HSE Launch Manual Handling in Construction Podcast

At the end of September the HSE launched a campaign, the Work Right Construction: Your Health. Your Future campaign, to combat serious aches, pains, and strains in construction, paying particular attention to manual handling. As part of the campaign HSE inspectors carried out one thousand inspections through October and November specifically looking at how workers are moving heavy materials.

HSE estimate that in 2021 over 40,000 construction workers were suffering with Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The campaign is intended to prevent these, where possible, at the design stage as well as ensuring construction employers are doing everything possible to control existing risks related to manual handling.

In conjunction with the campaign the HSE recently produced a new podcast episode specifically discussing safe manual handling in construction. The podcast features Matt Birtles, Principal Ergonomics and Human Factors Consultant at HSE, and Peter Crosland, National Civil Engineering Director at The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).

The podcast discussed the impact musculoskeletal disorders have on construction worker’s lives as well as what sort of changes the construction industry could make to reduce the risks.

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