FAQ:Manual Handling Training| Standards|Risks|Regulations

The Regulations require employers to:
1) Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
2) Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided.
3) Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.

There are no set specific requirements such as weight limits in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. Setting limits such as this would be based on too simple a view of the problem and may lead to incorrect conclusions.

An assessment based on a range of relevant factors should be used to determine the risk of injury and point the way to remedial action.

The assessment is the employer’s responsibility. You should be able to do most assessments in-house with assistance from your employees and safety representatives.

It is often useful to record and keep the main findings, and this should always be done if it would be difficult to repeat the assessment. However, an assessment need not be recorded if:
1) It could very easily be repeated and explained at any time because it is simple and obvious; or
2) The handling operations are low risk, and are going to last a very short time.

It is sometimes acceptable to do a ‘generic’ assessment - one that is common to several employees or to more than one site or type of work. However:
1) This should only be done if there are no individual or local factors which need to be taken into account, for example differences in stature, competence etc;
2) You should review any generic risk assessment if individual employees report adverse symptoms, become ill, injured or disabled, or return following a long period of sickness, as they may have become vulnerable to risk.

The Regulations require that employees should;
1) Follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety.
2) Make proper use of equipment provided for their safety.
3) Co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters.
4) Inform the employer if they identify hazardous handling activities.
5) Take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk.

The purpose of the manual handling assessment is to pinpoint the worst features of the work - and they’re the ones you should try to improve first. It is also important to remember to update the assessment when significant changes are made to the workplace. All employees covered by a risk assessment should be told about the risks it identifies. Don’t just forget it or file it away!

To the lowest level ‘reasonably practicable’. That means reducing the risk until the cost of any further precautions - time, effort or money - would be far too great in proportion to the benefits.

You should definitely provide mechanical aids if it is reasonably practicable to do so and the risks identified in your risk assessment can be reduced or eliminated by this means.

1) Manual handling risk factors and how injuries can occur;
2) How to carry out safe manual handling including good handling technique
3) Appropriate systems of work for the individual’s tasks and environment;
4) Use of mechanical aids;

There is no definite rule as to when to conduct manual handling training. If the method of work changes or new lifting aids are introduced, training will need to take place. Refresher courses are a good way to maintain skills.

It’s a matter of judgement in each case, but look out for signs of employees struggling with loads, bad posture, cramped work areas or employees with a history of back trouble.