will raise a RIDDDOR report for the HSE if applicable.

·  Any additional resources are provided where the accident investigation and review of the risk assessments indicate a shortfall in resources.

·  All manual handling injuries are discussed during school governor meetings and any changes to procedures, curriculum delivery or systems of work agreed at these meetings.

·  Manual handling injuries must also be discussed during staff meetings and during any return to work interview of the individual affected

IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

Head Teachers are responsible for ensuring that copies of the school’s manual handling guidance and risk assessments are provided to all teaching and non-teaching staff they are responsible for. The purpose of these documents should be explained to staff and the forms discussed.

Head Teachers should ensure that all risk assessments and safe working practices are reviewed at least annually or more frequently when there has been a significant change in the school.

Head Teachers should review all training records and provision annually and ensure that all employees are fully trained and competent.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND RELATED GUIDANCE

Further information if required can be sought from the CBC Health and Safety Team.

3