Individual (21571)
Individual
Think about who will be carrying out the task. Different people have different capabilities, physical strength, health conditions and training which all play a role in assessing the risk of injury to the individual or team carrying out the task.
You need to assess their existing manual handling skills, level of training and experience and consider whether they require additional help and support to complete the task.
Assess
Have you taken into account whether the individual:
- Has a history of back pain or muscular injury?
- Has the level of physical strength and skills required to carry out the task?
- Has any health-related impairments or disabilities?
- Has up to date manual handling training, experience and skills?
- Has the information they need to know to safely complete the task?
You also need to consider the individual requirements of workers who may be especially at risk, including:
- New or expectant mothers
- Those returning to work after a recent manual handling injury, who may be on a phased return to work
- Inexperienced new, young or temporary workers
- Older workers
- Contractors, homeworkers or lone workers
- Migrant workers who may not have English as their first language
Solutions
Possible solutions include:
- Undertaking an individual-specific risk assessment for workers who may be especially at risk
- Giving workers more information about the tasks involved
- Providing more training if necessary
- Consulting an occupation health adviser if specialist help is required