What Does AARR and CoG Stand For in Manual Handling?

              

What Does AARR and CoG Stand For in Manual Handling?

AARR and CoG are initialisms used in health and safety guidance, training, and documentation to refer to basic procedures for lifting and carrying safely. So what do AARR and CoG stand for, what could they mean to you, and how should they be carried out?

What does CoG mean in manual handling? CoG stands for Centre of Gravity, which refers to the centre of your body's mass. Understanding where your Cog is when lifting and shifting the weight you are lifting accordingly helps you lift heavy objects safely.

What does AARR mean in manual handling?
AARR in manual handling stands for:

• Assess
• Avoid
• Review
• Reduce

Following the four aspects of AARR helps you and others around you lift things safely.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about CoG and AARR in manual handling. We will discuss their meaning in detail, enabling you to lift heavy objects safely in your workplace or home. This is in accordance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992), which provide government guidance on manual handling and the associated risks.

What Does AARR Stand For in Manual Handling?

AARR in manual handling is an initialism that refers to the importance of keeping us all safe when lifting heavy objects. Understanding and following these key concepts can help you assess common risks and learn how to avoid harm when completing a manual lifting task. 

Many careers involve regular lifting, such as those of warehouse operatives and delivery drivers. In these cases, you will often apply the following principles throughout your working day.

As part of the management team for these services and many others, you will need to be familiar with these rules and carry out the necessary assessments required by law. 

Avoid:

Your first assessment of the task is based on the first letter of AARR and symbolises the word 'avoid', prompting you to ask whether it needs to be completed at all. Think:

• Does this task need to be performed at all?
• Does not moving it present any current safety risk? Could the on-site conditions be adjusted to help me or others carry this item?
• Can I get assistance in carrying this item?
• If not, might it be better to have someone more suitable or capable carry this item? This suitability should consider mental and physical capabilities to carry out the task.
• Can automated or mechanical assistance be brought in under reasonable conditions to eliminate manual labour by yourself or others where you think a risk may exist? Please note that this comes with additional risks that must be taken into consideration.

Assess:

You should use AARR in manual handling to assess the risks of carrying any heavy object that can’t be avoided. It is also considered good practice to ensure that your entire workforce is involved in risk assessments, as different fields have varying viewpoints on assessing risks. These assessments should take the form of:

• The object that needs lifting. Could it shift and cause instability during lifting? Does the shape contribute to its weight distribution? Is the packaging that contains the item likely to change shape once lifted?
• Your environment when lifting and the space you are moving into. Are there any trip hazards, height or other space restrictions in the area you are lifting or moving into?
• Do the clothes or equipment you are using pose hazards when handling the object? Loose clothing or harnesses may snag and cause a hindrance. Ill-fitting gloves can cause your grasp to slip or become unstable throughout your journey with the item.
• How often do you lift, and how much physical work is imparted to your body? You will lose strength over time, so your ability to carry larger objects will diminish throughout your day.

With this in mind, you should make separate assessments for individuals more susceptible to the risks of handling objects over time. This further assessment should be considered, but not limited to:

• Inexperienced, new or young workers
• Older people
• Those people return to work after taking a leave of absence due to illness or injury. This would be particularly noteworthy if they have any respiratory diseases or injuries to their legs, arms, or back.
• Pregnant workers or those who have recently given birth
• People with preexisting disabilities, either in a physical or mental capacity. This would be assessed on a case-by-case basis between you and them.

As the person assessing on behalf of yourself or others, you should consider the duress you or your coworkers might be under if they are pushed to meet deadlines or timeframes that are ill-fitted to the task at hand. Many injuries are due to people being forced to work in an unsafe manner.

Reduce:

By following the above guidelines, you can reduce the risks to yourself and those around you when manually handling objects.

Of course, this is the intended outcome of your assessments, whether you are a team member or a team leader.

Review:

Any assessment carried out in the workplace should include a review of the procedures implemented to address issues encountered along the way. If there weren’t any health and safety risks, what went right? Thinking further, what could be improved upon next time to ensure the health and happiness of your coworkers?

The following team members should see the review stage as an opportunity to help them go forward:

Team Leader:

Through careful reviews of workplace procedures, you can benefit as a team leader by improving efficiency and team allocation in future manual lifting situations. Allow your team members due process to come to you if they are unsure or uncomfortable with the manual handling they have just carried out. Stresses that occur in manual labour aren’t always visible, and it is sometimes only by listening to your team members that you can fully complete your assessments.

Team Member:

As a team member, or the member of the team that has been tasked with the manual handling of objects, you can use this opportunity to bring in any health risks that you encountered, whilst also offering feedback on how you felt physically and mentally with carrying out the task you were set.

Getting to grips with these principles will help you and others carry out any future lifting efficiently and safely. HSEdocs offers an Online Manual Handling Course, enabling you to carry out these assessments with confidence. 

What Does CoG Stand For in Manual Handling?

Cog stands for ‘Centre of Gravity’ and is a term used in manual handling to refer to the centre of mass of you and the item you carry. Understanding your Centre of Gravity (CoG) when lifting is essential to help you do so safely for several reasons, which we will consider below. 

Why is Understanding the Centre of Gravity Important To Consider in Manual Handling?

Your Centre of Gravity (CoG) is essential for maintaining balance during any physical activity. Under normal circumstances, your central nervous system takes charge of your balance through the Vestibular System, which is found in your inner ear. In tandem with your vision, this system maintains your upright position under typical conditions by working together and establishing standards by which your body functions. 

When lifting something heavy, these conditions no longer apply. You need to use extra muscle in different areas of your body to stay upright, and sometimes, the thing you are carrying blocks your vision. This can often lead to a fall, slip, or spill.

Falls, Slips or Spills 

Falls can occur when your Centre of Gravity (CoG) isn’t adjusted to the addition of the weight you are carrying. Proper foot placement and posture should be practised to prevent falls when lifting from the ground. Ensure you have a clear area to move in ahead of you when lifting to avoid falls.

If you are responsible for team members who could be involved in a slip, trip or fall, or want help assessing and eliminating hazards in the workplace, then complete our Online Course. It should take 45 minutes to an hour to complete, and you will receive a recognised certificate upon completion.

This course will cover:

• The dangers and risks of manual handling and the importance of using correct techniques.
• What are the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992), and why were they introduced?
• An understanding of appropriate manual handling, accident rates, and injuries sustained.
• Proper handling and lifting techniques.
• Select the appropriate mechanical aid if needed, know its safe working limits, and practise the basic visual checks before use.
• Postural awareness, including how the spine functions and potential injuries.

Injury

Injury typically occurs during the initial moving stages of a lift, resulting in excessive strain on the back, leg, or arm muscles. Disc prolapses or disc slips are among the more common and serious injuries incurred during lifting. However, lower back pain can result from repeated lifts if you don’t consider your centre of gravity.

Physical lifting can also result in dislocations of the shoulders or knees. This, again, can be caused by excessive stress on individual muscles and joints due to poor centre of gravity (CoG) or one person lifting too much on their own.