3346 Manual handling and ergonomic guidance sheet no.2: Design, provision and use of manual handling aids

Overview:

This document is freely available to all registered users of this site.

The EI has created a set of 12 good practice guidance sheets for typical manual handling and ergonomic tasks in offshore energy industries. This guidance sheet focuses covers managing factors that influence the way manual handling tasks are performed.

These factors may result from the job design, individual differences or the organisational pressure. Optimising the performance influencing factors will improve the efficiency of the work done and reduce the risk of errors and injuries. This sheet provides guidance for managers and supervisors on how to identify and manage these factors, as well as information for individuals to consider.

These 12 guidance sheets are designed to assist managers and supervisors to tackle hazards and reduce risks that are currently leading to reportable, lost time injuries offshore, and encourage an ergonomic approach to managing risks associated with manual tasks and recorded injuries.

The guidance sheets are grouped into three categories based on the information they cover:

• management guidance (RED);
• tasks (GREEN), and
• injury prevention case studies (BLUE).

Each sheet can be read on its own, but is best read in conjunction with other relevant sheets – which are suggested at the bottom of each sheet.

Despite efforts to reduce musculoskeletal risks, many injuries are still occurring offshore from physical activities including:

Manual Handling (MH)

• use of equipment and tools
• work in poor postures
• physically demanding tasks performed over long periods.

Offshore environments are considered by many to be harder to control than their onshore equivalents, due to their isolated locations and the time required to get additional equipment from the ‘beach’.

A ‘can-do’ attitude prevails amongst offshore workers, and problem solving to ‘get the job done’ is common, but this can result in some risks to individuals being overlooked – both by Managers and the Operators. This may increase the cumulative exposure to poor postures, repetitive actions and large forces on the body, which are known to increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury.

What this Sheet Covers

Manual handling (MH) aids are commonly recommended following assessment of physical and MH risks.

Following this guidance should help ensure the handling equipment provided is suitable for the tasks and environments encountered offshore. It covers availability of the equipment, training of users, storage and maintenance, to ensure the handling aids deliver the benefits intended.

Defining the Problem

The suitability of the handling aids for the task and conditions should be based on a process of defining the requirements, developing solutions, trial and feedback.

Styles of handling aids vary and it is important that features are properly understood and used appropriately.