Do you perform Manual Handling Risk Assessments? Want to enhance your knowledge and understanding on how Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) happen? Unsure how to incorporate the range of HSE Tools into your CEO Presentation Report? Curious to Osteopathic Solutions' Expertise in Manual Handling & Ergonomic Risk Assessment?

Then this page is a must read! Written by Osteopathic Solutions Director, Osteopath and Author of Sorry! We're Closed Gareth Milner this page is packed with worked examples of the MAC, RAPP, ART and REBA Tools, and the HSE's Manual Handling Risk Assessment Checklists including what MSDs are likely and why, including MSD Risk Reduction Solutions.

Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC Tool)

Lifting & Carrying Assessment

The MAC Tool (Manual Handling Assessment Chart) is designed to help understand, interpret and categorize the level of risk of the various known risk factors associated with lifting, carrying and team handling activities, and check the effectiveness of any risk reduction measures. It incorporates a numerical and a colour-coding score system to highlight high risk Manual Handling tasks. It is appropriate for assessing loads above 8kg.

The next worked MAC Tool example will be available on this page on Friday 29th November.

READ '' CHALLENGING HSE GUIDANCE ON SAFER LIFTING PRACTICE ''

ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT

MSD ASSESSMENT

Risk Assessment of Pushing & Pulling (RAPP Tool)

The RAPP Tool is designed to help assess the key risks in manual pushing and pulling operations involving whole-body effort, e.g. moving loaded trolleys or roll cages, or dragging, hauling, sliding or rolling loads. There are two types of pushing and pulling operations you can assess using this tool:

■ moving loads on wheeled equipment, such as hand trolleys, pump trucks, carts or wheelbarrows (Section A);

■ moving loads without wheels, which might involve actions such as dragging/ sliding, churning (pivoting and rolling) and rolling (Section B).

For each type of operation there is a flow chart, an assessment guide and a score sheet.

This RAPP Tool worked example is of the pushing practice the Manual Handling Training Company Pristine Condition negligently teach as CORRECT TECHNIQUE as shown on their website video below. If you use Pristine Condition and have concerns about the 'scientifically unproven' and Biomechanically irresponsible Manual Handling 'Techniques' they are spreading across your Business view Gareth Milner's hyper-credible Blog Post Series ''NOT as Pristine as YOU are Led to Believe'' by clicking here or on the banner below left.

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READ '' NOT AS PRISTINE AS YOU ARE LED TO BELIEVE ''

As the inanimate load, the Mini Clubman (weighing 685 kg) has wheels we will be using Section A ‘moving loads on wheeled equipment, such as hand trolleys, pump trucks, carts or wheelbarrows’ of the RAPP Tool.

A-1 Type of equipment/Load weight (kg)

This is graded as Medium A/2 as the Mini Clubman weighs over 600kg and under 1000kg.

A-2 Posture

This section says ‘Observe the general positions of the hands and the body during the operation.’ This is graded Poor R/6 as Body is severely inclined … Torso is severely bent or twisted … Hands are behind or on one side of body or above shoulder height. Looking at basic biomechanics from bottom to top. Her right ankle is in inversion (turned in). Her right knee suffers a valgus strain (with slight flexion). Her right hip will be externally rotated (turned outwards). Her left is dorsiflexed with the achilles tendon under significant tension and strain. Her left knee is flexed with the patella-femoral joint under extreme compression due to the high muscular contraction of the quadriceps muscles. Her left hip is medially rotated (turned inwards). Her lumbar (lower back) and thoracic spine (mid-back) is rotated or twisted to the left. There is significant forward flexion (bending) at L4/L5 and L5/S1 spinal joints. Her lower neck joints (including C5/C6) appear to be slightly extended (backward bent). Her left shoulder is flexed 180 degrees, slightly abducted, and medially rotated. Her left elbow appears straight. Her right shoulder is flexed to 90 degrees with the elbow flexed more than 90 degrees and pronated. Her wrist flexor muscles are maximally contracting to couple her hands with the car. There is certainly nothing ‘Reasonable’ about the posture.

A-3 Hand grip

This section says ‘Observe how the hand(s) grip or contact the equipment during pushing or pulling. If the operation involves both pushing and pulling, assess the hand grip for both actions.’

This is graded Poor R/2 … There are no handles or the hand contact is uncomfortable.

