<p>Manual Handling is any transporting or supporting of a load, by one or more employees including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying, or moving a load which, by reason of its characteristics or unfavourable ergonomic conditions involves risk, particularly of back injury, to employees.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Why do we need to manage manual handling?</strong></p><p>In Europe – about 24% of workers suffer from back pain, while 22% complain of other muscle disorders. About 50% of early retirements in Europe are caused by pathological changes in the back. 15% of cases of inability to work are connected with back injuries. This kind of disorder constitutes one of the major causes of absence at work in most of the EU Member States. They are not only the cause of suffering, disability to work and loss of workers income but also of high costs incurred both by employers and national economies.</p><p> </p><p>Manual Handling training is a course that will equip the learner with knowledge, skill and competence to effectively carry out manual tasks in the workplace or indeed day to day living with the ability to risk assess each task and protect themselves from injury. Within the training participants will receive information on the legal framework for health and safety in Ireland, statistics pertaining to injuries, ergonomics and risk assessment, the basic anatomy of the human body and the spinal column and do practical exercises in the 5 basic lifts and lifting techniques.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Costs to the worker:</strong></p><ul><li>Worsening health condition</li><li>Lower efficiency and poor quality of work – possibility of losing a job,</li><li>A threat to material situation of a worker and his family,</li><li>Suffering – life in continuous pain reduces life satisfaction,</li><li>Disability – stigmatisation and feeling of being a burden to an employer, family and society,</li><li>Social isolation</li></ul><p> </p><p><strong>Costs to the employer:</strong></p><ul><li>Lower efficiency and poor quality of work by affected workers,</li><li>More frequent absenteeism of workers at work,</li><li>Costs of sick leave,</li><li>Organisational problems – lack of qualified staff,</li><li>Costs of training of new staff,</li><li>Costs of accidents at work,</li><li>Loss of time - loss of profits</li></ul><p> </p><p><strong>Why train with Social Care Training Ireland?</strong></p><p> </p><p>This course run by Social Care Training Ireland is delivered by a QQI accredited trainer. It's interactive, innovative, informative, practical and an essential educational element in maintaining personal health and minimizing injurious practices. It is facilitated by a fully qualified instructor with an ethos of incorporating interactive fun elements into what is an otherwise tedious topic.</p><p> </p><p>Social Care Training Ireland’s Manual Handling training includes the use of the human body to lift, lower, fill, empty, or carry loads and also includes climbing, pushing, pulling, and pivoting, all of which pose the risk of injury to the back. The load can be inanimate (an object) or animate (animal or person) and manual handling injuries occurs in most industrial sectors including manufacturing and warehousing, retail, construction, agriculture and the health care sector. Anyone engaged in manual handling tasks are required to receive training in assessment of loads and how to handle loads safely. This course is suitable to all personnel involved in the movement of loads.</p><p> </p><p><strong>COURSE OBJECTIVES</strong></p><ul><li>To increase the awareness of safe manual handling of loads</li><li>To reduce the risk of occupational injury while carrying out manual handling tasks in the workplace</li><li>To identify the skills and techniques involved in the safe lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling carrying or moving a load.</li><li>To gain practice and feedback on techniques</li></ul><p><b>Certification: </b> Social Care Training Ireland Certificate in Manual Handling &amp; Workplace Safety (valid for three years)<br/><br/>For more information on our training courses call Mary Hutton on 0818 220 261 or email mary.hutton@socialcaretraining.ie</p>