* Corresponding author. Tel: 01509 223042; fax: 01509 223940; e-mail: R.A.Haslam@lboro.ac.uk. Applied Ergonomics 30 (1999) 311 } 318 Manual handling risks and controls in a soft drinks distribution centre E.J. Wright, R.A. Haslam* Health and Safety Ergonomics Unit, Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK Received 17 November 1997; accepted 6 August 1998 Abstract This paper describes an investigation into manual handling risks and controls within a soft drinks distribution centre, presented as a case study regarding compliance with the requirements of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. Methods used included semi-structured interviews, document analysis, analysis of training, OWAS postural analysis and use of the NIOSH equation. Warehouse operators and delivery drivers were studied, and two methods of work compared involving pallets and cages. Signi"cant di!erences were found between the two work methods with respect to harmful postures. Manual handling risks were found in both warehouse and delivery areas, some being classed as &&excessive'' using the NIOSH equation. As this company has a good safety record and considers itself proactive in the area of health and safety, the investigation raises concerns about how organisations have responded to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations.  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Manual handling regulations; Warehouse operations; Delivery drivers 1. Introduction It is "ve years since the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 were implemented in the UK in re- sponse to European Directive 90/269/EEC. The aim of the regulations is to reduce the high level of injury result- ing from manual handling activities. The regulations have now been in place for a su$cient period to begin to be able to assess their impact. The present study, carried out within a soft drinks distribution centre, is intended to be a contribution to this evaluation. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations (HSE, 1992a) describe manual handling operations as &any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or by bodily force'. These activities are associated with high levels of musculoskeletal injuries particularly of the back (HSE, 1992b; Macfarlane et al, 1997; Mital et al, 1997) with over a third of injuries reported to HSE related to handling activities (HSE 1992b). Warehouse workers have a high reported rate of back injury (Ljungberg et al, 1989) and professional drivers have been shown to have a relatively high preva- lence of musculoskeletal injury (van der Beek et al, 1993). The drinks distribution industry faces increasing levels of back injury (Patry et al, 1993). The company participat- ing in this study had lower rates of injury than the drinks industry as a whole but manual materials handling (MMH) activities still accounted for 26% of their acci- dents overall, 28% of these being within distribution. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 incorporate a hierarchy of preventive measures, requiring avoidance of those activities causing the risk. If avoid- ance is not reasonably practicable, a risk assessment is required, a systematic process to identify hazards and associated risks. The MMH risks should then be reduced and monitored, implying that risk assessment is funda- mentally an ongoing process rather than a single event. Additionally, employers are required to inform and train employees regarding MMH activities and risks. The emphasis of the Manual Handling Operations Regula- tions on removal of risks followed by reduction "ts in with the optimum method of addressing MMH activities, namely designing the job to "t the characteristics of the workers. 0003-6870/99/$ - see front matter  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 0 0 3 - 6 8 7 0 ( 9 8 ) 0 0 0 3 6 - 2