The cost of manual handling

This article relies heavily on statistics and other information published online by the Health and Safety Executive to draw attention to the number of people suffering work-related accidents and long-term ill-health as a result of manual handling at work. It outlines the legislation which places a duty on employers to avoid their employees undertaking manual handling wherever reasonably practicable and the guidance designed to demonstrate the safest ways of moving loads. It reviews some of the prosecutions brought by the enforcement agency and considers whether the enforcement policy could be more effective, questioning whether the regulations enabling the inspectorate to charge for 'interventions' are likely to impact adversely on the prevention of manual handling injuries. It concludes by acknowledging that the cost of manual handling is far too great but can provide no easy solution to this problem.