4 Day IOSH Approved People Moving and Handling Train the Trainer Course
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service called upon Fit4Works expertise in the Moving and Handling of People as they wanted to re-evaluate and improve their moving and handling train the trainer course they provide for all West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue personnel, especially operational staff in their approach to moving patients.
Fit4Work’s 4 Day IOSH Approved People Moving and Handling Train the Trainer Course was carried out in October 2023 at Cleckheaton Fire Station.
Four already established trainers from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service took part on this highly comprehensive, interactive course.
Although it was considered that the trainers had a lot if experience in manual handling training Fit4Work felt it necessary to revisit the basic fundamentals of manual handling that is incorporated into the 4 Day IOSH Approved People Moving and Handling Train the Trainer Course. This was to ensure the trainers had comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills of how to protect their spine by learning about how a disc prolapse occurs and how efficient movement principles and switching on core muscles can protect them.
Real life scenarios which are commonly dealt with by the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were discussed in great length. This was essential to ensure that the course was going to be relevant and provided the correct amount of information and necessary handling techniques taught in order that the trainers could deliver an up to date training course. Below is just a snippet of what was covered on the IOSH Approved People Moving and Handling Train the Trainer Course.
The fire crew often need to extricate people out of their vehicle following a road traffic accident. It was established that possibly four crew workers would normally lift the person whilst sitting on their seat out of the car and therefore create huge amounts of strain to their lower back.
Angela the Director and trainer of Fit4Work suggested that they use a slide sheet and board ready available to the West Yorkshire Fire Rescue Service to extricate a person from their vehicle. It was practised several times to establish whether this was a realistic and reliable transfer which it was and it only took 20 seconds and most importantly didn’t create any effort or strain to the rescue team. See illustrations below.
Starting from behind the knees slide the slide sheet under the bottom
Tilt person to the side (keeping spine straight)
Position transfer board under buttocks
Fold the left end of slide sheet over pelvis and pull strap handles push person to slide along the transfer board.
The other end of the transfer board was supported by two other crew members but an alternative could be used instead.
Fire crews are trained to achieve safe, quick, effective access in situations where homes and buildings are locked. By being first on the seen the crews are able to administer emergency medical treatment and therefore save lives, A useful handling technique taught on the course was how to very quickly transfer a patient out of a chair onto the floor without injury to the crew and patient so that CPR could be administered. The crew were pleasantly surprised on how efficient this was in terms of speed and effort compared to what they were already doing.
By just learning a few lower limb strengthening tests the trainers learnt how to establishwhether the patient could stand up and walk out of the building with minimal assistance, or if they would require the assistance of two or equipment.
If no musculoskeletal or neurological injuries have occurred i.e full assessment has taken place and its appropriate, patients can be prompted off the floor using minimal support from the crew.
Liz Moxon from the CM Trauma Training Department stated:
“I now have a clearer vision of where we need to be and how to develop our courses and continuous professional development in this area to significantly improve the safety of our crews and patients.
The course was great and very beneficial to us all. I know the team learnt loads Angela and I thought you pitched the course at the perfect level and included element that will be really useful to us in an operational role. Thank you”
