Safety Advice: Manual Handling

Manual handling refers to the act of transporting or supporting a load by hand or bodily force, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving loads.

A load can be an object, person, or animal. As employers, it is our responsibility to ensure that we protect our workers from these hazards. The law sets out how employers must deal with risks from manual handling:

• Avoid hazardous manual handling, so far as reasonably practicable.

• Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided.

• Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling to as low as reasonably practicable.

It's important to note that the law does not set specific weight limits, but the weight of a load is still important. In some cases, we must provide information about the weight and position of the centre of gravity of each load if there is a risk of injury and it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Back pain caused by work is a significant hazard for workers. As employers, we must take steps to protect our workers. There are things that both you and your workers can do to manage back pain in the workplace, such as advice on managing manual handling tasks.

Causes of back pain at work

• Some work tasks can cause back pain or make existing pain worse:

• lifting heavy or bulky loads

• carrying loads awkwardly, possibly one-handed

• pushing, pulling or dragging heavy loads

• manual handling in awkward places, such as during delivery work

• repetitive tasks, such as packing products

• bending, crouching or stooping

• stretching, twisting and reaching

• being in one position for a long time

• working beyond your capability or when physically overtired

• driving long distances or over rough ground, especially if the seat is not, or cannot be, properly adjusted or operating heavy equipment (for example excavators)

Good handling technique for lifting

There are some simple things to do before and during the lift/carry:

• Remove obstructions from the route.

• For a long lift, plan to rest the load midway on a table or bench to change grip.

• Keep the load close to the waist. The load should be kept close to the body for as long as possible while lifting.

• Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body.

• Adopt a stable position and make sure your feet are apart, with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance

Think before lifting/handling. Plan the lift. Can handling aids be used? Where is the load going to be placed? Will help be needed with the load? Remove obstructions such as discarded wrapping materials. For a long lift, consider resting the load midway on a table or bench to change grip.

Adopt a stable position. The feet should be apart with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance (alongside the load, if it is on the ground). Be prepared to move your feet during the lift to maintain your stability. Avoid tight clothing or unsuitable footwear, which may make this difficult.

Get a good hold. Where possible, the load should be hugged as close as possible to the body. This may be better than gripping it tightly with hands only.

Start in a good posture. At the start of the lift, slight bending of the back, hips and knees is preferable to fully flexing the back (stooping) or fully flexing the hips and knees (squatting).

Don't flex the back any further while lifting. This can happen if the legs begin to straighten before starting to raise the load.

Keep the load close to the waist. Keep the load close to the body for as long as possible while lifting. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body. If a close approach to the load is not possible, try to slide it toward the body before attempting to lift it.

Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, especially while the back is bent. Shoulders should be kept level and facing in the same direction as the hips. Turning by moving the feet is better than twisting and lifting at the same time.

Keep the head up when handling. Look ahead, not down at the load, once it has been held securely.

Move smoothly. The load should not be jerked or snatched as this can make it harder to keep control and can increase the risk of injury.

Don't lift or handle more than can be easily managed. There is a difference between what people can lift and what they can safely lift. If in doubt, seek advice or get help.

Put down, then adjust. If precise positioning of the load is necessary, put it down first, then slide it into the desired position.