Manual handling

Incorrect manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury in the workplace, causing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which account for over a third of all workplace injuries.

MSDs can be caused by a number of activities, including:

• Lifting or moving heavy objects
• Keeping awkward postures for long periods of time
• Manual handling
• Existing injuries

As someone living with arthritis, it’s doubly important to be aware of the risks of manual handling, and the proper procedures that can help you avoid injury.

Lifting even the lightest of objects can aggravate your joints depending on how you approach the movement, and how you grasp the object being lifted.

Some common challenges faced when lifting include:

• Hand and wrist pain
• Pain or stiffness in the back, neck or shoulders
• Knee and ankle pain
• Fatigue

These challenges can worsen if:

• You’re having to move/work quickly 
• You’re taking the load from below the knee or above the shoulder 
• You’re working on an uneven or slippery surface

Solution

To ensure your safety while lifting, and to minimise the risk of injury, there are a few key things to consider:

1. Risk assessment 

Check the company has completed a risk assessment for the load handling, and be sure to receive any relevant training before you begin the task. 

2. Procedure 

Wherever manual tasks are involved, your employer is required to teach/demonstrate the proper procedure so you can complete the task safely. Be sure to review load movement strategies and any relevant written advice before you attempt to lift the object.  

3. Grip 

The grip you use will impact how easily you can lift the object, and how much strain the task will place on your joints. 

The best grip to take will depend on the size, weight and shape of the object being moved, but also the point at which you will take the load (i.e. below the knee, waist-height, above the shoulder, etc.). 

In some cases, you might benefit from considering alternative grip patterns that place less strain on your joints.

It’s important to keep in mind that if your employer is aware of your diagnosis, it is their responsibility to carry out a risk assessment, as every arthritis patient will have varying needs and abilities. Be sure to raise this with your employer if you feel like your condition isn’t being taken into consideration at work.

Where heavier objects are concerned, it’s always worth asking whether they need to be moved at all. For example:

• Can the activity (e.g. wrapping or machining) be completed safely if the item stays where it is? 
• Can raw materials be delivered directly to their point of use? 
• Can changes be made to the way objects are stored (i.e. can shelving height be adjusted to allow for easier access)? 
• Can adjustments be made to the way objects are loaded (i.e. can pallets be part-loaded, or placed on blocks to aid transport)?

At this point, it might be worth thinking about the benefits of automating your processes, or introducing mechanisation and handling aids, such as conveyors, pallet trucks, electric or hand-powered hoists, or lift trucks.

If you choose to introduce any of these solutions, bear in mind they will still require proper cleaning and maintenance. They’ll also need to be well suited to the work and operated by trained professionals.

Pushing and pulling objects, no matter their weight, can equally cause strain to your joints and risk of injury if best practices aren’t followed.

Some of the common challenges faced when pushing or pulling objects include:

• Hand and wrist pain 

Caused when there’s difficulty in finding the correct grasp on the object, when you have poor joint protection or when you’re required to complete the action over a long stretch of time. 

• Shoulder pain 

Caused when you’re required to pull at an angle, which can lead to shoulder abduction and head rotation. 

• Fatigue 

Due to having to work too fast, or with a workload that’s too full.

Such risks are heightened when working under certain conditions, including: 

• If you have poor traction when moving around the space or negotiating corners
• If you’re forced to stoop to maintain control of the trolley you’re pushing (often due to the height of the handle) 
• If the design of the machine interface is not well suited to you (being too rough, smooth, large, small, flat or curved can cause stress on your hand) 

Solution

To ensure you can perform pushing and pulling movements safely, there are a few key things to consider:

1. Weight 

Is there a way to reduce the weight of the item being moved? 

2. Pacing 

It’s important not to overexert yourself when completing manual tasks so you can prevent yourself from becoming fatigued or injured. With this in mind, consider the pacing of the tasks you’re working on. Do the loads need to be moved consistently, one after another, or can you alternate between this task and a lighter one to give yourself time to rest? 

3. Additional aids 

Could the process be automated or motorised? 

4. Equipment 

Is the equipment you’re using (such as the trolley or truck) well maintained? Do you have good steering control? Are any of the wheels jammed? And is the equipment fitted with wheels that can handle the terrain and load? 

5. Grip 

Would padded gloves make it more comfortable to complete the task? Can the handles on your trolley be modified in any way?

6. Obstacles 

Will there be any obstacles for you to move around while transporting the load? If you’re going to be passing through any doorways, is it possible to have the doors left open/automated for ease of transport? Where this isn’t possible, you might consider asking a teammate to hold the door open for you.