Health & Safety and the main benefits of Manual Handling Trolleys. How can trolleys allow safer transport of hazardous or bulky items.

How can trolleys allow safer transport of hazardous or bulky items.

Manual handling & transporting Hazardous items
Manual handling is the biggest cause of injury in the workplace. Employers have a duty to protect workers from the risk of injury or illness and must comply with the Health & Safety legislation set by the HSE.
Manual handling, lifting heavy, bulky or awkward goods can cause accidents, put strain on the body and can lead to injury physically and mentally. Manual handling trolleys are available to help keep workers and the workplace safe from manual handling risks.
Every year, thousands of workers are made ill by hazardous substances, contracting lung diseases such as asthma, cancer and skin disease such as dermatitis. (HSE)

HSE Legislation
The HSE is a government department that sets the health & safety legislation. 
All employers are responsible to follow all legislation and regulation set by HSE to prevent risk and ill health in the workplace. The following legislation relates to manual handling and the transport of hazard substances in the workplace.

• Manual handling - Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR)
• Workplace health & safety quildelines
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
• The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002).

COSHH
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

Every workplace must comply with COSHH legislation. Employers must protect workers by controlling exposure of hazardous substances or materials that cause ill health.

Employers can prevent or reduce workers exposure to hazardous substances and must follow these mandatory steps:

• Carryout out risk assessments
• Identify health hazards
• provide control methods to reduce harm
• make sure they are used
• keep control methods in good working order
• providing information, instruction and training for workers
• provide monitoring and health surveillance in appropriate cases
• plan for emergencies

Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.(HSE)

Manual handling & transporting bulky items
When risk assessing handling and transporting bulky items the areas you need to identify are:

• The load
• The task
• The environment
• The individual

Risk assessment
A full risk assessment must be in place before the task is carried out. The risk assessment must assess the load, the task, the environment and the individual worker, how the task will be achieved and what materials and equipment are needed. Identify any obstacles, hazards and risks and how they can be reduced or prevented. The risk assessment must comply with  HSE laws and regulations. The workplace and individual workers capabilities must be identified. Different factors can influence how an item can be transported.

The load
What is the load? Identify the load, what is it, is it hazardous, heavy or bulky? What is the size and weight of the load? What makes the load hazardous? Can the load be lifted? How will the load be lifted? What manual handling handling equipment and materials are needed? Is it a one or multiple person lift, is a crane needed? Does the trolley attached to the crane have a LOLER certificate valid? Do you have work force capability to transport the load, are they trained for this type of load, who will transport the load? Does the environment affect the load, what are the risks? Is the load secure and stable? Where is the load being transported to? What is the risk of contamination, injury or illness? The load needs to be stable and secure, lifted with the correct equipment and the worker trained in manual handling and all equipment before the task commences. 

The task
What is the task, how will you achieve the task and who will carry out the task? How can you perform the task while reducing risk? Bulky items and hazardous items must be transported with minimum risk ensuring safety is maintained while working in a busy environment. Identify how hazardous the goods are, does this affect the task and how? what makes the task hazardous? Are workers trained? Can the hazardous item be transported without spillage, contamination or damage? What is the task, how will the task be achieved? what are the risks? what is the size and weight of the goods , is this task suitable for the goods?, Who will complete the task? Do you have workforce capabilities and the correct equipment? What equipment is needed, does the task need a crane to lift the goods? can the workforce complete the task safely within legislation? Is the workplace suitable for the task? what is the designated area the goods will be transported to? can a bulky item be transported without injury or strain to the worker? Are there any obstacles? Are the goods moving long or short distances. Is visibility reduced? Does the task involve awkward manual handling such as twisting or stooping of the body? Does it need 2 or more workers to move the bulky item? How can the task be completed efficiently and increase productivity while maintaining safety and working within legislation?

The environment
What is the environment? What are the risks? Is the environment suitable, enough space, a level floor, slippery, split level, stairs or sloped uneven ground? Is the site safe, fast paced or hazardous? Are there any obstacles, is a crane needed? How long will it take to transport the item, is there a way to safely transport goods to maintain or increase productivity? Are workers trained? Are there any nearby hazards or risks? 

