Accidents due to manual handling rarely cause death, but it can happen. In the financial year 2010/11 a man was killed by falling from a ladder when he was carrying a load. He was a sub-contractor on a building site, but could just as easily have been an employee. It was a disaster that could easily have been avoided if a few health and safety rules had been adhered to.
Making Life Painful and Difficult
Manual handling accidents may not often be fatal, but they can cause severe suffering. Long term back pain is a very common result. Strains and broken limbs may not be as long lasting, but can be equally painful and severely reduce quality of life for the sufferers.
The Financial Consequences
Manual handling accidents cost money as well. Nowadays you only have to report them if they result in the employee involved being unable to work for seven or more consecutive days afterwards. (Weekends and Bank Holidays have to be counted in this). But up to 6 April 2012, they were reportable if they caused three or more lost days.
Of all workplace accidents, manual handling incidents cause the greatest loss of workdays. Those that cause losses of over three days make up 90% of reported handling injuries. The Labour Force Survey estimates that over 940,000 UK workdays are lost per year through these workplace injuries. If you estimate an average of 320 workdays a year, allowing for weekends or equivalent days off and holidays, this means that UK employers are collectively paying for, and losing, around 3,500 work years every year.
These statistics are staggering, and it is clearly worth employers investing in good quality manual handling training for their staff and supervisors.