Health and safety question

fin7

Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some advice.

I'm a janitor/cleaner, at one of my contracts the lift has broken down and they're not going to get it repaired. This now means everything has to be hand carried up and down two flights of stairs. On one day I ended up with 12 black bags of rubbish and a pile of boxes. The Hoover and everything else is having to be carried up and down. The thing I'm more concerned about is the fact that the stairs are open wooden stairs and I'm expected to carry buckets of water up and down, there's nowhere upstairs to fill or empty buckets. Also the other things I have to do are going to get left behind because there just isn't going to be time do do everything.

Where exactly do I stand regarding having to carry heavy stuff up and down stairs? I spoke to the area supervisor but he seems to think it's some sort of big joke, when I pointed out that it's going to obviously take me longer he said I should jog!

Fin

RuthnJasper

I think you have every right to be concerned, and your manager should show you a bit more respect. The best place to look is the HSE (Health and Safety Executive). Here's a link to their guidance on manual handling:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/manlinde.htm

Hope this helps.

tea_lover

Ask to see the risk assessment that's been done to reflect the change in working conditions.

fin7

Thanks for the advice and link.

The whole contract has taken a nose dive in the last few months, my area supervisor knows I'm not happy with the whole situation there and that was before the lift went off.

I am concerned about hurting myself, and carrying buckets of water on wooden stairs is just asking for trouble.

Takeaway_Addict

open wooden stairs...ie no bannisters right?

rochja

No risers. Easy to trip up. Wood. Slippery when wet

Sinhanada

You are quite rightly concerned. Make sure that you put your concerns in writing to your manager - use the companies email system if you have access to this and ensure you keep a printed copy of the email including the time and date and also of his reply. If you do not have access to the email system then a standard typed memo would be suitable. Again make sure you keep a copy of this and any reply.

Does your company, or the company you are contracted to have a Health & Safety department? They too should be included.

fin7

Yes, there are hand rails, they are a brushed metal and slippy, the people that work they rarely use the stairs because of this. If I used the hand rail with one hand then it's going to take an awful long time to get everything up and down the stairs. The boxes that have to be moved are huge and you need two hands to carry then, even flattened down they're still a two hand job.

In the past the company have banned anyone from the stairs that are even carrying a cup of tea. They've said they are not getting the lift repaired, this concerns me because it's obviously not going to be a short term problem. And the weight of some of the bags that have to come down are at times ridiculous.

Takeaway_Addict

fin7 wrote: »

Yes, there are hand rails, they are a brushed metal and slippy, the people that work they rarely use the stairs because of this. If I used the hand rail with one hand then it's going to take an awful long time to get everything up and down the stairs. The boxes that have to be moved are huge and you need two hands to carry then, even flattened down they're still a two hand job.

In the past the company have banned anyone from the stairs that are even carrying a cup of tea. They've said they are not getting the lift repaired, this concerns me because it's obviously not going to be a short term problem. And the weight of some of the bags that have to come down are at times ridiculous.

You have a responsibility for your own health and safety as much as the employer so you need to make sure you take the precautions necessary.

The general lifting up and down isn't really an issue, its an inconvenience but it by the sounds of it can all be done safely as long as you do not over load yourself.

Can you rough the handrails up so they provide more grip? Would they allow this?

What about wearing grippy gloves if its only for short periods of time during the day?

I agree with Ruth and Jasper with regards what to do on the H&E and I hope Dickydonkin (I think thats the name) shows his face for his view.

ohreally

fin7 wrote: »

I'm a janitor/cleaner, at one of my contracts the lift has broken down and they're not going to get it repaired. This now means everything has to be hand carried up and down two flights of stairs.

Breach of provision and use regs...http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/5/made

Takeaway_Addict

ohreally wrote: »

Breach of provision and use regs...http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/5/made

A bit pointless and toothless though, it was there, now its not and there is a suitable alternative (possibly once H&E are sorted which is bound to be the cheaper option)