Injuring your back whilst manual handling can cause short and long-term issues for you and your colleagues.

 

What is zero home fortnight?

Safety is more than compliance—it’s a responsibility shared by everyone on site. That’s why iTip Safety Handles is proud to return to Zero Harm Fortnight at Hinkley Point C, organised by Wilson James. The initiative brings together suppliers, site teams and safety. Thanks to Steve and Racheal for organising and inviting us.

Zero Harm Fortnight is focused on preventing avoidable accidents through awareness, innovation and operational improvement. For us, the initiative is vital because manual handling remains one of the highest causes of workplace injuries across construction and logistics.

According to the HSE, over 12,600 UK workers report musculoskeletal injuries each year due to manual handling. These injuries are preventable when we:

• Engineer safer equipment

• Introduce ergonomic controls

• Support workers with better handling methods

• Reduce twisting, strain and fatigue

That’s exactly what iTip Safety Handles deliver. 

Learning from Last Year – Real Feedback from Real Teams

Last year’s Zero Harm event gave us powerful insights from the people who matter most: the operatives doing the work. Here’s what we learned during live demonstrations at Hinkley.

 

Safety Challenge: Bins & Yard Trolleys

The highest level of interest came from teams handling bin style containers on site. Operators explained the difficulty of rotating bins when loading and unloading from tailgates and low-sided vans. This is a high-risk movement that can result in loss of control and back or wrist injuries.

By fitting Wheelie Safe (part of the iTip Safety Handles range), the team immediately noticed:

• Better steering control

• Safer bin rotation

• Reduced strain when reversing bins

• More stability on slopes and uneven ground

• Ability to fit spare handles in cabs and attach them on demand

Watch iTip Safety Handles in operation:

Videos available here www.itiphandles.com/pages/health-safety 

Yard trolleys with carpal tunnel risk

We also reviewed trolleys used across the storage and material yards. These had pram-style bar handles, which are ergonomically good, but still restrict natural wrist rotation—a known contributor to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

Adding ezTip Safety Handles gives rotational wrist movement and control, however, this does increase the width of the trolley. This option is still being explored as part of a customised safety solution for the site.

Wheelbarrows – Instant Ergonomic Benefits

Several wheelbarrows were fitted with ezTip Safety Handles, and every operator who tried them reported improved comfort and control.

The benefits included:

• Reduced wrist twisting

• Safer grip when tipping loads

• Less shoulder fatigue

• More neutral manual handling posture

• Increased stability on rough terrain

These ergonomic gains directly contribute to lower injury risk in line with HSE Manual Handling Advice.

Strong Safety Leadership On Site

Engagement and collaboration were outstanding. Key site influencers expressed strong interest in deploying the products. Procurement is currently exploring procurement options, and we also received a supportive visit from John Winter, EDF Nuclear New Build Projects – Health & Safety. John has already initiated contact with Biffa to explore roll-out opportunities across waste operations. This demonstrates what we believe strongly at iTip:

“Safety progress happens when operations, safety teams and procurement work together.”

Why iTip Safety Handles Support Hinkley’s Zero Harm Commitment

iTip Safety Handles are designed to engineer out injury risks caused by poor tool and equipment design. They:

• Improve safety without slowing productivity

• Reduce musculoskeletal injuries

• Lower risk ratings using the HSE RAPP Tool

• Support safe pushing, pulling and lifting

• Retrofit to bins, wheelbarrows, roll cages and more

• Enable safer handling for all workers, improving inclusion and wellbeing

Experimenting with the catering supplier using the iGrab Safety Handles

Explore Manual Handling Safety Solutions

Thanks to Steve and Racheal for organising and inviting us to the day.

• Wheelie Safe, Safety Handles – Designed for bins and waste operations

• iRoll Safety Handles – Designed for bins and waste operations

• ezTip Safety Handles – Ideal for wheelbarrows, trolleys and barrows

• Custom Fitting + Safety Consultancy, we support bespoke site equipment 

We offer:

• Manual handling risk assessments

• roll cage safety demonstrations

• Installation support

• Procurement options for teams and site roll-out

 Email us: Hello@SafetyHandles.co.uk

 Visit: www.SafetyHandles.co.uk