The Royal Society for the Prevention
of Accidents has brought its moving
and handling training up to date with
the introduction of an electronic
device that helps trainees adopt – and
keep – good manual handling habits.

The movement tracking device is
worn on a belt and monitors the
wearer’s movement and posture,
picking up on movements such as
stooping which are known to be a
risk factor in back injury. The
technology can be tailored to
individual needs and has built-in
activation thresholds which vibrate
and make a sound to alert the wearer
to their risky behaviour, gradually
conditioning employees to make
changes to their handling routines.

RoSPA is introducing the device
into all its manual handling and safer
people handling training courses. It
is hoped that the system will bring a
new dimension to moving and
handling training, enabling delegates
to take control of their own learning
and correct mistakes in posture and
movement when they are out of view
of the trainer.

Manual handling is responsible for
more than a third of all workplace
injuries, many of which can have
painful, long-lasting consequences.