Consultancy Focus: Manual Handling Training

Manual Handling Training Explained by Bristol’s Acorn Health and Safety Consultancy

Manual Handling Training

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), work-related muscular skeletal disorders (WRMSD) account for around 40% of all work-related ill health.  The cumulative nature of moving and handling injury means that minor bad habits often go unnoticed for many years, resulting in long-term damage.  90% of manual injuries reported under RIDDOR were over 7-day injuries.  When considering manual handling training, there a variety of options organisations might consider.  These fall broadly into the categories of e-learning, face to face training and trainer training.

 

Manual Handling Training: E-learning

E-learning is cost-effective, accessible 24/7 and available to purchase for single users of those requiring block licences.  E-learning is generally suited to those staff members working in lower risk environments, staff members who work remotely or find it difficult to access face to face learning.  A number of organisations use e-learning effectively to cover manual handling theory and enabling them to focus on practical training in the workplace

Manual Handling Training: Face to face learning

Face to face learning can be delivered in-house at client’s premises or as an open course for individuals, staff members and smaller groups of learners.  Typically an initial course takes between two-three hours for general moving and handling, increasing to up to six hours for those organisations with specific needs, such as those involved in the moving and handling of people.

Manual Handling Training: Trainer training

A number of organisations train their staff as ‘moving and handling trainers’ which takes between two and six days depending on the type of course required.  The ability can offer significant cost savings, allows training to be provided where and when required and meets individual organisational needs.

Choosing what’s right for you

With the exception of e-learning, all moving and handling courses should be easily adaptable to reflect the often varied and individual needs of organisations and their staff teams.  As an example, we have recently supported a manufacturing company to identify their moving and handling training needs, train a member of staff to provide training in-house and are in the process of creating a bespoke modular training programme to meet their needs.  This includes looking specifically at activities involving pushing and pulling, lifting a wide variety of inanimate objects and posture.

When deciding the right training for your organisation, it is worthwhile to take a few minutes to understand your particular needs. We suggest you consider:

• Observing staff members moving and handling
• Reviewing manual handling risk assessments
• Speaking to safety professionals and HR departments
• Speak to team leaders, supervisors and managers
• Looking at accident and ill health statistics
• Speaking to staff members carrying our activities on a day to day basis

If you have any specific questions or needs, please do get in touch and we will happily take the time to help you choose the right training for your organisation.

Here at Acorn, we offer a wide variety of moving and handling training and consultancy services across all business sectors. Our exceptional trainers can come to your premises to carry out the training or our Open Courses take place in our purpose built Manual Handling training suite. Click here to view the courses available

Danny Street, Director