The load is a car. Handling coupling is not a design feature. Nor are they design to be pushed by humans, that is humans who want a body that doesn’t hurt … every day … or worse every minute of every day like is possible with this practice and technique.

A-4 Work pattern

This section says ‘Observe the work, noting whether the operation is repetitive (five or more transfers per minute) and whether the worker sets the pace of work. Ask workers about their pattern of breaks and other opportunities to rest or recover from the work.’

As the ‘Can you feel it?’ video clip shows one push, we’ll give this its first G/0.

A-5 Travel distance

This section states …

Determine the distance from start to finish for a single trip.

■ If the operation is not repetitive, do an assessment for the longest trip.

■ If the operation is repetitive, determine the average distance for at least five trips.

As the distance is less than 10 metres, lucky for this lady, this is G/0.

A-6 Condition of Equipment

This section states …

Enquire about the maintenance programme and observe the general state of repair of the equipment (condition of the wheels, bearings and brakes).

Well as the Mini Clubman is in the garage, I will grade this A/2 … Maintenance occurs only as problems arise.

A-7 Floor surface

This section states … Identify the condition of the surfaces along the route and determine the level of risk using the following criteria.

Luckily for her she isn’t performing this practice on a road that could be uphill or full or bumps and potholes.

In the garage, it’s G/0 .. Dry and Clean, Level and Firm and Good Condition.

A-8 Obstacles along the route

No obstacles are present … G/0

A-9 Other factors

Identify any other factors, for example:

■ the equipment or load is unstable;

■ the load is large and obstructs the worker’s view of where they are moving;

■ the equipment or load is sharp, hot or otherwise potentially damaging to touch;

■ there are poor lighting conditions;

■ there are extreme hot or cold temperatures or high humidity;

■ there are gusts of wind or other strong air movements;

■ personal protective equipment or clothing makes using the equipment more difficult

One factor present … A/1

Score sheet: Pushing or pulling loads on wheeled equipment
INCORRECT Technique

Score sheet: Pushing or pulling loads on wheeled equipment
'CORRECT' Technique

Looking at the INCORRECT TECHNIQUE which rightly so is natural, hazardous pushing practice … the interesting thing is that this is deemed lower risk than the pushing practise Pristine Condition stipulate as CORRECT TECHNIQUE.

INCORRECT TECHIQUE scores 10 and one Red, whereas ‘CORRECT TECHNIQUE’ scores 13 and two Reds.

Shouldn’t it be the other way around? If your Business uses Pristine Condition it would be beneficial to throw this point (hopefully not with a forward bend and twist (like they teach with pushing heavy loads … you’ve just seen it with your own eyes) to their CEO and Founder Davy Snowdon MBE, preferably on a phone call or better still on a Video Call.

It will be interesting to see what Davy says? ‘Unprecedented’ might just be heard at least 2-3 times.

What does this negligent ‘CORRECT TECHNIQUE’ all mean?

With short term practice …

Neck muscle strains/ ligament sprains/ facet joint dysfunction and facet ‘locks’
Shoulder muscle strains/ ligament sprains
Shoulder rotator cuff strains and tendonitis
Lower back muscle strains/ ligament sprains/ facet joint dysfunction and facet ‘locks’
Hip, knee and ankle ligament sprains

With long term practice …

Neck and Lower Back osteoarthritis and spondylosis (below left)
Spinal stenosis
Frozen Shoulder (below left)
Hip and knee (below right) osteoarthritis
Chronic Achilles Tendonitis
Bunions (below right)

So how can the Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders be reduced?

Pretty simple, it’s a 2 person coordinated push with the team leader say ‘Ready, Brace, Push’. The Mini Clubman’s tyres should be fully pumped also to reduce the 2 person pushing forces needs.

In some ways it would be better to put your back against it. There would be less shoulder and neck joint strain. This practice can sometimes be useful, depending on the load.

The RAPP Tool on load weight under-scores the risk as Medium. 685kg … MAKE NO MISTAKE! … is a very heavy load and humans on their own … SHOULD NOT BE PUSHING SUCH WEIGHT … let alone on a Manual Handling Training page.

This clip is from the Pristine Condition ‘Can you feel it?’ series. Can you feel those arthritic hips, arthritic knees, arthritic lumbar and cervical spinal joints and frozen shoulders. Likely you can. Here’s my caricature coming in … Ouch!

That’s a RAPP!!