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