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Manual Handling
Introduction

  • Manual Handling is the transporting or supporting of loads by human effort. It includes any lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or supporting a load.
  • Although the load is usually moved or supported by a person's hands, any other part of the body such as the shoulder could be used. Even where a trolley is used, some manual handling is required.
Some examples of manual handling in the BBC include:
 
Office
  • Handling water barrels at drinking water stations.
  • Accessing stored material kept on high or very low shelves.
  • Moving furniture or other heavy items when help is unavailable or unduly delayed

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Programmes and Productions
  • Lifting and carrying filming or recording equipment, including crew luggage

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  • Loading and unloading equipment from vans and lorries
  • Studio rigging/de-rigging
  • Moving loads in or out of car boots

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  • Hand-held camera work

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Specialised areas
  • Scenery handling
  • Set construction
  • Costumes and Wigs
  • Outside broadcasts
  • Stores, including technical, props and archives
  • Rod operators
  • Orchestra
  • Exhibitions
 
Why is Manual Handling an important issue for me?
 
1. Manual Handling is a major cause of injury in the UK workplace.
 
2. 'It is a prime causal factor of serious incidents within the BBC; those attributable through handling, lifting or carrying ranking second highest in the overall number of serious incidents reportable to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive).'
 
3. Back and other musculo-skeletal injuries can be painful and sometimes debilitating.
 
4. Injuries are expensive and disruptive for you, your programme and the BBC.
 
5. Avoiding injuries from manual handling therefore makes good business sense.
 
6. We have a legal duty to assess, control and minimise problems arising from manual handling.
 
What are the BBC's duties and responsibilities?
  • The BBC, as your employer, has a legal duty to follow the Manual Handling Operations Regulations as set down by the Health and Safety Executive.
  • BBC Policy reflects these Regulations.
  • Managers should use the Manual Handling Flowchart to ensure they are following BBC Policy.
What do the Regulations require?
  • The Regulations set no specific requirements such as weight limits, as there are no 'safe limits' for lifting. This is also too simple a view.
  • Instead they look at manual handling as a whole. They take into account a range of relevant factors to determine the risk of injury and point the way to remedial action.
  • They set out a clear hierarchy of control measures that we need to follow:
AVOID manual handling whenever possible
 
ASSESS the risk of injury from any manual handling that can't be avoided
 
REDUCE the risk of injury as far as possible