Any fleet which expects drivers to lift loads may be interested to learn that, according to figures from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), 35% of reportable workplace injuries and 16% of all major injuries in the year ending April 2008 were related to handling.

Some 1.3 million lost working days were due to handling, lifting or carrying and the average absence from work was seven days.

A fair proportion of these involve handling items on and off vans, pickups and other commercial vehicles.

Realistically there are only two ways to reduce the risks associated with manual handling.

The first is to ensure any manual handling remains inside the current guidelines.

This is why, for example, packs of minerals and aggregates used in the building and related trades are now found in smaller sizes.

The recommended maximum weight to be lifted under any circumstances is just 25kg for men and 15kg for women, not much when you consider this less than the weight of a typical bag of sand or cement.

Penny Hydraulics manufactures lifting and load handling equipment for use in a wide range of applications.

Products include the Swing Lift range of medium duty cranes for use on pick-ups, drop-sides and flat-beds and the Step Lift, Load Lift and Tail Lift lifting platform ranges for use on pick-ups, drop-sides and vans.

The company also manufactures the Mezz Lift for handling loads between ground floor and mezzanines and specialist equipment for handling wheels, tyres and barrels in vehicles and at customers’ premises.