Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
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back. These risk factors are signifi cantly increased if 
several of them are present at the same time. 
The load should not be carried over excessive 
distances (greater than 10 m). The frequency of 
lifting, and the vertical and horizontal distances the 
load needs to be carried (particularly if it has to be 
lifted from the ground and/or placed on a high shelf) 
can lead to fatigue and a greater risk of injury. If the 
loads are handled whilst the individual is seated, the 
legs are not used during lifting and stress is placed 
on the arms and back.
There should not be excessive pulling, pushing or 
sudden movements of the load. The state of fl oor 
surfaces and the footwear of the individual should 
ensure that slips and trips are avoided.
There should be suffi cient rest or recovery periods 
and/or the changing of tasks particularly in the hot 
ambient temperatures of the glassworks. This
enables the body to recover more easily from 
strenuous activity.
The imposition of a high rate of work is a particu-
lar problem with some automated production lines 
and can be addressed by spells on other work away 
from the line.
The handling capability of an individual is approxi-
mately halved when he or she becomes a member 
of a team. Visibility, obstructions and the roughness 
of the ground must all be considered when team 
handling takes place.
The 
load
must also be carefully considered during 
the assessment – it may be too heavy. The max-
imum load that an individual can lift will depend on 
the capability of the individual and the position of 
the load relative to the body. There is therefore no 
safe load but guidance is available from HSE litera-
ture, which does give some advice on loading
levels. If the load is too bulky or unwieldy, its
handling is likely to pose a risk of injury. Visibility 
around the load is important, as is awareness that it 
may hit obstructions or become unstable in windy 
conditions. The position of the centre of gravity is 
important for stable lifting – it should be as close to 
the body as possible; however, this may be diffi cult 
if the load is hot, such as in boxes or trays of
recently blown glass. They should be allowed to 
cool suffi ciently.
The load becomes diffi cult to grasp when it is
carried over slippery surfaces, has rounded
corners or there is a lack of foot room. Sometimes 
the contents of the load are likely to shift. This is a