Five Steps to Reduce Injury Risk
We support safe, effective manual handling operations through our five step framework: Mandates, Mechanics, Mapping, Movement, Maintenance
Each of these steps is designed to help you meet HSE requirements, reduce injury risk, and give your workforce strategies they can implement right away. Let’s look at each step in turn…
#1 Mandates
We start by looking at the law. What do you need to do, what do your employees need to do, and what do we need to do. Health and safety legislation is often written to prevent a recurrence of an injury, accident or death, so this is a vital step in the process.
When working with your people, we will always ensure they…
Know why manual handling training is important
Know and understand their duties
Know and understand your duties as an employer
Can safely and adequately complete a manual handling operations risk assessment
#2 Mechanics
Just as you’d never expect someone with no training to know the ins-and-outs of a power tool, we assume no prior knowledge or training in anatomy or functional movement. In step 2, we explore how bodies move best, common sub-optimal movement patterns, and how our bodies tell us there is something wrong.
By the end of the step two, your workforce will…
Understand the role core engagement plays in maintaining back health
Know the common compensations at the hip and shoulder joint that contribute to pain (particularly shoulder, neck and knee pain)
Be aware of the ways our body tells us there is a problem
Know how poor biomechanics contribute to injury risk
#3 mapping
In step 3, things get more involved. Here, we start looking at mapping the compensations, old injuries, and go-to movement patterns your workforce use in their day to day. This stage is about building awareness in preparation for stages 4 and 5.
By the end of step 3, your staff will…
Be aware of their movement patterns and where they have biases or imbalances
Understand how old injuries can impact their body beyond the site of the initial injury
Understand the role their feet and ankles play in their movement patterns
Be aware of how they move through hip hinges, squatting positions, reaching overhead and other essential movement patterns for their job
#4 Movement
Once your team know how they tend to move, we dive into more practical exercises to equip them for the needs of their job. This stage varies more than the others, and is tailored to the unique demands of your industry in discussion with your staff.
By the end of this step, we will have explored…
How quick and simple warm ups can prime us for biomechanically safe movements
Muscle activation and how that helps us move the most well-suited muscles for the job
Cross-conditioning to maintain muscle balance
How to balance posture, force, and repetition based on information gleaned in step 3
#5 maintenance
In the final step, we talk body maintenance. This is all about boosting recovery, reducing the chance of cumulative injuries, and managing any aches and pains. This step does come with some recommended equipment that you can purchase through us prior to your training day.
By the end of this step, your employees will…
Know a range of self-massage techniques to alleviate aches and pains
Understand how to boost recovery after particularly demanding jobs or seasons
Feel good - this step is designed to leave your team feeling better and reduce their injury risk right away!
Working with us
By working with us you are investing in your employees’ long-term health and wellbeing, as well as meeting your legal requirements as an employer. We can tailor your training to suit your industry and schedule, and even offer 30, 60, and 90 day follow up sessions where possible.
If you’d like to talk to us about your training needs, you can book a call with our founder, Seonaidh, today:
