Health & Safety and the main benefits of Manual Handling Trolleys. How can trolleys Increase efficiency & reduce fatigue.

How can trolleys Increase efficiency & reduce fatigue.

Fatigue
Fatigue, extreme tiredness that does not improve refers to the issues that arise from a decline in Mental or physical performance (HSE).

long shifts, machine-based, complex or monotonous workloads of workers can contribute to a decline in metal or physical performance. (HSE)

Manual handling can cause fatigue, tiredness and exhaustion leading to ill health and accidents. Fatigue can be preventable. Employers must comply with manual handling health and safety legislation set by the HSE.

Employers have a legal duty to manage the risks of ill health and injury of employees.

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

Manual Handling Trolleys
Trolleys are strong, easy to use wheeled platforms designed in many different configurations, shapes and sizes. Trolleys safely move multiple, large, awkward or heavy products around the workplace. By replacing the load from workers to wheels, the physical effort required is much lower. Trolleys can also transport hazardous goods such as flammable products and gases.

Trolleys can be designed manually or electronically. Specific trolleys can be attached to a crane and lifted when workers are unable to lift a heavy load or transport goods to out of reach areas. Trolleys can be designed to be used while in a standing or sitting position .

Trolleys are designed to allow pushing instead of lifting, reduce fatigue, encourage natural posture, reduce bending, twisting and over reaching. Trolleys can be designed with shelves, baskets, spillage inlays and step ladders. There is a large selection of manual handling trolleys available for all industries. Trolleys help employers meet health and safety requirements and legislation and can be built and designed for the individual task or worker.

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

Ready made trolleys come in a standard size to fit what is thought to be the average size human. Trolleys can be custom bespoke designed and built to fit the specific task and the worker. Trolleys are available for all manual handling tasks and industries.

Health & safety
Health and Safety legislation is set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), a government department responsible for all health and safety laws, legislation and regulations in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales ).
All employers must comply with the following manual handling legislation, and are responsible for manual handling training and all manual handling equipment training of all workers. Training should be completed before any tasks are carried out and refreshed throughout employment.

The Law
Health and safety legislation:

• Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR)
• Workplace Health and Safety Guildlines
• COSHH - The Contole of Substances Hazardous to Health
• Lifting Operations Equipment Regulations (LOLER)

Risk assessment
Employers must carry out a risk assessment of the workplace and the task and identify any risks to the worker and the workplace.  Can the workplace or the worker carry out the task without risk of fatigue, ill health or injury? By identifying risks, implementing safe practice and following legislation manual handling fatigue will be reduced. All staff must be trained in manual handling and trained in any manual handling equipment before the task is carried out.
Is the worker physically or mentally capable of the task? Can the worker lift the goods? How physically or mentally challenging is the task, could the task cause the worker fatigue ? Where are the goods being transported to, is it accessible? Can the worker reach the area? Is equipment needed? Does the worker have existing health concerns? Can the task or the lift be improved, if so, how? Is it a one or multiple person lift? Many factors can cause fatigue a risk assessment will help identify, allow improvements and reduce fatigue risks.

How can trolleys reduce fatigue?.
Trolleys move the physical effort from the work to wheels. By placing heavy, awkward or multiple items onto a manual handling trolley workers can easily and safely transport goods around the workplace to designated areas. Trolleys are designed to push and pull easing the strain on the worker. When the physical effort and strain of moving a load is removed the risk of fatigue reduces.

Less fatigue - fewer mistakes - fewer accidents

Bespoke custom designed and built trolleys designed to fit the specific task and the worker allows easier control and movement of the goods. Trolleys can be designed for all tasks and industries.

Specific trolleys can be attached to a crane lifting heavy loads or transporting goods to hard to reach areas.These trolleys due to attaching to a crane become part of the crane, classing them as lifting equipment requiring a Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment certificate (LOLER). The LOLER certificate is provided by the manufacturer and renewed every 6 months, it is the employers legal duty to ensure the certificate is present, valid and in date. All workers must be trained to use the equipment.Trolleys must never be manually lifted, only pushed or pulled on the ground at all times.

How do Trolleys increase efficiency?
When a trolley is used to transport goods safely the workplace can flow continuously with ease. Tasks will be completed on time and work productivity increases.

All employers must ensure all workers are trained in manual handling and all manual handling equipment. When workers and the workplace are organised and all risks of hazards are identified with measures in place to prevent them the workplace can flow efficiently and safely. In a face paced environment efficiency is needed to allow the workplace to complete tasks and customer orders whilst remaining risk free. Employees are able to carry out and complete their duties safely in a timely manor without risk of harm to themselves or others.

The use of trolleys help workers keep their performance physically and mentally strong throughout the work shift by moving the weight of the load onto a wheeled trolley that can easily be pushed or pulled securely. Items are secure and stable when loaded and unloaded correctly and can be stored or transported on the trolley. Workers will not be carrying heavy,  bulky or multiple items leading to strain and tiredness during the work shift.

When the work place is more efficient the risk of mental and physical fatigue is reduced

The following statements from the HSE website state the reality, seriousness and the dangers of fatigue:

'Fatigue results in slower reactions, reduced ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-mindedness, decreased awareness, lack of attention, underestimation of risk, reduced coordination etc. Fatigue can lead to errors and accidents, ill-health and injury, and reduced productivity. It is often a root cause of major accidents' (HSE).

'Fatigue has also been implicated in 20% of accidents on major roads and is said to cost the UK £115 - £240 million per year in terms of work accidents alone'. (HSE).

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

The side effects of fatigue cause mistakes and accidents. Reducing the risk of fatigue is crucial in the workplace and employers must comply with legislation to prevent the risks of fatigue. Providing manual handling equipment such as trolleys and fully training staff helps too keep workers safe from the risks of physical manual handling work by removing the strain and weight of goods keeping workers mentally and physically strong.

Summary
Trolleys help remove the strain and physical effort from the worker, help the workplace become more efficient and reduce ill health and injury.

• comply with legislation
• reduce the risk of mental and physical fatigue
• increase productivity
• Less fatigue - less mistakes - less accidents

Breg products LTD
British manufacturer of industrial trucks & trolleys

Here at Breg Products we have a wide selection of manual handling trolleys available.

Our standard stock is ready to order from our website. We also provide a bespoke custom design and build service. Site visits are also available.

We love to talk about trolleys!

Not sure what you need or want to discuss our bespoke custom design and build service give us a ring or email us today

Telephone 01484 469944

email   mail@bregproducts.co.uk