Active Rehab Works – Manual Handling Assessment and Training Services

What is Manual Handling?

Manual handling in the workplace relates to using your body to perform tasks when carrying out duties at work. It includes any tasks that require lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, holding, lowering, throwing, packing, typing, assembling, cleaning, sorting and using tools. It is of particular interest to occupational therapists and in occupational rehabilitation because many jobs include such tasks which are potentially hazardous if they involve repetitive or sustained actions, force, continuous vibration, handling of live animals or unstable loads.

Our Services:

Our staff are fully trained and experienced in manual handling assessments and training. When carrying out all workplace assessments we consider manual handling risks, modifications and preventative training. Our assessments and training are guided by the Occupational Health and Safety (Manual Handling) Regulations 1999 and Code of Practice 2000

Understanding Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS):

Active Rehab Works fully understands and appreciates the significance and problems presented to both employers and employees who experience this syndrome, previously called repetitive strain injury (RSI). OOS is a collective term for a range of conditions characterised by discomfort or persistent pain the muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, with or without physical manifestations. Early recognition, intervention and treatment of the symptoms is essential to control or minimise the effects of such injuries.

Preventing Occupational Overuse Injuries:

Active Rehab Works understands that prevention is the real key to proactively dealing with these types of possible injuries. Manual handling is considered and incorporated in all job design / analysis assessments, ergonomic assessments, injury management programs and return to work programs. We recommend that all employee duties incorporate variation in movement and posture, along with a mix of repetitive or static work and non repetitive work to alleviate muscle fatigue. We encourage regular rest breaks from repetitive work and exercise. Employee involvement and self responsibility play a large part as well.

Potential risk areas which we may assess:

· Repetitive or sustained application of force by using force repeatedly over a period of time to move or support an object.

· Lifting and stacking

· Typing and other keyboard tasks

· Supporting materials

· Repetitive or sustained awkward posture where any part of the body is in an uncomfortable or unnatural position.

· Reaching sideways continuously

· Crouching or kneeling

· Reaching upwards

· Leaning over items

· Lifting and stacking

· Typing and other keyboard tasks

· Lifting a heavy item from a high shelf

· Assisting patients to walk or move