Manual Lifting Equipment- Take Care Of Your Equipments

The manual handling functions includes any tasks that require an individual to lift or move or support a load. Some of the factors like Incorrect or repetitive manual handling causes strain injuries and can even lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Such disorders are quite severe and can lead to long-term devastating health implications on the mindset of the people. They account for over a third of reported injuries and affect over one million people in UK every year. There are huge costs involved with them and people need to be quite aware of them if anything like such happens. People need to avoid hazardous materials handling operations so far as is reasonably practical. But, it is not practically possible in the long run so the risk of injury should be reduced in the long run. The employees need to take care of every activity in the workplace that involve manual handling and decide whether they are necessary or not. Several mechanical aids like the service lifts, hoists and lift trucks can reduce the hazardous tasks. 

 In several cases manual liftinge quipment is unavoidable due to the accurate assessment and it involves the workforce and makes use of any available guidance. There are several tasks that need to be kept in mind whenever looking for stooping, twisting, reaching, bending, pulling, pushing, sudden movement, precise positioning of a load. The re-arranging facilities help in making more space or shelves available for them. The weight of the load should also be kept in consideration while looking for whether it is load heavy, unwieldy, hot, cold or hard to grasp. It is advisable to break the load up into smaller packages to make it easier to carry. The heavy and awkward loads may require a mechanical handling aid so you need to be quite aware during such conditions.

The individuals engaged in handling such loads should be quite capable and willing to handle the load with utmost care and attention. The individual should also be provided with the correct protective clothes and safety equipment, and train workers how to use them. The company professionals should also conduct a seminar on safe lifting and carrying techniques to help reduce the risk of injury. It is worth keeping in mind that the manual handling operations do not take place on uneven or slippery floor spaces and clear the route of obstacles. The lighting and temperature levels must be adequate and comfortable to work with. If there are ramps or variations in floor levels always consider a mechanical handling aid. Several appropriate safety procedures should always be kept in mind while handling the load. A lifting aid is always required for moving heavy or awkward items between levels. The service lifts greatly reduce the risks of injury through manual handling.

The manual lifting equipment should be suitable for its designated activity. The operators should also be trained to use the lift and display appropriate signs to alert staff to its presence. The shaft must be accessible only to maintenance workers and in an emergency cases and the lift should not move unless the doors are closed.