Combat back injury
August 1st 2005

According to the Health and Safety Executive a bad back is the most common occupational health problem, accounting for 25% of all cases of absence from work. Employers need to treat pain and any back injury caused in the workplace seriously – and not only in order to comply with the law on manual handling – if their businesses are to prosper in the long term.

So says Paul Smith, head of the health and safety unit at Empower Training Services. In Paul’s opinion back problems are largely due to the common occurrence of manual handling across all work environments and our reluctance to prevent or at least minimise the risk of injury.

“While some roles are classified as ‘manual handling’ because they entail a significant amount of lifting and carrying, just about every employee has to push, pull, lift or move a load at some point – even if they are just helping out during an office move,” he says.

“In fact, the problems encountered by people who only lift loads occasionally are often worse than those experienced by workers who are accustomed to manual handling, as they may well be less fit, unaware of the risks involved and unsure of how to lift and carry safely.” Paul supports the HSE’s national initiative Better Backs! which focussed on educating employers and employees about ways to combat the problem. The overall aim of the campaign was to promote the use of dedicated lifting and handling aids in order to reduce the incidence of back injuries at work.

“We used to think that back pain resulted from a single event – an awkward lift or a sudden twisting action during lifting for example – and in training staff to handle heavy items with care, a good deal of emphasis was placed on the actual weight of the load being lifted,” adds Paul.

“However, research shows that damage is cumulative and if people experience back problems they are more likely to be as a result of many years of bad practice rather than a careless single event.” While the weight of the load is clearly very important, a number of other risk factors come into play such as the nature of the load, the ease with which it can be picked up, the task that has to be achieved and the location in which the work is being done. Most employers are aware of their duty to avoid lifting activities or reduce the risks involved if there is a likelihood of back injury in order to comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. Meanwhile, the HSE acknowledges that it is impossible to prevent all injuries relating to manual handling so it is vital that employers and employees work together to ensure that symptoms are reported promptly and treatment/rehabilitation embarked upon as soon as is practicable.

Although the onus is very much on employers to provide a safe working environment, employees must realise they also have a responsibility for their own well-being. Everyone has an important part to play in identifying potential hazardous activities and employers, staff, health and safety representatives and union representatives need to work in partnership to deal with them.

Reducing back injuries in the workplace does not revolve solely around compliance with the law.

Significant costs, including those associated with sick pay schemes, employing temporary staff to cover longterm absence and training them, are all too familiar for most businesses. Yet the answer lies in a review of the bigger picture.

“What businesses really need to consider is the disruption that is caused when employees suffer injuries, the management time spent dealing with absence, its effect on the company’s performance and the impact on staff morale,” says Paul Smith.

“People are key to any business so their reaction to injury in the workplace, how it is dealt with and what steps are taken to reduce risk will have a bearing on the firm’s overall success, while the ill feeling which can arise if staff feel they are being forced to cover for colleagues who regularly go ‘off sick’ can do irreparable harm if left unchecked.

“Effective communication and training is essential to ensure that employees follow procedures designed to aid safe lifting and carrying and, where appropriate, make proper use of specialist equipment provided.

“Training is one of the most cost-effective solutions for everyone – for staff who carry out manual handling tasks, to ensure they understand how to do so safely; for health and safety professionals who are required to carry out risk assessments in accordance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations and for managers and supervisors who need to improve their general awareness of the issues.

“Developing guidelines, implementing procedures and providing protective equipment may help you comply with the law but is not enough if you are committed to achieving a safe working environment. Employers must communicate well, instigate relevant training programmes which cater for a variety of abilities and show a willingness to work in partnership with their staff and other stakeholders, such as the unions, if we are to reduce the incidence of back injury in the workplace.”