Manual handling in churches

It is a common enough task in many church premises, but it is not without the risk of injury. Typical injuries include sprains, strains, cuts, and even fractures. The types of loads can vary widely, including boxes, bulky or unwieldy furniture, and general rubbish.

If you're an employer, you must:

• avoid the need for hazardous manual handling tasks so far as is reasonably practicable
• Complete adequate risk assessments for those hazardous tasks that cannot be avoided
• Implement any precautions identified by any risk assessment that reduce the risk of injury
• Provide certain information to employees.

Typical precautions include, for example:

• using a suitable lifting aid (for example, a trolley) that is properly maintained
• avoiding lifting from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads
• reducing carrying distances
• making the load smaller or lighter and easier to lift
• stacking boxes or other loads evenly
• removing obstructions to free movement
• avoiding steps and steep ramps
• improving lighting
• using a couple of pairs of hands.

For more information on manual handling, why not download our guide?