The individual
What about the individual worker and their capabilities? Ergonomics, the task and the worker, does the task or equipment suit the worker? Does the workforce  have the physical and mental capability to perform the task when handling a bulky item? Can the worker lift and manoeuvre the item without strain or possible injury, are they strong enough, tall enough? Do they have any existing medical factors to take into consideration? Think about the size and shape of the load, is it difficult to handle or heavy? Is the worker trained in manual handling and manual handling equipment? Does the worker need manual handling equipment to complete the task?
What factors would prevent the worker from completing the task and what would improve the workers abilities? Is the individual capable, can the worker control the equipment? Bulky goods and big heavy manual handling trolleys are harder to control however they are perfect for the task when bulky goods need transporting or lifting. Smaller lighter trolleys are easier to control and can transport lighter or less items at once.

Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.(HSE)

Minimising exposure to hazardous substances & bulky items
To minimise exposure to hazards manual handling trolleys can securely move:

• Chemicals (in spill-containment trolleys)
• Sharp or heavy tools
• Large awkward items that are unsafe to carry manually

Transporting an item securely on a manual handling trolley reduces strain, spillages and contamination. Manual handling trolleys can be custom made in many shapes and sizes and can be configurated with shelves, spillage in lays, baskets, container boxes and step ladders keeping the worker safe and the goods secure.

Trolleys are designed for specific tasks allowing the  transportation of hazardous goods such as large, awkward, hazardous or heavy items and gases and chemicals safely and legally. Trolleys can reduce the risk of injury and ill health by preventing injury, accidents and contamination.

Bulky or hazardous loads transported safely and securely keeps the workplace flowing effectively while maintaining and increasing productivity.

Manual handling trolleys are built to comply with the health & safety legislation set by the HSE

Specific trolleys with a valid LOLER certificate can be attached to a crane, allowing the transport of goods that are too heavy to lift manually or to be transported over obstacles. Workers must be trained and qualified for these tasks, the employer is responsible for the valid LOLER certificate and all lifting and lifting equipment training.

Employers must ensure all workers are trained in manual handling and manual handling equipment before carrying out any duties in the workplace and must provide training on a regular basis.

Manual handling trolleys

• Allow workers to safely transport bulky and hazardous items securely without strain, spillage or contamination
• Keeps the workplace moving to meet time leagues and improve productivity.
• Helps employers comply with health & safety legislation set by the HSE
• Can be custom built for transporting specific bulky or hazardous goods.

Manual handling Trolleys are strong, easy to use wheeled platforms designed in many different shapes and sizes. Trolleys safely move bulky, large, heavy, multiple or hazardous products around the workplace.

Trolleys can be designed for the goods they are specifically intended for and can be designed for your work force abilities and workplace.

Trolleys are available as a standard design or can be bespoke custom designed. Trolleys are available in many shapes and sizes and can come with shelves, in lay trays, brakes, step ladders, baskets or compartment boxes. 

Trolleys can transport many hazardous items including gas cylinder bottles, liquids and flammable products and are designed to hold them securely during transport. 

Specific trolleys can be attached to a crane and lifted.

By replacing the load from workers to wheels, the physical effort required is much lower. 

Trolleys can be designed manually or electronically. Trolleys are designed to push or pull rather than lift and carry.

Trolleys are one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to make manual handling safer.

Lifting a trolley with a crane
LOLER
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)

When lifting a manual handling trolley by crane the trolley LOLER regulations apply. The trolley becomes classified as a lifting accessory as it is between the crane and the load. 

The trolley has to be issued with a LOLER certificate by the manufacturer and will include a full safety check and must be reassessed every 6 months.

People and companies who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment are legally responsible for following and maintaining LOLER Legislation and regulations. This includes all businesses and organisations whose employees use lifting equipment, whether owned by them or not.

SUMMARY:

The reasons manual handling trolleys are effective when transporting hazardous and bulky items:

• Reduce strain, spillages & contamination
• Meet time leagues and improve productivity.
• Comply with health & safety legislation set by the HSE
• Can be custom built to Transport specific bulky or hazardous goods.
• Specific trolleys are designed to be lifted by crane

Contact us today to discuss our range of manual handling trolleys.

All of our standard stock is available to order direct from our website.

We also provide a bespoke custom design and build service and have site visits available with our design engineers.

Please contact our sales team if you need further advice or information or to discuss our bespoke custom design and build service

TELEPHONE: 01484 
EMAIL:  mail@bregproducts.co.uk