Introduction

Moving and handling is any action required as part of a person’s job that involves movement of a person or an object. This includes any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force.

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD’s) are the most common form of work related ill health in the United Kingdom, suffering and hardship to individual workers, and a huge cost to employers.

Although a Buckinghamshire Council (BC) wide approach has been established, detailed arrangements for controlling manual handling risks at service level remain the responsibility of the Heads of Service and Headteachers.

Social care and service user homes and schools have to balance the health and safety of employees with the needs of the service users / pupil’s. If the risks are managed properly, this balance can be achieved without exposing employees and others to an unacceptable level of risk from the manual lifting and moving of people.