16 year old son just put his back out due to lifting at work

ben500

Vashti wrote: »

Fantastic informative post - I really appreciate it. He says some of the boxes make him grunt slightly when he lifts them..but he can manage, I don't know how heavy that would be....
xx

I'd say about .................... Too heavy! I'd say the best advice is above, contact ACAS for guidance.

Psykicpup

Vashti wrote: »

Psykicpup - he had all of five mins in the warehouse with his 'buddy' before he was left to get on with it. He is a typical teenager - never lifted a finger let alone a box - so he is probably doing it all completely wrong. He even asked me after two days to show him the best way to move a heavy box, I explained about bending from the knee, not the waist etc but he then said he has to reach in to pull the boxes out of a cage at hip height, so he is not lifting them off the floor.

Off to look at your links - many thanks for taking the time for that. Much appreciated.xx

I used to do the risk assessments at a place I worked so really got 'into' the whole health & safety scene plus I used to do warehouse work with a LOT of lifting so I know how easy it is to get it wrong...& the consequences. Happy to help!
Have to say I was concerned at his line managers response - it sounded like a threat to me - come back to work or lose your job -maybe I'm reading too much in but any manager who would threaten a probationer... lets just say I wasnt surprised that he hadnt had any training...Why not get him to call headoffice pretending hes doing a school project on safety at work & find out when/how soon an employee has to undertake basic training?.....

Vashti

perhaps I worded my post badly....I don't think his LM was telling him to come in with a bad back...I think he was just trying to let him know that taking sick leave in the first month probably wouldn't do him any favours. Or perhaps he presumed he was skiving, which is why I think I might phone to confirm and have a chat about the fact we think it is the lifting that has caused the problem in the first place. I know they are under a lot of pressure there with unreliable staff..my son has been phoned a lot for extra shifts at short notice but as he is revising for his Highers I won't let him!

angchris

i worked in a supermarket and it can be very hard work especially when the delivery comes in and its all hands to deck to shift it all asap. unless you have worked in a shop most people will find it hard to comprehend the sheer quantity of a delivery its like a food mountain!! we worked like your son probably did pulling heavy boxes of wine, crates of beer, big trays of pop and big trays of squashes. these are no joke when you first start but you soon become used to it as it is what is expected of you :rolleyes:and the stock was literally thrown around the stockroom like it was a packet of cotton wool :eek: your son is obviously struggling with his fitness levels in a very physically demanding job as we all did when we started out. its something that you just get used to and just get on with it. when he returns to work he just needs to take it easy and think before he lifts although he will probably be scorned upon by those he is working with for being a bit slower as he should in theory as a 16 year old be fitter than them but its better to be slower and get the job done than to end up in serious pain and to do himself a nasty injury that could affect the rest of his working life.

ailuro2

A crate of 12 bottles of wine will weigh around 10KG- not that much once you are used to it, and lifting it properly.

The most 330ml tins he'd be allowed to lift in one go would be about 9 sixpacks.

IF he is lifting heavy weights he should also be wearing protective footwear-even if not supplied I'd recommend buying DM's or similar with toecaps in for him.

Hope he's feeling better this morning.

emmaroids

if your son has had proper training in manual handling then im afraid the company are within there rights to let him go.
i used to work in a warehouse and we had to sign a form saying we was aware of manual handling procedures, so the company is covered cos no-one lifted properly as we was on bonus and if we lifted stuff the same way we was trained then we wouldent earn any money.

monstereyebrows

Hi hope this info helps you from my health safety training days.

I take it he is still at school because its part time?


Although Manual handling training would be required by the employer for your son starts his role the employer has further obligations to young people in The management regulations 1999 Section 19.

Basically if you son is under the school leaving age ie 16yr 10 months then he is considered as a CHILD under H&S law and action is required before he is employed here is a brief outline:

Information for young people and for their parents/carers

You must tell all your employees, including those under 18 years of age, about the risks to their health and safety identified by the assessment, and the measures put in place to control them. You also need to tell them about the procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger.

Before you employ children of compulsory school age or offer them a work experience placement, you must let their parents or carers know the key findings of the risk assessment and the control measures you have taken. You do not have to provide this information in writing, and in the case of work experience, you may ask the work experience organiser to help you in providing information to parents or carers of any child seeking a placement.


I bet you never were advised by the super market of the risks and what the control measures were.


In addition they have to consider the following

* is the task beyond their physical or psychological capacity;

In view of this because of his age and his body still growing etc his is at more risk that fully grown person the risk assessment for child/ young person would have to consider the limitation of your sons lifting ability.[/COLOR]

Just a thought for all those who think H&S is a waste of time here is a situation that it is designed to avoid.

If you require more info type into Google "young people or child health and safety" and you will get plenty of info.

Hope this helps

janeawej

has he an employment license from your local education authority? even though he is 16 he is still at school and should have one (I think) check the child employment laws as if they eomployed him without one (and he needs one) it is a serious matter and he will not be covered by their insurance, check with your local education authority to get the correct answer they will have a child employment officer or any education welfare officer should be able to advise you, Jane

jobbingmusician

GO and see the CAB. You have a clear case against the company for not training your son properly before letting him loose on lifting such.

You will find that once the company gets an official letter saying that your son is thinking of taking them to court for not giving him the required training, their attitude will change completely. And you'll be doing other trainees at the company a favour, as they will suddenly begin to give proper training (as well as giving your son a payoff, I suspect.....):D

Let us know what happens!

jrrowleyws

Before you threaten legal advice, get your son to request copies of his training file.

If he has had the training and has signed off to say he has recieved it, then it would be put down to him lifting wrongly.

A transfer to checkouts might be a good idea if medical staff think the problem may reoccur, most mainstream supermarkets will let 16 yr olds work checkouts and some even let 15yr olds do so.