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More than half of all workdays lost to work-related health problems involve injured muscle, bone or connecting tissue, collectively known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). ”MSD is the greatest health and safety challenge for Europe”. Over 40 million EU workers are affected by MSD. These injuries (accidents not included) cost employers over €385 million or between 0.5% and 2% of the Gross National Product,” a significant burden on the EU economy”.*

*The figures and quotations are from EU reports on Health and Safety in Europe.

Here are some useful links to help answer your Health and Safety questions:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf - Manual handling guidebook
http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd - Musculoskeletal disorders
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR)
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/law.pdf - Health and Safety Law
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg290.pdf - Simple guide to LOLER
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.pdf - Simple guide to PUWER
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdf - A brief guide to COSHH
http://www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/ - Easy steps to control health risks from chemicals
http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/ - Control of Substances Hazardous to Health - COSHH
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf - 5 steps to risk assessment
Mac Tool - Helps you assess manual handling risks in the workplace

Health and Safety in Mind

In a recent survey of customers Palamatic discovered that in general, industrial manufacturers are looking for tailored handling solutions designed to meet 'their' specific lifting or handling problems. This has always been a core competency for Palamatic, with business owner Stewart Bennison still playing an active role in the companies R&D and daily engineering design work. 
 
Palamatic's lifting systems are specifically focused on solving health and safety issues for clients around the World; helping to eliminate the risk of injury from handling heavy weights or making awkward movements. And at the same time they can increase productivity.
 
"We think it is vital that the systems our customers use are matched to their operating needs and procedures,". Palamatic also provides the spare parts and service back-up that customers will need throughout the system’s working life.
 
The following Q&A answers employers’ concerns on the potential pitfalls - and their solutions - of manual handling.
 
Q. Over the last decade there has been a move across a wide cross section of industry to reduce or eliminate the need for manual handling. What factors lie behind this?

A. Research shows that manual handling is responsible for more than a third of all injuries resulting in three or more days absence - and annually costs UK employers millions in lost revenue and personal injury claims. In most cases these risks can be avoided, or at the very least significantly reduced. The economic incentive for employers to implement appropriate corrective measures can be significant.
 
The demand for materials handling systems that can reduce or replace manual handling, has also been driven sharply by an increased awareness of employees’ rights. Behind this, to a significant degree, is the apparent upsurge in TV advertising for “low cost claims”. It has never been easier to make a compensation claim. Bear in mind that a single major injury can generate costs of up to £19,000 - and that there were around 27,000 such cases between 2000 and 2001. The annual updated costs (2005-06) of workplace injuries to UK employers as a whole is estimated between £1.2 and £1.3 billion. The full report can be found in PDf format on the HSE website. Total costs include issues such as absence, administration, recruitment, property and product damage and compensation.
 
Q. So what choices are open to an employer looking to reduce the risks associated with materials handling?

A. These days there is a wealth of common manual handling aids available to every sector of industry. They range from simple push along trolleys to bespoke manipulators and vacuum tube lifting systems which can eliminate the risk of injury from handling heavy weights or making awkward movements. At the same time they can help to increase productivity or distribution costs (by adding an extra layer to a pallet stack, for instance).
 
Q. How does an employer find the right solution for their business?

A. There are plenty of off-the-shelf solutions available. But our advice to any employer is that they seek expert advice before installing any materials handling equipment. It is vital that the system they use is matched to their operating needs and procedures. It’s also essential to choose a supplier who can provide the spare parts and service back-up they will need throughout the system’s working life. While most systems are relatively straightforward to operate, it’s also important to specify suppliers who give training on operation and maintenance.
 
Q. What are the main considerations to take into account?
 
A. Today’s range of lifting solutions can be matched to almost any handling process but the following checklist should provide a useful guide when making your selection. You need to choose a system that will:

• prevent product damage
• be efficient
• increased productivity
• eliminate health and safety concerns
• provide a safe working environment for the operator
• minimise labour costs or increase labour effectiveness
• operate at optimum speed
• be cost effective

  
Lifting heights, product weights, dimensions and handling characteristics should all be considered when making a choice. Don’t forget to plan in any environment restrictions - such as headroom - also factors such as noise levels and power supplies.

Q. Are there any other benefits to be gained from these systems?

A. You can reduce transportation costs by selecting a system which allows you to increase pallet stack heights. Great strides have been made by companies such as Palamatic to expand the range of materials handling systems available to UK industry. A surprisingly large number of health and safety issues can be dealt with using Palamatic's flagship line - the vacuum tube lifters, which requires just a single operator to lift loads of up to 300kg. The vacuum lifter is particularly suited to fast, repetitive jobs such as on packaging lines or processing environments, making it a uniquley flexible and cost effective manual handling solution to implement. A simple vacuum sack lifter with workstation jib crane for instance could be installed and operational in less than a day, with operator fully trained.

Q. So how do we guarantee value for money?

A. This can be measured in a variety of ways - for example through increased production or simply more effective distribution of labour. An important factor to bear in mind is the fact that the cost of a single accident could easily outweigh the initial outlay of installing a safer, more efficient system.
 
For more information on Palamatic's range of manual materials handling equipment please submit your enquiry using the online form or call us on +44 (0)1246 452054.
 
To request a quotation online - please submit your application details here.  
minimise labour costs or increase labour effectiveness