§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what progress has been made in producing a code of regulations dealing with the problem of manual handling following publication of the consultative document in 1982; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will introduce legislation to remove the anomaly whereby agricultural workers are subject to a lifting limit of 170 lb, textile workers 120 lb, and other workers to reasonable loads; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CopeThe Health and Safety Commission has set up a working group to prepare revised proposals on manual handling at work, in the light of the considerable volume of comment received on its 1982 proposals. The working group is considering the anomalous limits in earlier health and safety legislation.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents resulting in time off work were caused by manual handling in each year from 1980 to 1986 and in 1987 to the most recent practicable date.
§ Mr. CopeThe available information is for accidents described as "over exertion, strenuous or awkward movements and free bodily motion" and is shown in the table.
672W
Year Major injuries1 to employees reported to Her Majesty's Factory Inspectors All reported injuries2 to employees in manufacturing and construction industry 1981 517 44,710 1982 417 39,904 1983 385 n/a 1984 396 n/a 1985 388 n/a 1 As defined in the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1980. 2 Injuries resulting in more than three days absence from work and where industrial injury benefit was claimed. n/a = Not available, because the industrial injury benefit scheme effectively ceased in April 1983.