Manual materials handling: a survey of risks,and the selection and training of workers in Singapore

A survey of 83 plants employing safety officers indicated that in 66% of them, workers were involved in manual lifting. The average number of manual lifting tasks was three per plant. Only about 6% of the total workforce were involved in manual lifting. Using the NIOSH Lifting Guidelines, the survey revealed that 30% of the lifting tasks were above the Maximum Permissible Limit, 50% were between the Maximum Permissible Limit and the Action Level, and only 20% were below the Action Level. A majority of the plants used a self-selection method to match a worker to the physical demands of a given manual lifting task. Training of workers in manual materials handling was provided by 76% of the plants. The principal methods of training included a poster campaign and demonstration of lifting techniques. The basic handling skills were taught in 90% of the plants. The content of training was incomplete, however, and further improvement was necessary.