Manual handling

Manual Handling Policy

Statement of Policy

 Excellence Care Services are committed to maintaining the good health and well being of all those working within the agency, and want to avoid unnecessary illness and absence from work as a result of manual handling injuries.

Excellence Care recognizes its statutory responsibility to provide information: instruction and training to enable all who work in the department to be able perform their work safely and efficiently. This involves providing all the necessary safety and protective equipment along with providing all with adequate supervision, in turn allowing them to become competent.

Excellence Care regards the implementation of health, safety and welfare measures as an essential objective for all its workers, at whatever level.

It aims to promote activities, which encourages safety. As an element in achieving its aims Excellence Care will implement systems of work which will promote Minimal Manual Handling Practices which adheres to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.

Foreword

This Manual Handling Policy is issued in accordance with:

  • Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
  • Management of Health & Safety at Work Act 1999
  • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
  • Personal Protective Equipment at Work Act 1998
  • Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998

The above legislation and guidance has been implemented in the policy and procedures that follows. The value of this policy is to avoid and minimise any injuries to staff, patients and visitors

Definition of Manual Handling Operations 

Manual Handling Operations are defined as the transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving.

Policy

The Excellence Care Services recognises and accepts its responsibility to provide and maintain a safe and healthy workplace and working environment for all. It seeks to enlist the support of all in meeting its responsibilities.

Excellence Care will comply fully with the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and subsequent legislation, statutory regulations and approved codes of practice.

Excellence Care recognises that there is a measure of freedom for clinical staff in the treatment of patients. However we require that all shall be responsible as agency staff, for the health, safety and welfare of themselves and of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions at work.

Excellence Care will take all necessary steps, so far as is reasonably practicable, to reduce risks associated with the use, handling, storage and transport of any articles, which are potentially injurious to health. We will provide information, instruction and training to raise awareness, understanding of health and safety rules and appreciate the need that all have in co-­operating with the Excellence Care policies by taking reasonable care of their own health and safety as well as that of patients, clients, and other healthcare workers.

Assessments shall be undertaken when any situation arises that will involve any level of manual handling. Assessments will be recorded in care plans and will be readily available to carers and nurses involved in the administration of care services.

Training 

The Compliance team are primarily responsible to ensure that all have access to and attend suitable and sufficient training.

All agency staff must attend annual manual handling training and/or have a valid certificate before starting to work with the Excellence Care.

The Manual Handling training program will consists of both theory and practical elements including:

  • Legislation
  • Manual Handling definition
  • Causes of injury (spinal awareness)
  • Ergonomics and principals of safe Manual Handling
  • Hazard Reporting
  • Manual Handling Risk Assessment
  • Client Load handling criteria
  • Choice of equipment
  • Communicating with patients and co-­workers
  • Practical safe handling techniques

Equipment

All manual handling equipment must be checked on a regular basis and in good working order at all times and/or a replacement must be found to enable careers to continue working safely.

Weight and height restriction should be adhered to when using equipment. To ensure the safety of the carer and the patient

Hoists and slings a visual inspection should be made prior to use. A competent person must inspect every 6 months and there must be a yearly service on each machine. Each facility will keep records of such services. The test dates will be clearly marked on the hoist.

All agency workers using Moving and Handling equipment have the responsibility to report faults to the appropriate person immediately, this may be at a ward, or direct to the client. Any services that Excellence Care run directly will require that arrangements are made immediately to fix and service the equipment.

Incident / Accident Reporting

All those working in the Excellence Care Services have a duty to report an accident/incident and complete  an  Incident  form  and  cooperate  in  any  such  follow-up  investigation  as deemed necessary.

Injuries to Staff or patient resulting from any Manual Handling/Lifting activity will require that this task is re assessed immediately.

Review Period

This Policy will be reviewed time by time. This is to ensure that this policy is kept up to standards.