Risks of manual lifting
The physical load from manual lifting in the construction industry has been reported extensively. Examples of jobs in the construction industry with manual lifting tasks are: scaffolding, bricklaying and processing plasterboard. Universal engineering are the supreme supplier of Lifting beams especially spreader beams, Lifting slings and shackles , crane lifting and other hook lifting equipments all over UAE. As the consultant in UAE, we mainly focus on tip toe solutions on your lifting equipment needs. The solution for this is lifting equipments.
What makes manual lifting hazardous?
There are several risk factors that may increase the occurrence of injury from manual lifting. These factors are related to the different characteristics of the load, the task and organisation of the work, the work environment and the worker:
The load, which may be:
· too heavy - There is no exact weight limit that is safe. ISO-standard 11228-1 Ergonomics - Manual handling - Part 1: Lifting and carrying proposes a limit of 25 kg for men and 15kg for women under ideal conditions.
· unbalanced or unstable objects or if the contents can move make it difficult to hold the centre of gravity of the load close to the middle of body; this leads to uneven loading of muscles and fatigue; moreover, loads containing liquid can lead to an uneven distribution and sudden movements of the load can make the worker lose their balance and fall.
The task and organization of the work, if it requires:
· awkward postures or movements, e.g. a bent and/or twisted trunk, raised arms, bent wrists, over-reaching
· a high rate of work, which cannot be influenced by the worker
· unstable loads or loads handled with the body in an unstable posture.
The work environment, if it has:
· insufficient room, in particular vertically, to carry out the activity; this may lead to awkward postures
· bad position of the load or work place design, causing reaching with the arms, bending or twisting the trunk and elevated arms yield high muscular force
· unsuitable temperature, humidity or ventilation, making workers feel tired; sweat makes it hard to hold tools, meaning that more force must be used; cold can make hands numb, making it hard to grip
· insufficient lighting, increasing the risk of accidents, or force workers into awkward positions to see clearly what they are doing.
Individual characteristics, such as:
· lack of experience, training and familiarity with the job
· age: the risk of low back disorders increases with age and with the number of years at work
· physical dimensions and capacity such as height, weight and strength
· prior history of musculoskeletal disorders, in particular back disorders.
Moreover, manual handling of heavy loads can cause injuries if the load suddenly hits the worker or causes slipping or falling. Handling of smaller loads for a long time without rest can result in fatigue
Hazards of using lifting equipment
The hazards: associated with the use of lifting equipment in construction are:
· Hazards related to the loads, e.g. crushing due to impact of moving objects or loads falling from vehicles because they are not slinged properly or the wrong type of slings were used
· Hazards from moving vehicles or collapsing structures, i.e. cranes falling over because of improper fixation or strong wind, unsafe loads, loads exceeding the safe weight limits, trapping/crushing risk in the use of MEWPs while working at height, falling from height , limbs or bodies caught in machinery
· hazards related to poor environment that may interfere with communication between workers or concentration needed for the task (noise) or cause sweaty, slippery objects (heat, poor ventilation)
· Contact with overhead electrical cables.
Possible causes of these hazards may be: poor mechanical design (breaks in use, not powerful enough, components fracture or malfunction), poor workplace design, malfunction of the (manual, mechanical, electronic) signalling system, not using the proper equipment for the purpose or misuse (not using as designed, e.g. the load was too heavy), loads insecurely attached, poor maintenance (breaks or emits noxious gases) or untidy workplace, human error when operating machines or erecting scaffolding.
At Universal Engineering, no client would be having a void of worry as we cover everything from start to finish. We are here to solve your lifting problems whether it is advice or to design your dream lifting equipment. We prioritize our lifting equipment services like beam lifting equipment , spreader bar lifting equipment, spreader beam, lift beam and four point spreader lift beam (spreader bar for lifting and load spreader). Along with this we do spreader beam calculation and design.
Universal provide one tone spreader bar which is in stock and available in UAE also for rental and for any lifting equipments in a cost effective manner.
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