The Manual Handling regulations (1992) require all employers to undertake a risk assessment to identify any potentially hazardous manual handling tasks within the company. Once identified these hazardous tasks should be eliminated or reduced to a satisfactory level where practical. Staff need to be made aware of the potential risks associated with these manual tasks and trained in how to handle items in a safe manner e.g. using lifting aids or following a ‘safe system of working’. This will help minimise lifting and work related injuries
Ergotherapy services include risk assessments of tasks and risk reduction recommendations, as well as manual handling training. Training is tailored to the specific tasks that are performed, rather than just the generic “lifting a box off the floor”. Past experience includes redesigning manual handling training for Royal Mail and Parcelforce.
Ergotherapy works nationally but is based in Yorkshire regularly working in Leeds, Harrogate and Bradford.