The Role of the Steward and Safety Representative in Manual Handling

1
The Role of the Steward and Safety Representative
in Manual Handling

• Maria Bryson, RN
• Steward, Safety Rep. Royal College
  of Nursing

2
Aim

• The Aim of this session is to ensure that you as
  Stewards and Safety Reps are aware of the role
  you can play in the assessment of manual handling
  risks to RCN members and in the workplace.

3
The Learning Outcomes

• At the end of the session you should be able to
• Take an active part in creating management
  awareness of the manual handling risks to members
• Identify manual handling risks
• Advise RCN members regarding the risks to their
  health from manual handling

4
What do you Know Already

• Manual Handling Operation Regs. 1992
• HSE (Health and Safety Executive) guidance on
  above Regs.
• Hazards of Nursing RCN 1996
• RCN Code of Practices for patient handling
• Safety Reps role to carry out inspections (Safety
  Reps and Safety Committee Regs.)

5
Safety Reps Role to Carry Out Inspections

• Need to be able to identify
• Hazard Something with the potential to cause
  harm
• Risk The likelihood of that potential being
  realized
• Report findings to management
• Inform RCN members

6
Calculating the Risk

• Hazard Rating
• Negligible Remote possibility of damage
• Marginal Can cause illness/injury but not
  serious
• Critical Results in serious illness/injury
• Catastrophic -- Imminent danger of causing death
  or illness on a wide scale

• Probability Rating
• Extremely remote
• Unlikely
• Remote
• May occur in time
• Reasonably probable
• Will occur in time
• Probable
• Likely to occur immediately, shortly

7
What is a Hazard?

• Premises e.g. working in a confined space.
• Plant and equipment Needs to be moved e.g.
  beds.
• Processes Working in a difficult area e.g.
  small bathroom.
• People Patients, colleagues.

8
What to Consider when Assessing the Risk

• Premises - Hospital, home, ward, bathroom, etc.
• Plant Furniture, equipment (even when equipment
  is used to reduce manual handling, the equipment
  can cause risk in itself).
• Processes - What is the load? Where does it
  have to go? When? How? Why? Amount of rest
  between tasks.
• People - Who is going to do it?

9
Work Injured Nurses Group(WING)

• Supporting nurses who suffer from work-related
  injury or illness

10
Brief History

• 1983 Vicki Seabrook, a solicitor for the Royal
  College of Nursing (RCN) met a kindred sprit.
  For some time Vicki had been concerned about the
  number of nurses with back problems associated
  with their work who appeared to receive little or
  no help/support.
• She and Frances Bennet (an injured nurse) set up
  a series of informal meetings for back-injured
  nurses. The RCN supported and financed these
  meetings and provided speakers. This became the
  Back Group.

11

• By 1985 Vicki had left the RCN and Frances had
  returned to work. John Goodlad (RCN Health and
  Safety Officer) took over correspondence
  temporarily. He contacted all interested
  members and set up a meeting to look at the needs
  of such a group.
• 1986 first official meeting. A committee was
  formed and objectives set, including a
  news-letter. Originally membership was open to
  all injured nurses but in 1991 it was restricted
  to full and associated RCN members only.

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• As the group expanded, it was confused with the
  Back Pain Group and nurses with conditions other
  than back injuries were looking for information
  and support. John Goodlad came up with the name
  Work Injured Nurses Group. And WING took off!
• At this point, its remit included all nurses who
  were either ill or injured as a result of their
  work.
• This has again expanded and it now includes
  nurses who have any illness or disability that
  impacts upon their work.

13
Functions of RCN WING

• To give personal support to nurses affected by
  injury or ill health.
• Through newsletter and dedicated advice line,
  members can get advice on rights, government
  benefits, support from others who have been
  there. Networking and supporting newly disabled
  nurses. Surviving litigation.
• RCN WING Guide for injured, ill, or disabled
  nurses.

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Membership

• First and foremost a support group for injured,
  ill, or disabled nurses.
• Self-help group sharing good and bad experiences.
• Membership is free and also open to interested
  parties within the RCN, e.g. Safety Reps,
  Stewards, and Occupational Health Nurses.

15
Other Activities

• Training Study days for reps, members and other
  nurses.
• Discretionary fund Member for one year or more
  to be able to apply for small sums (up to 400)
  for needs relating to activities of daily living,
  adaptations, towards cost of retraining to a
  different career direction.
• Advice line Phone, e-mail, and letters.

16
Future Plans

• RCN WING is one of the fastest growing groups
  within the RCN.
• Increasing the number of regional reps.
• Networking with other interested groups in other
  countries.
• Establishing links with important bodies within
  the UK.
• To stop the thinking of illness ill health
  retirement.