Injuries through moving and handling at work ought to be declining each year

says British Red Cross, as ìLighten the Loadî is theme for European Week for Safety and Health at Work, 22- 26 October.

ìThe number of Britons suffering injuries through moving and handling at work has increased virtually every year since 1999. Yet, as working in industrial environments continues to decline and office-based work increases, they should be declining.î says Amanda Jenkins of the British Red Cross.

ìWe want managers, especially of offices, warehouses, hospitals and nursing homes, & retail to be aware of the importance of training their staff in the run up to European Week for Safety and Health at Work, 22- 26 October, when ìLighten the Loadî will be the theme and extra training courses will be available.î Amanda Jenkins continues.

HSE figures show that moving and handling related injuries are the most common kind of injury that lasts for more than three days and they account for 41 per cent of all long term injuries.

ìIt suggests that too many office, care home or shop based staff are injuring their themselves, particularly their backs. It is expensive. According to the TUC, work-related back pain is costing the country a fortune in lost time - the cost of 4.9m lost working days a year in 2005. There is also compensation and injury payment on top of that.î

According to Amanda Jenkins, a lot of work related back pain is avoidable. ìThose who have been trained in moving and handling skills and who put those skills into action can lift without incurring injury. Unfortunately too many staff who try to move office equipment, boxes, furniture and similar items have not been taught the correct techniques. There are training courses for all aspects of moving and handling.

ìMost back injuries at work are preventable ñ just not enough is being done to prevent themì

The British Red Cross offer a 4 hour moving and handling course, which introduces people to moving and handling courses. The course is available at selected venues throughout the UK and as an in-company option, if you have a group of 6 or more staff requiring training. To help with larger groups or organisations operating on several sites, the British Red Cross offers a special key account service to make administration easier.

Full details of Courses and the Key Account Service are available from www.redcross.org.uk/faw or by calling our national customer service centre on 08970 170 9110.