3349 Manual handling and ergonomic guidance sheet no.5: Package, storage and movement of loads from containers

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.

What this sheet covers

Good practice for planning and managing the unloading and movement of materials to / from stores / containers / workspace offshore. It covers key points to reduce musculoskeletal risk and the risk of crush, finger trapping or contusion injuries.

Defining the problem

Every facility requires a great deal of moveable and consumable items for daily operations. These are stored, retrieved and moved to / from work locations. Picking, unpacking and multiple handling of goods poses high MH risks, but these are mostly predictable and therefore controllable.