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Posted By Steve Hulett
During H&S awareness training sessions recently a 'good manual handling technique' was delivered and demonstrated to office based staff. This prompted a question from one of the attendees, 'that's alright if your wearing trousers or jeans but what if your wearing a skirt', the question relating to having legs slightly apart and knees bent. Can anyone help with an answer apart from the obvious one of don't do it. Is there a method out there which avoids staff who wear skirts the indignity of potentially exposing themselves and manual handling in a safe manner?
thanks in advance
Steve
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Posted By Kevin West
The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 which amended the Manual handling Regs now say:
The relevant factors in determining the appropriate steps to reduce the risk of injury, particularly where there is a risk of back injury, are now expressly set out in the regulations, and include:
„h The physical suitability of the individual to carry out the operations
„h The clothing, footwear and other personal effects the individual is wearing
„h The individuals knowledge and training.
„h The results of any relevant risk assessment carried out under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
„h Whether the individual is in a group which has been identified as being especially at risk
„h The results of any health surveillance carried out.
When a risk assessment is completed it has to take into account what the person is wearing.
So in short. If what they are wearing means that they cannot carry out the manual handling operation safely then they are not required to carry it out.
I know its not exactly what you wanted to hear but thats how it is.
Kev
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Posted By Robert M Edwards
The issue here is to ensure that anyone who has manual handling in their job role should have appropriate clothes to carry out the job. This means clauses in employment contracts and job descriptions. Equality in the workplace works both ways and all policies should reflect the ability to carry out the job so this sort of argument does not occur.
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By John D Crosby
Steve
Having been involved in manual handling training for over 16 years the only advice I can offer is to advise that staff wearing skirts should either not lift or wear what I am told is called an 'A' line skirt which essentially is flowing rather than tight.
Incidently don't assume that anyone wearing trousers can lift properly. Trousers that are relatively tight can prevent the knees or hips from moving properly.'Baggy' trousers are definitely better.
Cheers
John C
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