Common Foundation Programme - Moving and Handling

A guide to the Moving and Handling sessions in the Common Foundation Programme (module 2) for both staff and students.

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Legislation

 

Aims and intended learning outcomes

Relevant legislation

 

Aim

To introduce the student to the legal aspects of moving and handling

Intended learning outcomes

That the student understands

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Relevant legislation

The main pieces of legislation relating to moving and handling are:~
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Health and Safety at Work Act 1974(HASAWA,1974) requires:

The Employer to:

  • Provide safe equipment and systems of work.

  • Provide safety in connection with use, storage and transport of loads (including people) and hazardous substances.

  • Provide information, instruction, training and supervision.

  • Maintain a safe working environment.

  • Provides a written Health & Safety

      The Employee to: 

  • Take reasonable care of own Health & Safety and that of others.

  • Co-operate to ensure own Safety and that of others.

  • Not to damage or disable equipment.

  • Undertake necessary training.
Click here for further information about Health and Safety at Work Act 1974  
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Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. (MHOR)

These regulations impose specific duties on employers and employees:

The Employer to:

  • Provide safe equipment and systems of work.

  • Provide safety in connection with use, storage and transport of loads (including people) and hazardous substances.

  • Provide information, instruction, training and supervision.

  • Maintain a safe working environment.

  • Provides a written Health & Safety

The Employee must:

  • Maintain a reasonable duty of care to self and others.

  • Make full and proper use of equipment or system of work provided.

  • Co-operate with the employer in complying with regulations.
Click here for further information about Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.    
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The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

These regulations update the 1992 regulations and apply to all places of work. They basically require the employer to carry out an assessment of risk to the health and safety of their employees and other persons that may be involved (patients or any visitors in hospital). They must then take appropriate action to reduce the identified risks, to a reasonably practicable level.

Click here for further information about The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. 
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The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).

requires employers to Report and record

  • death or reportable major injury to an employee or a member of the public.

  • any Injury from an accident (including physical violence) that prevents an employee working for more than three days (including days off).

  • any reportable work related Disease.

  • a Dangerous Occurrence that could have resulted in a reportable injury. 

  • records must be kept.
Click here for further information about The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).  
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Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).

These regulations aim to reduce risks to health and safety from lifting equipment provided for use at work. Equipment including Hoists & Slings, should be ~

  • Strong and stable enough for the load.

  • Marked with safe working load.

  • Used safely by competent people.

  • Examined by competent people every 6 months.
Click here for further information about The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
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The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

These regulations updated from 1992, require the prevention or control of risks to people's health and safety from equipment provided for use at work. It should be ~

  • Suitable for the intended use, for the purpose and conditions in which it is to be used, eg; bed sheets and pillows are not intended or safe for moving and handling use. 

  • Safe for use, maintained in a safe condition so that health and safety is not at risk 

  • Regularly inspected to ensure it continues to be safe for intended use. 
Click here for further information about The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).
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United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC).

In addition to the legislation described, Registered Nurses legally have to comply with the Code of Professional Conduct (UKCC, 1992) and related standards, regulated by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC). In their document Practitioner-client relationships and the prevention of abuse, the UKCC state that poor application of manual handling techniques are regarded as physical abuse. 

        “ Physical abuse

13.    Physical abuse is any physical contact which harms clients or is likely to  cause them unnecessary and avoidable pain and distress. Examples include handling the client in a rough manner, giving medication inappropriately, poor application of manual handling techniques or unreasonable physical restraint. Physical abuse may cause psychological harm.”

(UKCC, 1999).

 References 

United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (1992) Code of Professional conduct. London: UKCC.

United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (1999) Practitioner-client relationships and the prevention of abuse. London: UKCC.

Click here for further information about Publications/UKCC Abuse.
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This page updated by Ross Andrew, Praxis Laboratories, September 2001 

Moving and handling home page  |  FHHS Intranet home page

These pages have been prepared by Colin Baker, Safety Co-ordinator.