The Blackpool Tower is one of Britain’s most iconic landmarks, but could its days of dominating the Lancashire skyline be over? Nearby Blackburn is getting in on the act with its own tower, and this one has the advantage of being edible!
A greengrocer in the town attracted headlines (and the attention of health and safety inspectors) when building a sky-high display of boxed mangoes outside his store. It reportedly reached a height of 10-12 feet, prompting safety concerns among local residents. The saga culminated with a visit from a health and safety officer but, in the end, no action was taken. The Blackburn mango tower is now a lower height.
As entertaining as this story is, the risk of crush injuries are real. Badly stacked stock is an example of poor manual handling, which is one of the most common causes of injury in retail environments. Fortunately, it’s also one of the most preventable. Here’s a look at some of the main dangers, and why it might be time to take stock of your stock stacking techniques.
How dangerous is manual handling?
It’s hard to gauge the exact level of danger because manual handling injuries fall into several categories. This is especially true in retail, where the incorrect handling of stock can be responsible for multiple hazards:
- Musculoskeletal injuries caused by improper lifting techniques
- Slips, trips or falls caused by stock left on the ground
- Crush or contact injuries caused by stock falling from shelves
While we don’t have exact numbers for each type of injury, a look at the overall statistics suggests that these are serious risks. 17% of all workplace injuries are caused by lifting and handling, while a full 60% are the result of lifting and handling, slips, trips and falls or being struck by a moving object. When we factor in that retail has an overall injury rate of 1,960 per 100,000, we can say with some confidence that hundreds of employees are hurt in these ways every year.
As well as short-term injuries, incorrect manual handling is also a major contributor to chronic musculoskeletal pain. This is the most common physical ailment in UK workplaces, affecting almost half a million employees.
What does the law say about manual handling?
There are two main pieces of legislation relating to the handling of goods. Firstly, The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires you to carry out a risk assessment for all workplace activities. If this identifies a potentially hazardous manual handling task, then a second law –The Manual Handling Operations Regulations – comes into play.
The law defines manual handling as “…any transporting or supporting of a load…by hand or bodily force”. In order to mitigate the dangers of such activities, it recommends a hierarchy of actions:
- Avoid hazardous manual handling tasks where possible
- Assess the risks of tasks that can’t be avoided
- Take steps to reduce the risk of injury from these tasks
How can I improve my manual handling practices?
Not every dangerous manual handling task can be avoided. The moving and stacking of stock is a vital part of any retail business, and this will always bring with it a certain amount of risk. The key is to reduce these risks as much as possible, first by carrying out a risk assessment and then by acting on its recommendations. Possible risk reduction measures include:
- Teaching employees the correct techniques for avoiding injury when lifting loads
- Setting a weight limit for manual lifting
- Setting a height limit for stacking stock
- Ensuring that heavier objects aren’t stacked on top of lighter ones
- Making sure that stock is kept on shelves and not left on the floor
Help from The Health & Safety Dept
These are general tips, but there are bound to be other risks that are unique to your business. These dangers can be invisible from the inside, so it’s a good idea to get an external perspective. We can cast an expert set of eyes over your working environment, identifying hazards you might have missed and helping you to create a bespoke risk assessment. Get in touch to find out more.