Final answer:
To enhance manual handling safety, monitoring training participation rates, pre-shift checklist completion, safety meetings attendance, and near-miss reports as leading indicators is essential for predicting and preventing workplace incidents.
Step-by-step explanation:
Justifying Leading Indicators for Manual Handling Safety
Improving manual handling safety requires the implementation of proactive strategies. As a health and safety adviser, one would justify the use of various leading indicators to enhance workplace safety. These indicators are vital as they can help predict and prevent potential incidents before they occur, contributing to a safer working environment. Here are four leading indicators that could be monitored:
Training Participation Rates: By monitoring the rate of employees participating in safety training, one can identify gaps in knowledge and ensure all workers are well-versed in safe manual handling practices.
Pre-Shift Checklist Completion: Checklists, much like those used in the airline industry, ensure that workers are properly preparing for tasks and that equipment is safe to use, directly impacting the prevention of accidents.
Safety Meetings Attendance: Attendance at safety meetings is a clear indicator of staff engagement with safety protocols, which is critical for maintaining a culture of safety and addressing potential hazards.
Near-Miss Reports: An increase in the reporting of near-misses can indicate heightened awareness among employees and an opportunity to address issues before they result in injuries.
By monitoring these indicators, a heath and safety adviser can proactively address manual handling risk factors and continuously improve safety protocols, aligning with Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) standards to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job.