Accidents at work which stem from the manual handling of loads have caused a huge number of injuries to employees throughout Europe. According to statistics, some 33% of all reported accidents causing an absence from work of three days or more, are caused through manual handling. In the UK, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations apply to any manual handling operations which may cause injury at work, including not only the lifting of loads, but also the lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving of them, whether by hand or by bodily force. Employees everywhere have to take three precautions:

• Avoid hazardous manual handling operations where reasonably practicable.

• Assess adequately any hazardous operations that cannot be avoided.

• Reduce the risk of injury as far as reasonably practicable .

One of the most important aspects of manual handling is the lifting and lowering of heavy loads, an area where ALEM members can offer specialist advice and equipment to help meet the essential safety requirements of the regulations