The majority of the times you need to consider manual handling, you will do this as part of the overall risk assessment. Manual handling will be just one of many hazards that are associated with the task (and you will manage it accordingly).

Colin wants to discuss specifically, those tasks that require much more manual handling (such as tasks where manual handling is essentially the biggest element of the job).

Look at your site as a whole; which tasks are on-going/ coming up? Which are you going to deal with as a standard risk assessment? And which are manual handling specific tasks?

Examples of manual handling specific tasks involve a lot of carrying, pulling, pushing and lifting. Bagging operations, goods-handling and product packing are great examples of this! Some of these will certainly contain multiple different manual handling tasks (lifting, lowering, moving, packing, bulk varieties of the previous)

Colin wants to bring attention to T.I.L.E. system;

• T – Task. Consider the manual handling activity itself and consider the hazards and job involved. Does it involve a range of movement and a mix of carrying, lifting and repetitive motions?

• I – Individual. Who is doing the task? Are they physically capable or perhaps they need assistance? Is their age or existing health a consideration?

• L – Load. Specifically what is manually being handled? Is it a variety of objects? Is it bulky? Heavy? Difficult to grip? Is it a liquid? Maybe it's hot or cold?

• E – Environment. What is specific about the space in which you are performing the task? Is the route you have to carry the item/s clear? Is there space suitable? How about even or uneven surfaces (stairs? Ramps?)? Is there is a risk of slippery surfaces? And is the room sufficiently lit?

This system is standard when considering any manual handling task. Think of the last manual handling task you undertook and apply the T.I.L.E. Method; is there anything you hadn’t considered? What would you do differently?

Get in touch and let Colin know! As always, be sure to subscribe& comment and find Colin on all the socials!

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Interesting Health And Safety Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/training-competency-creating-effective-plan-process/id1467771449?i=1000452692837 

ABOUT THE HOST

Colin Nottage

‘Making health and safety as important as everything else we do.’

This is the belief that Colin is passionate about and through his consultancy Influential Management Group (IMG) is able to spread into industry. Colin works at a strategic level with company owners and board members. He helps business leaders establish and achieve their health and safety ambitions.

He has developed a number of leading competency improvement programmes that are delivered across industry and his strengths are his ability to take a practical approach to problem-solving and being able to liaise at all levels within an organisation.

Colin also runs a company that vets contractors online and a network that develops and support H&S consultancies to become better businesses.

Colin chairs the Construction Dust Partnership, an industry collaboration directly involving many organisations, including the Health and Safety Executive.

He is a Post Graduate Tutor at Strathclyde University and a highly sought-after health and safety speaker and trainer. He has a Post Graduate Certificate in Safety and Risk management, an engineering degree and is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).