A workshop to draw attention to the dangers of handling tyres is to be held in Stepps, North Lanarkshire next month.

The workshop is one of six being organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) working with the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) and the British Tyre Manufacturers Association (BTMA), between January and March.

The three-hour workshops will have sessions on the HSE's Manual Handling Assessment, chart Tool in the retail tyre environment, local Authority inspection visits and industry initiatives and latest developments and manual handling training information based on COPE Occupational and health service's work with Goodyear.

NTDA Director Richard Edy said: "NTDA research shows that back injuries caused by lifting tyres incorrectly are responsible for a huge number of lost man-hours in our sector and we are delighted to be working with the HSE to highlight the dangers to the trade."


Abid Dost, BTMA's Health, Safety and Environment Director said: "BTMA has worked in partnership with HSE to reduce manual handling injuries for more than 10 years. These seminars are a golden opportunity to benefit from the distilled knowledge and experience gathered over the years, and acquire the tools to reduce the costs of manual handling injuries."

HSE's Terry Aston, who is also Chair of RUBIAC (Rubber Industry

Advisory Committee), said the cost to employers is considerable and that the committee are pleased to work with the industry to have the opportunity to promote best practice.

Places are on a 'first come first served' basis. All attendees will receive a certificate confirming participation in the workshop.

To book a place email lynnesmith@ntda.co.uk

There will be an administration fee of £10 to attend and the events

take place at:

• 26 February, Garfield House Hotel, Cumbernauld Road, Stepps,
  
  Lanarkshire G33 6HW
• 28 January, Park Royal Hotel, Stretton Road, Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 4NS
• 3 February, Cooper Tire Sports and Social Club, Melksham House, Market Place, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 6ES
• 11 February, Thurrock Hotel, Ship Lane, Aveley, Essex, RM19 1YN (just off M25
  
  Lakeside)
• 11 March, Holiday Inn, Chapel Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, B43 7BG (near junction 7 on the M6)
• 18 March, Xscape, Colorado Way, Castleford WF10 4TA

(GK/KMcA)