 Many
people have sustained serious back and other injuries
during manual lifting or carrying operations as a result
of accidents, poor organisation or unsatisfactory working
methods and employers should always aim to find safer
practicable alternatives to such operations on board
ship.
Before
employees are instructed to lift or carry by hand the
employer should have ensured that the attendant risks to health and safety have been
evaluated and due account taken of them in the training
provided and the working methods used.
When
assessing the risks and considering adequate protection
full account should be taken not only of the
characteristics of the load and the physical effort
required but also of the working environment (ship
movement, confined space, high or low temperature,
physical obstacles such as steps or gangways, etc.) and
any other relevant factors leg the age and health of the person, the
frequency and duration of the work, etc.). |
In
manual lifting and carrying, the proper procedure to be
followed as a matter of habit is to size up the load to
be lifted, look for sharp edges, protruding nails or
splinters, for greasy or other surfaces which may affect
grip and for any other features which may prove awkward
or dangerous; for example sacks of bulk commodities may
be difficult to get off the deck.
The deck or
area over which the load is to be moved should be free
from obstructions and not slippery.
A firm and
balanced stance should be taken close to the load with
feet a little apart, not too wide, so that the lift will
be as straight as possible .
A crouching
position should be adopted, knees bent and back straight
to ensure that the legs do the work--keeping chin tucked
in.
The load
should be gripped with the whole of the hand - not
fingers only. If there is insufficient room under a heavy
load to do this a piece of wood should be put underneath
first.
The size and
shape of the load are not good guides to its weight or
weight distribution. If this information is not available
a careful trial lift should he made a and if there is any
doubt whether the load can be managed should be made, and
if there is any doubt whether the load can be managed by
one man help should be provided.
When two or
more men are handling a load, it is preferable that they
should be of similar height. The actions of lifting,
lowering and carrying should, as far as possible, be
carried out in unison to prevent strain and any tendency
for either person to overbalance.
The load
should be lifted by straightening the legs, keeping it
close to the body. The body should not be twisted as this
will impose undue strain.
If the lift
is to a high level, it may be necessary to do it in two
stages; first raising the load on to a bench or other
support and then completing the lift to the full height,
with a fresh grip.
The
procedure for putting a load down is the reverse of that
for lifting, the legs should do the work of lowering -
knees bent, back straight and the load close to the body.
Care should be taken not to trap fingers. The load should
not be put down in a position where it is unstable.
A load
should always be carried in such a way that it does not
obscure vision, so that any obstruction in the passageway
can be seen.
Suitable
shoes or boots should be worn for the job. Protective
toecaps help to guard toes from crushing if the load
slips; they can sometimes also be useful when putting the
load down to take the weight while hands are removed from
underneath.
Clothing
should be worn which does not catch in the load and which
gives some body protection.
Where the
work is very strenuous, for example because of the weight
of the load, repetitive efforts over a period or
environmental factors such as confined space or extremes
of temperature, rest should be taken at suitable
intervals, to allow muscles, heart and lungs to recover;
fatigue makes accidents more likely on work of this kind.
Whenever
possible, manual lifting and carrying should be organised
in such a way that each man has some control over his own
rate of work. |
