d high risk activities (1)

Section D: High Risk Activities

Manual Handling

Manual handling - any action involving physical (human) effort to move or support an object or person by:

• Lifting• Pushing• Pulling• Manoeuvring• Steadying• Carrying

Manual handling is not just about lifting stuff!!!

What is Manual Handling? Section D: High Risk Activities

Manual Handling Involves…

Picking up… and putting back down!

and pulling!

Carrying… or stretching!

Pushing…

Manual Handling Section D: High Risk Activities

Injuries due to manual handling typically include….

• Back injuries are the most common (mostly muscles and ligaments)

• Injuries to fingers, thumbs and arms are the next most common

• Others include hand and lower limb injuries

Injuries Due to Manual Handling Section D: High Risk Activities

• Stress is greatest in the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) areas.

• These two regions are responsible for most of the movement in the back, allowing you to bend and twist.

• The lumbar curve of the lower spine supports the greatest body weight and is the most vulnerable to injury and pain.

Components of the Back Section D: High Risk Activities

Vertebrae:

7 - Seven in the neck (cervical spine)

12- Twelve in the mid-back (thoracic spine)

5 - Five in the lower back (lumbar spine)

Components of the Back Section D: High Risk Activities

Four main causes of back pain:

1. Cumulative – occurs gradually and associated with poor posture

2. Psychological – pain but with no physical symptoms, caused through stress or depression

3. Traumatic – caused by sudden and violent stress to the spine

4. Degenerative – normal aging process which produces ‘wear and tear’

Causes of Back Pain Section D: High Risk Activities

What your employer should do for you…

• Eliminate manual handling where practicable• Carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessment• Provide information and instruction (tell you about weight / centre of gravity of the load)• Provide methods of work / equipment to minimise the

risk• Plan delivery / offloading and distribution of materials

to avoid unnecessary carrying


What you should do for your employer…

• Take care of your own safety and others affected by your activity

• Co-operate with your employer on safety matters• Make full and proper use of any systems of work • Make proper use of equipment provided for your

safety• Inform your employer if you identify hazardous

handling activities


Lifting and Carrying Section D: High Risk Activities

“Weigh up” your safety by considering:T identifies the TaskI identifies the Individual L identifies the LoadE identifies the Environment


Task:Is it…Necessary?Possible? Reasonable?Practical?


Individual:• The safe limit you feel you can lift?• Working alone or team work?• Any lifting aids?


Load:• Physical size?• How is the weight spread out (wide / long)?• Eccentric load - centre of gravity?• Are lifting handles available?• Source and destination of the load?


Environment:• Floor space• Floor condition (dry / wet / sloping)• Weather conditions


Controlling Risks Section D: High Risk Activities

The chart is a ‘filter mechanism’Consider:• Repetition• Stooping or bending• Pushing or pulling• Twisting during lifting• Balance• Seated or standing

Controlling Risks – Training Section D: High Risk Activities

How many of you lift things like this?

If so, you are putting your back at risk!

Controlling Risks Section D: High Risk Activities

• Risk assess the task • Keep the back straight • Use the leg muscles / knees bent• Keep load close to the body• Elbows close to your side• Use the palm grip • Position the feet

Safe Lifting Summary Section D: High Risk Activities

Working at Height

• Falls from height continue to be the biggest industrial killer

• All work at height is covered (regardless of the distance above ground)

• Precautions needed where there is a risk of personal injury

• Employers use risk assessments to decide on the necessary precautions

Working at Height Section D: High Risk Activities

• Around 50% of industrial fatalities are caused by falling from height

• 60% of work at height injuries are from falls below head height

• Most fall from height accidents are caused by not using the correct equipment for the job i.e. incorrect use of ladders / stepladders or improvised platforms

Working at Height - Facts Section D: High Risk Activities

What your employer should do…

(Legal hierarchy of control)

1. Avoid working at height2. Ensure all work at height is planned with proper

precautions in place3. Provide work equipment to prevent falls4. Mitigate the consequences of a fall5. Provide instruction and training

Working at Height Section D: High Risk Activities

A safe system of work would include:

1. Safe access2. Method of protection

– Edge protection / guard rails– Barriers back from the edge– Safety harness or nets should only be used as a

last resort3. You should not work in any environment if you do

not have a means of protection against falls

Work at Height Regulations Section D: High Risk Activities

The best prevention from falls is to use guard rails, toe boards, barriers and similar means of protection

• The minimum height of a top guard rail must be at least 950 millimetres above the edge from which a person could fall• Intermediate gaps must be reduced to no more than 470 millimetres• Plastic barriers, netting or rope are not suitable as edge protection to stop anyone from falling

