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The reason why kerbs have been singled out as the manual handling issue most urgently in need of solving has been the subject of some debate. A major factor is the weight of a kerb, combined with the posture required to handle it as well as the very repetitive nature of laying a length of kerb. All these factors can lead to damage to muscles and tendons, and over the course of time can lead progressively to more serious injury.
Figures for manual handling in the construction industry show that around 90,000 workers suffered Musculoskeletal injuries in 2000/2001, which is twice the all-industry average. Until recently kerbstones would be handled manually at least three times between arriving on site and reaching their final position. This is a significant consideration when you take into account the weight of a kerbstone is around 67kg, the same as the average weight of a man.
All these issues meant that manual handling was a problem that could not be ignored, contractors involved in the industry were keen to ensure that the situation was improved in a way that was fair to everybody. The HSE responded to this interest by establishing a forum of key supply chain stake-holders, which had the aim of setting a timetable of improvements that would be agreeable to everyone. The forum included manufacturers of kerb and similar products; trade associations involved in the industry; clients and contractors.
Established by the HSE in conjunction with the Construction Confederation the forum first came together in December 2003 and was able to agree on transitional timeframes for the replacement of manual kerb handling with machine assisted handling.
Amongst the 80 members of the forum is Interpave, whose Chairman Mark McColl believes firmly in the importance of its achievements: “We have been closely involved with the ‘Kerbs Forum’ since it was convened and welcomed working in partnership with HSE to develop consistent guidelines on this important issue. MSDs account for over a third of all injuries in construction and are a major reason for workers leaving the industry.”
The forum agreed to a timescale, based on the introduction of mechanical lifting for ‘heavy kerbs’, having set the classification for ‘heavy kerbs’ as any over 20kg.
The first stage was the immediate introduction of mechanical handling solutions for all heavy kerb laying for long stretches of kerbs on new build projects. For shorter stretches of kerb the deadline was the end of June 2004, and by February of this year all heavy kerb laying, including spot repairs and maintenance should have been carried out with the aid of mechanical handling.
Another outcome of the forum was the need to develop solutions to the problems of manual handling at every stage along the chain. The HSE has been encouraging designers to look out alternatives to traditional heavy kerb products, they have suggested possible ideas like eliminating detail or using techniques like extrusion.
Make sure everyone in the industry receives proper guidance has also been a corner stone of the HSE’s approach. At the beginning of March the Executive issued ‘Handling kerbs: Reducing the risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)’, an information sheet developed by the HSE and the forum which gives advice on controlling the risks of manual handling of kerbs.
“This guidance is the result of a working partnership between ourselves and those involved in the kerb supply chain,” Says Richard Boland of the HSE’s Construction Sector. “The project has been a success and we are now close to our goal, to make mechanical handling of heavy kerb products the industry norm.”
With the aim of securing closer compliance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 the forum and the approach and guidelines it has developed have been widely recognised by those involved as a model for the way health and safety regulations and issues could be handled in the future. Andy Sneddon from the Construction Federation was enthusiastic: “At a time when the Health and Safety Commission is championing the case for sensible health and safety controls that are sensibly applied, it is refreshing to attend a meeting where construction clients are being engaged directly on such a key issue. I hope that we can use this approach and work together on other health and safety issues in the future.”
One of the outcomes of the forum has been a full discussion of all the alternatives to manual handling, as well as some debate over whether a kerb poses a risk if it is not lifted. The common approach in the past has been to offload kerbs mechanically when they are delivered on site and transferred mechanically, often in the bucket of a loader to a point close to where they will finally be set. Only at this last stage are the kerbs manually walked into their final position. However the HSE points out that even using this method involves the manual shifting of a very heavy weight and so is still no alternative to the mechanical solutions available.
The types of mechanical solution available that the HSE highlights in its guidance include vacuum lifters, which can come with a variety of interchangable heads to handle different types of product. Vaccuum devices can be self contained devices that can be fitted either to the forks of construction machines or on trailers, this can enable kerbs to be laid straight from the pack, eliminating the need to ‘string out’. Vacuum lifters can also be fork mounted, meaning a standard construction machine can be used, reducing the number of big machines needed on site; Other vacuum solutions can be trailer mounted or independent.
Grabs and clamps are the non-vacuum solution and have the advantage of being able to lift kerbs which have rougher surfaces that vacuums may not adhere to. Like the vacuum devices they also come in a variety of forms, usable as attachments or as self contained machines.
Whilst the HSE has been focusing on the manual handling of heavy kerbs with the forum and guidance it is very likely this will just be the start of a greater move to make manual handling safer across the board, including all other precast concrete products - drainage channels, ducts, copings and hard landscaping materials - during the coarse of the forums the subject of packaged materials also came up, bags of cement and other building materials, so it is possible in future these may become the subject of discussion.
Whatever issue becomes the next focus of attention one thing is clear the ‘Kerbs Forum’ has set a standard which is likely to be followed in the way things are done in the future as Richard Boland says: “The project has been a success and we are now close to our goal, to make the mechanical handling of heavy kerbs the industry norm.”.
Websites:
HSE
www.hse.gov.uk
www.hse.gov.uk/msd/backpain/index.htm
‘Handling kerbs: Reducing the risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)’
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis57.pdf
Interpave
www.paving.org.uk
The Construction Confederation
www.constructionconfederation.co.uk
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association
www.ceca.co.uk
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