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31.
October
2014.
Materials Handling Manufacturer Responds to Latest TUC Survey Findings
 Materials Handling Manufacturer Responds to Latest TUC Survey Findings

 

 

Material and manual handling experts Advanced Handling respond to results of the latest TUC survey regarding top five cited hazards in the workplace.

 

In the TUC’s 11th biennial survey of Union Health and Safety Representatives released on the 24 October 2014, it revealed the top five cited hazards found to affect employees in the workplace were; stress, harassment and bullying, overwork, back strains and slips and finally trips and falls. Although stress was identified as being the largest reported hazard in the TUC’s survey, a general connection could be made between all five, highlighting there is a need for UK businesses to review and address these safety concerns.

 

The effect of stress on workers is one of the biggest concerns safety representatives experience in the workplace, having to deal with such matters more frequently than ever before. Failure to carry out effective risk assessments, a direct breach of the current health and safety law, is occurring far more often and adding to the possibility of serious accidents.  Another concern highlighted in the survey was the rise over handling heavy loads – up from 16% to 19% in the last two years.

 

Advanced Handling, a UK leading materials handling manufacturer, responded to the recent survey with strong support of the findings. Managing Director Mike Prince commented on the survey findings saying; “Over four decades Advanced Handling has been supporting improving health and safety and designing handling equipment to reduce injuries and physical stress of the operatives while moving and lifting. After implementing handling equipment we’ve seen our customers improve their safety and productivity, and more so as a result of these solutions stress is also reduced.” Mike Prince concluded, “Reading this survey highlighted the responsibilities everyone has in a business to ensure processes are safe.”

 

Advanced Handling manufactures a range of lifting equipment to meet heavier duty industrial applications up to 10 tonnes.  They also deliver a range of ergonomic lightweight products to support overhead lifting and portable lifting. The company’s focus on these lighter solutions comes in response to today’s modern manufacturing requirements where speed and precision are required to meet higher demand and where safety is paramount.

 

Product Manager, Rebecca Dilloway-Jones explained; “Our customers are all faced with challenges to improve safety and the PRONOMIC lifting trolleys tick many boxes to support the safety of the operative, the load, the environment and are low maintenance.” Advanced Handling has recently launched a campaign to support their lighter weight handling solutions which meet many various applications including reel handling, drum handling, box handling, flat board handling to sack handling, up to 225kg. The portable PRONOMIC lifting trolley is highly configurable and was designed with the operative in mind. The ergonomic features include height adjustable handles which contribute to reducing strains, twisting, bending and reaching as the PRONOMIC technology delivers the precision lifting and lowering or rotation required.

 

As highlighted in the survey there is some way to go in improving safety across many industries in the UK, and Advanced Handling have experienced via their customers how processes and applications change constantly. Identifying the importance of initial risk assessments and the importance of reviewing these to reassess changes to the materials used and the individuals involved will be a positive step forward to improving overall safety and productivity.

 

-Ends-

30 October 2014

 

Note to Editors: Advanced Handling Ltd designs, manufactures, supplies, installs and services materials handling solutions for organisations across the UK. Located in Market Deeping, Peterborough, Advanced Handling specialises in standard and bespoke materials handling and lifting equipment, reducing health and safety risks and improving efficiency across a wide range of industries. http://www.advancedhandling.co.uk  

 

The full report Focus on health and safety: Trade union trends survey, October 2014 can be found at https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/HealthandSafetySurvey2014.pdf

 

For further information or images please contact:

Emma Canham, Marketing, Advanced Handling Ltd.

emma.canham@advancedhandling.co.uk DD: +44 (0) 1778 381112 T: +44 (0) 1778 345365

E: sales@advancedhandling.co.uk