Work Smarter, Not Harder: Manual Handling Training’s Efficiency Impact

A lot of the health and safety training aimed at construction professionals focuses on the risks of using powered plant and tools and preventing falls from height. However, tens of thousands of workers are needlessly harmed every year due to moving and handling heavy or bulky objects and materials around construction sites.

Without awareness of manual handling best practices and the appropriate training, regularly lifting, carrying, and handling heavy materials can cause serious and often life altering injuries, from strains and sprains to permanent musculoskeletal issues.

The HSE estimates that manual handling issues are the root cause of more than one third of all workplace injuries in the UK, contributing significantly to the 2.6 million working days lost due to workplace injury (20%) and work-related ill-health in 2022-23.

Manual handling training is, therefore, a crucial consideration for construction contractors, and can yield several benefits in terms of site safety and efficiency.

1. Injury prevention – manual handling can cause a long list of workplace injuries, including back pain, sprains, and dislocations. These cause considerable pain and discomfort, as well as preventing the worker from carrying out his or her job effectively. Our training courses teach construction professionals how to lift and move heavy objects correctly, reducing strain on the body and lowering the risk of these injuries.

2. Heightened risk awareness – manual handling training makes workers more aware of the hazards to their personal health and wellbeing associated with manual handling, encouraging them to be more mindful and careful in their actions.

3. Reduction of sick days – professional manual handling techniques can lead to fewer days lost through sickness from injuries, which can increase productivity and efficiency on your site, and reduce your dependence on temporary staff and agencies.

4. Enhanced business reputation – investing in formal manual handling training for your team can enhance the employability of your contracting business, as many potential clients value this skill set and the safety and efficiency benefits it brings.

5. Better team collaboration – a greater awareness of poor practices and safety risks helps construction teams look out for each other, collaborating in a way that reduces health risks for the whole team and improves manual handling techniques.

6. Compliance with regulations – putting your team on a manual handling training course aligns your business with the HSE’s campaign to prevent ill-health arising from handling and moving materials. From September 2023, the HSE announced it would be carrying out inspections of construction sites focusing on the health risks of manual handling. Training will help you pass any inspections and comply with any upcoming manual handling regulations put in place to support the initiative.

Manual Handling Practical Training From FaCT – Find Out More

At FaCT, we offer a range of practical manual handling training courses for construction contractors and professionals, including accredited manual handling courses and online learning options to suit your work schedule and requirements. Please contact us today to find out more.