Preventing Falls Section D: High Risk Activities

If falls cannot be prevented by the use of guard rails then the risk of injury must be minimised by:

• Collective fall arrest / mitigation by the provision of air / bean bags, safety netting and ‘crash’ decks

• Personal fall arrest by the use of safety harnesses

– The selection of the type of harness is vital– You must receive additional training before using

a harness and lanyard

Arresting Falls Section D: High Risk Activities

Protection measures;

• Collective fall prevention – guard rails / barriers

• Collective fall arrest / mitigation – nets / bags

• Personal fall arrest – harnesses

Work at Height Regulations Section D: High Risk Activities

Common types Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWP’s) include scissor lifts and cherry pickers

• You must only use access equipment if you have been fully trained • If you are a passenger in a cherry picker you must wear a safety harness and lanyard clipped to the attachment point • Never clip on to an adjacent structure

Access Equipment Section D: High Risk Activities

Mobile towers are safe and versatile access equipment

• You must hold a PASMA or equivalent qualification to erect, alter or dismantle a mobile tower

• If you are to work on such equipment you should receive a toolbox talk

• Always ensure wheels are locked• Only use the integrated ladder access• Ensure guard rails are fitted

Mobile Towers Section D: High Risk Activities

Ladders are a very common piece of access equipment – most frequently misused when utilised as a working platform

Ladders - • Should only used for light work• Always check they are in good condition – report any defect to your supervisor• Only use on firm, level ground• Set at correct angle• Extend 1 metre (5 rungs) above platform• Beware of overhead cables

Ladders Section D: High Risk Activities

Using a Ladder Section D: High Risk Activities

• When using a ladder always keep the ladder at an angle of 75 degrees

• Any angle greater than 75 degrees and the ladder may be too steep to climb and become unstable

• Any angle less than 75 degrees and the ladder may be under too much stress and may snap

85 o 75o45o

How Not to Use a Ladder! Section D: High Risk Activities

A wide variety of stepladders are available…

• Stepladders should only be used for light work• Always check they are in good condition• Only use on firm, level ground• Never over reach • Don’t stand on the top four treads unless it is

designed to be used that way

Step Ladders Section D: High Risk Activities

Podium steps are a safe and versatile alternative – if used correctly

Podium Steps Section D: High Risk Activities

Many fatalities occur from falling through fragile roofs

• Asbestos cement roofs• Roof lights • Other materials where the surface is dirty or obscured with moss etc.

Never attempt to work on or cross a fragile roof without a safe access system

Fragile Roofs Section D: High Risk Activities

How Not to Use Edge Protection Section D: High Risk Activities

Worst Practice… Section D: High Risk Activities

Excavations and Confined Spaces

What your site and employer must do:

• Make sure you do not enter an excavation that has not been adequately supported or designed to prevent collapse

• Prevent persons or vehicles from falling into an excavation

• Assess the risk

• Only allow entry to a confined space if it is necessary and each person is adequately trained

Excavations / Confined Spaces Section D: High Risk Activities

What you must do for your employer:

• Do not enter an excavation that has not been adequately supported

• Follow the agreed safe system of work

• Do not remove any guards or leave the excavation unprotected

• Do not enter confined spaces unless trained to do so

Excavations / Confined Spaces Section D: High Risk Activities

Collapses can occur when:

• The sides are not (or inadequately) supported

• Vehicles operate too close to the edge of excavations

• Materials are stored too close to the edge

• Heavy rain weakens the sides

• The ground dries out, shrinks and collapses

• Excavation undermines adjacent walls or structures

Excavations - Collapses Section D: High Risk Activities

• A cubic metre of soil can weigh over two tonnes

• A shallow excavation can collapse onto you if your bending over

• Collapsed soils can easily crush or break legs

• Collapse is often silent and occurs without warning

Excavations – The Problems Section D: High Risk Activities

Every buried service is a danger to the unwary. The services most likely to be found and their colour codings are:

• Electricity Black or red

• Water Blue, black or grey

• Gas Yellow

• Communications Grey, yellow, purple or black

(non-exhaustive list)

Excavations – Buried Services Section D: High Risk Activities

• Avoid the need to enter the excavation

• Install supports before anyone enters

• Only work within the protected area

• Provide a safe way to enter the excavation

• Provide fall protection around the edge

• Prevent vehicles from coming too close

• Inspect the excavation at the start of every shift

Excavations - The Solutions Section D: High Risk Activities

Questions Section D: High Risk Activities

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