Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees are protected against the risk of injury when engaging in manual handling work, involving the transportation or supporting of any particular load by hand or bodily force, including pushing, pulling, lifting, putting down or carrying.

As a business, you need to make sure that staff members are able to avoid hazardous manual handling as far as is practicable, with any risks associated from unavoidable operations properly assessed so that the risks can be reduced to as low as possible.

Although there are no legal limits in place with regards to weight load, it is important to provide the necessary information about weight and the position of the centre of gravity in certain circumstances if there is a risk of injury.

Manual handling risk assessments

Where manual handling operations can’t be avoided, it’s important to carry out injury risk assessments, taking into account the task at hand, the load, the working environment and the capacity of the individual in question.

Factors to consider include:

– Weight of the load

– Frequency of the task

– The environment and conditions of the working area

– The distance the load needs to be lifted, lowered or carried

– The physical posture required for moving the load

– Lighting

– Temperature

– Floor surface

– The strength and fitness of the employee, covering any underlying medical conditions

Note that some tasks will be low risk and a formal assessment won’t be necessary. However, it’s advisable to discuss matters with your workforce as they will have a good understanding of the risks associated with the jobs they do and may have suggestions and solutions to help you manage the risks more effectively.

Risk control measures

The measures you need to implement will differ depending on the task you’re evaluating, but for manual handling operations it is advisable to use mechanical assistance wherever possible to reduce the risks of injury. 

This could include, for example, using hoists or sack trolleys. In instances where it’s not practical to use mechanical assistance, see what changes can be made to the load, the environment or the task to help keep injuries at bay.

Take the NEBOSH manual handling certificate

Training is one of the best ways to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace. For managers and team leaders, the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment course focuses on how to assess manual handling operations, rather than lifting techniques for staff members, with information provided on how to use the Health & Safety Executive’s manual handling resources.

Course content includes helping you understand your responsibilities in relation to manual handling, what the potential risks are and how they may cause injuries, how to demonstrate and practice appropriate risk assessment techniques, and how to apply wider elements of risk management for manual handling.

If you’d like to build your health and safety knowledge further, our NEBOSH General Certificate course is a great place to start. It’s designed for anyone looking to develop practical skills and gain a respected qualification in workplace safety. To find out more, get in touch with the ACT team today.