Manual Handling for office staff

[QHSS]

Why are companies not giving office staff manual handling training, when their day to day tasks involve pushing pulling twisting stooping lifting??? Every body should have some form of manual handling training.

[Safety]

We provide our office staff with manual handling awareness training, this is covered in the induction.

[bernicarey]

As with all walks of life, there's the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; I don't see any evidence that such a blanket statement as this...

Why are companies not giving office staff manual handling training, when their day to day tasks involve pushing pulling twisting stooping lifting??? Every body should have some form of manual handling training.

can be made.

It might be that 50% or 80% or any other number out of a hat is correct, but to imply that none whatsoever is given by any employer is a bit excessive.
Whilst the operation of a Computer Mouse would perhaps be within the scope of the definition of 'manual handling' if taken literally; it should be equally be covered in the DSE assessment of that User/Workstation.

We have to approach H&S by tackling the most significant factors in the workplace concerned. For many 'Office Staff', the manual handling element is not a significant aspect of their daily duties.
Pushing/pulling the office door open, twisting around in their seat while on the phone, stooping to the floor to pick up a dropped pen and then lifting it back to the desk, might be the only manual handling some experience. The biggest load they might carry could be the briefcase or handbag they came in with.

Training in all matters should/must be as appropriate to the respective workplace.

[Penfold]

In my experience 90% of companies I've been involved with cover the "basics" of manual handling in induction or have specific training for office based staff members. As Bernie stated its all about levels of risk, the training we give office staff is smaller than the operatives who daily job involves much more risks for MH activities. It all came down to risk assessment on the tasks in hand and looking at what people are exposed to in work and controlling those risks