New DVD 
"MOVING AND HANDLING people in the outdoors"
A video by John Crosbie and The Calvert Trust
£22 each including postage (UK)
Order from IOL on 01768 885800 or email IOL
Written and presented by John Crosbie, the Centre Director of the Calvert Trust, Lake District.
John noticed that there was a need for a film that gave a step by step demonstration of how to move and handle people with disabilities in the outdoor environment. By using simple guidelines like TILE (Task, Individual, Load, Environment), and incorporating useful tips from John and a team of trainers and experts, this film is designed to assist and protect both the lifter and person being lifted. The advise is applicable whether you are an outdoor centre, a sports club or a group of friends wanting to create access to the outdoor for someone with a disability.
Review by: Alistair Brewis
This important new video produced by John Crosbie distils years of practical experience at the Calvert Trust in helping disabled people to undertake adventurous outdoor activities. Crucially it addresses the “Health and Safety “ issues head-on and in detail. In recent years legislation has led to the elimination of manual lifting wherever possible. The aim of this was to reduce the huge cost to industry (and in particular to the Health Service) which results from injuries attributed to lifting. Whilst the virtual disappearance of manual lifting is a welcome development in many areas, one unfortunate consequence has been to make it more difficult for people with impaired mobility to be helped by others and thus more difficult for them to stretch their range of activities into the outdoors. Technically advanced hoists suitable for a hospital ward are unhelpful on a lake shore or mountain crag.
From the outset the film deals with the common misunderstanding that it is now “illegal” to move someone manually. The law in fact states that lifting should be avoided “as far as is reasonably practical”. This principle must of course be followed, even in the outdoors. However, some manual assistance will inevitably be required at times if people with substantial disabilities are to enjoy outdoor activities properly in a wild environment. As the video makes plain, the tasks are 1. to AVOID lifting where possible, 2. to ASSESS the risks where lifting is necessary and 3. to REDUCE the risks as far as possible. Each of these areas is explored fully.
The video is filmed almost entirely out of doors and, refreshingly, much of the presentation and explanation is done by the real experts – people with reduced mobility. The point is well made that as far as possible most people want to move themselves and, where some help is needed, they need to be involved in coordinating that help. This is partly to ensure their safety and preserve dignity but also to apply their own special experience. In one striking demonstration a young man ejects himself from his wheelchair at speed (rather like a stunt-man falling from a horse in a Western movie) and then shows that, despite his severe disability, what he needs is not to be lifted but simply a firm hand-hold for him to pull against while he swings himself up into his chair. Another sequence shows how simple aids can extend the range of transfer movements that can be managed (eg chair to ground, ground to boat and back again). It is often possible to improvise aids such as sliding boards or supports from objects near to hand.
Where physical lifting movement is unavoidable the film deals in detail with the principles of lifting and the techniques which are most suitable for the type of movement being undertaken. What is appropriate depends of course on the capabilities of the disabled individual with a disability but it also depends on the capabilities and training of the helpers. Every movement requires un-rushed assessment of the TASK (eg what are the starting and end points? can it be done in stages?), the INDIVIDUAL helper (can they physically do it?) the LOAD (can they make it easier? should they use an aid or seek help?) and the ENVIRONMENT (preparing or changing the location, ensuring grip and foothold etc). The word T-I-L-E is a useful reminder of the four elements.
Specialist sections of the film include one on recovery from water which emphasises prior training and the value of a low-access rescue boat. There is a huge amount of information in the video but it is broken down into manageable and coherent subsections suitable for training. The information is useful for anyone involved in helping disabled people but particularly useful for professional helpers in outdoor activities and those working in the Health Service. The responsibilities of employer and employee to each other in observing the regulations is emphasised.
The great value of this video is that it demonstrates that Health and Safety legislation which is designed to minimise risk does not need to debar disabled people from taking part in adventurous outdoor activities. It is a matter of examining the risk, minimising it and then getting on with it. The Calvert Trust has drawn on 30 years of experience in the field in producing an invaluable expert assessment – supported here by sound practical advice. It will give great encouragement to disabled people as well as to other organisations, to their helpers and also to their insurers which should help to clear the way for disabled people intent on “Challenging disability through outdoor adventure” (the Calvert Trust strap-line).