Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Health and safetyWellbeing

Work is a strain for UK’s heavy lifters

by Personnel Today 2 Sep 2005
by Personnel Today 2 Sep 2005

An estimated 468,000 people in the UK suffer from a work-related back injury and 74,000 new cases were reported last year, latest statistics from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) have shown.

A survey by the HSE of various occupations when it comes to manual handling has found supermarket home delivery workers top the league of the UK’s heavy lifters, picking up an average load of 4,000 kgs a day.

Of the six professions surveyed, baggage handlers lifted up to 960,000 kgs over a year – the equivalent to 369 black cabs – while teachers, who officially lifted the smallest weights, still carried up to 48,000 kgs a year – the equivalent to 20 black cabs.

Builders lifted 852,000 kgs, farmers 796,800 kgs, nurses 182,880 kgs and mothers 144,000 kgs. The average weight lifted was 2,303 kgs.

The study also looked at various case studies. A nurse, Jessica Most, found that her typical day usually involved every type of manual handling task, including lifting supine patients from ambulance trolley to A&E trolley and possibly again to a bed.

Other tasks included assisting patients with dressing, washing and going to the toilet, and helping them get from the bed to the wheelchair.
“I also assist the doctor during his patient checks by lifting the patients into a sitting position or moving them round,” she said.

Her amount lifted per day came to 762 kgs, based on lifting 10 patients per day at an average weight of 12 stone, said the HSE.

Go to www.hse.org.uk



Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Employers’ group calls for compulsory pensions contributions
next post
Call for struggling pension schemes to seek assistance

You may also like

Occupational health key to helping employers manage long...

23 May 2022

Nurses leaving due to pressure and workplace culture

18 May 2022

Crumbling school buildings ‘risk to life’ suggests leak

16 May 2022

‘Gulf War Syndrome’ caused by release of nerve...

13 May 2022

Workers feeing increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful...

13 May 2022

Spain plans menstrual leave for painful periods

13 May 2022

How employers can support women during the HRT...

13 May 2022

What it really means to be mentally fit

13 May 2022

What is employee wellbeing? Gethin Nadin talks to...

13 May 2022

The seven dimensions of wellness at work (webinar)

12 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today