3357 Manual handling and ergonomic guidance sheets for offshore installations: Overview

Overview of Guidance

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.

Numerous MH tasks are carried out offshore that have similar counterparts onshore and for which the assessment and advice would be the same. This includes, but is not limited to:

• loading and unloading of skips and bins
• cleaning and sanitation services
• handling of drums, bags and sacks
• numerous construction, scaffolding and rigging tasks
• movement of pumps, compressors and motors etc

Advice on these sorts of tasks can be found in the following guidance documents:

1. HSE – L23 (4th Ed) – Manual Handling Operations Regulations – 1992 & 2016
2. HSE – L24 – Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations – 1992 & 2013
3. HSE – HSG 263 – Involving your workforce in health & safety – Guidance for all workplaces – 2008 & 2015
4. HSE – INDG143 (rev3) – Manual Handling at Work – A Brief Guide – 2012
5. HSE – INDG398 (rev1) – Making the best use of Lifting and Handling Aids – 2013
6. HSE – HSG196 (rev2) – Moving Food and Drink – 2014
7. HSE – HSG 60 – Upper Limb Disorders in the Workplace – 1990 & 2002
8. HSE – INDG383 – Manual handling assessment charts (the MAC tool) – 2003 & 2014
9. HSE – INDG438 – Assessment of Repetitive Tasks of the upper limbs (the ART tool) – 2010
10. HSE – INDG478 – Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling (RAPP) Tool – 2016

In addition advice and guidance is already available about a number of specific tasks performed offshore (see : HSE – Ergonomics Offshore – Spotting the Hazards and Finding Solutions – 2002 http://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ergonomics.htm). Tasks covered include:

• process plant
• drill floor & rig (drilling)
• control Room
• helideck
• crane cab
• scaffolding
• paint spraying
• abseil work
• wire line deck
• offices
• galley
• cabins, laundry

Other guidance on the practical and legal aspects of MH offshore:

1. HSE – Offshore Information Sheet 1/2013 – Application of health and safety law offshore. Guidance on the legislative changes introduced by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order – 2013
2. HSE – Research Report 500 – Manual handling incidents database: A compilation and analysis of offshore industry reports – 2006
3. HSE – Offshore Statistics & Regulatory Activity Report (annually produced)