Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Health services
Lifting and handling loads (including pushing and pulling loads) can cause MSDs, such as back pain. The Regulations require employers to:
Assessments should be carried out of manual handling tasks e.g. moving equipment or goods (an example of an assessment checklist is included in the back of the guidance on the Regulations);
The Manual Handling Assessment Charts can help you assess the risk posed by your manual handling tasks
Assessments should also be carried out on patients/clients who need assistance. The assessments should identify the moving and handling aids that are required to move the client safely. An example of a client based manual handling risk assessment can be found in the All Wales Manual Handling Training Passport and Information Scheme.
Revised Manual Handling guidance was published in March 2004. The revision brings it up to date with improvements in the knowledge of the risks from manual handling and how to avoid them.
Stresses and strains arising from adopting awkward or static postures when treating patients can also give rise to MSD problems. Activities such as supporting patient limbs and working in positions with little scope for changing posture for extended periods of time can result in pain.
These are not manual handling tasks as such but the risks they pose still need to be assessed. The assessment should identify measures required to eliminate the risk or where they can’t be eliminated to reduce them to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
Working with computer screens and other display screen equipment can lead to upper limb disorders or back pain, as well as stress or visual fatigue.
The Regulations require employers:
Other areas include the working environment, software and control of work.
Following minor changes to the Regulations revised guidance was published in February 2003.
Many sonographers and others involved in similar types of medical and clinical imaging may be 'users' or 'operators' within the provisions of the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations. However merely complying with the DSE Regulations may not on its own constitute a appropriate assessment of MSD risks associated with the work.