Unit GIC2 · Element 6: Musculoskeletal Health
6.2 Manual Handling
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Good technique for lifting loads by hand
These are simple things to do.
- Think before lifting or handling. Plan the lift. Can handling aids be used? Where will the load be placed? Will you need help? Remove obstructions such as discarded wrapping. For a long lift, consider resting the load part-way on a table or bench so you can change your grip.
- Adopt a stable position. Keep the feet apart with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance, alongside the load if it is on the ground. Be ready to move your feet during the lift to stay stable. Avoid tight clothing and unsuitable footwear, which can make this difficult.
- Get a good hold. Where possible, hug the load as close to the body as you can. That is often better than gripping it tightly with the hands alone. Keep the load close to the waist.
- Start in a good posture. At the start of the lift, a slight bend of the back, hips and knees is better than fully bending the back (stooping) or fully bending the hips and knees (squatting).
- Do not bend the back any further while lifting. This can happen if the legs start to straighten before you begin to raise the load.
- Keep the load close to the waist. Keep it close to the body for as long as possible during the lift, with the heaviest side next to the body. If you cannot get close to the load, try to slide it towards you before lifting.
- Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, especially while the back is bent. Keep the shoulders level and facing the same way as the hips. Turning by moving the feet is better than twisting and lifting at the same time.
- Keep your head up. Look ahead, not down at the load, once you hold it securely.
- Move smoothly. Do not jerk or snatch the load, which makes control harder and raises the risk of injury.
- Do not lift or handle more than you can manage easily. What people can lift is different from what they can lift safely. If in doubt, get advice or help.
- Put down, then adjust. If the load must be placed precisely, put it down first and then slide it into position.
Avoiding and minimising manual handling risks
A hierarchy of measures can be followed to prevent and manage the risks of hazardous manual handling:
- Avoid hazardous manual handling operations, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous handling that cannot be avoided.
- Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous handling to as low as is reasonably practicable.
Eliminate handling the load. Can hazardous manual handling be removed by not moving loads at all, for example by doing the work another way?
- Does the item really need to be moved, or can the activity be done safely where it is by redesigning the task?
- Can products or materials be delivered straight to where they will be used?
Automation or mechanisation. If handling cannot be avoided, consider whether the operations can be automated or mechanised to remove the manual part. The best time to decide this is when plant or systems of work are being designed.
- Can materials handling equipment or mechanical aids remove or reduce the risks identified in the assessment? Examples are a conveyor, a chute, an electric pallet truck, an electric or hand-powered hoist, or a lift truck.
- Can robotics be used, for example on production lines?
When introducing automation or mechanisation, make sure you do not introduce new risks, for example during maintenance or breakdowns, and make sure workers are trained to use any equipment you bring in, such as lift trucks.
Assess the handling that remains. When a manual handling activity cannot be removed completely, it must be assessed. The assessment looks at four main factors: the task, the individual, the load and the environment.
HSE guidance INDG143 gives practical advice, in a table, on what to look for in an assessment and how to control the risks. The table below follows the same pattern.
| Risks to look for | Ways of reducing the risk of injury | |
|---|---|---|
| Task | Holding loads away from the body. Twisting, stooping or reaching upwards. Large vertical movement. Long carrying distances. Strenuous pushing or pulling. Repetitive handling. Risk of sudden movement of loads. Insufficient rest or recovery time. A work rate imposed by a process. | Use a lifting aid. Change the workplace layout to improve efficiency. Reduce twisting and stooping. Avoid lifting from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads. Reduce carrying distances. Use powered handling devices to remove pushing and pulling. Avoid repetitive handling. Reduce fatigue. Vary the work so that one set of muscles rests while another is used. |
| Load | Heavy or bulky. Difficult to grasp. Unstable or likely to move unpredictably. Harmful, for example sharp or hot. Awkwardly stacked. Too large for the handler to see over. | Make the load lighter or less bulky, easier to grasp, more stable, less harmful and evenly stacked. If the load comes from elsewhere, ask the supplier to help, for example with handles or smaller packages. |
| Working environment | Restrictions on posture. Bumpy, obstructed or slippery floors. Variations in floor level. Hot, cold or humid conditions. Gusts of wind or other strong air movements. Poor lighting. Restrictions on movement from clothes or PPE. | Remove obstructions to free movement. Provide better flooring or slip-resistant footwear. Avoid steps and steep ramps. Prevent extremes of heat and cold. Improve ventilation and lighting. Provide suitable protective clothing or PPE that is less restrictive. |
| Individual | Does the job require unusual capability, such as above-average strength or agility? Does it pose a risk to people with a health problem or a learning or physical disability? To new or expectant mothers? To new or young workers? Does it call for special information or training? | Consider the design of the task. Pay particular attention to those with a physical weakness. Take extra care with new or expectant mothers and new or young workers. Give workers more information, for example on the range of tasks. Provide more training. Get advice from an occupational health adviser if needed. |
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