What are Manual Handling Activities?

Manual handling activities involve moving or supporting things like objects, people, or animals using physical effort. These tasks include lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing, pulling, twisting, and helping hold things still.

In healthcare, manual handling often means helping patients move, like sitting, standing, walking, or getting in and out of vehicles.

In warehouses and factories, manual handling can include activities like lifting heavy boxes, carrying tools, pushing carts, or moving materials in factories or warehouses.

It can also involve handling animals in farms or veterinary work, loading and unloading trucks, and stocking shelves in stores. In construction, workers might lift heavy equipment or move materials, and in kitchens, staff may carry large pots, trays, or food supplies.

Using the right techniques and equipment, like hoists or transfer boards, helps reduce the risk of injury for both workers and patients.

👉Test Your Knowledge: Free Manual Handling Quiz (with certificate).

What are Manual Handling Activities?

Manual handling activities involve using physical force to move or support something. These activities include:

• Lifting objects
• Lowering items
• Pushing loads
• Pulling loads
• Carrying objects
• Holding items
• Throwing objects
• Putting down loads

Manual handling can happen in many workplaces, like stocking shelves, moving furniture, lifting laundry bags, carrying tools, or helping people stand. In jobs like healthcare, farming, building, and factories, manual handling happens often and can be more risky because of how often it’s done.

It’s important to remember that manual handling can cause injuries if not done the right way.

These injuries can be bruises, cuts, sprained muscles, hernias, or even broken bones. To prevent injuries, both employers and workers should use the right techniques and follow safety rules.

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Common Manual Handling Injuries

The most common injuries from manual handling activities include:

• Back Injuries: These happen often due to poor lifting techniques or heavy loads. They can cause pulled muscles, slipped discs, or even broken bones.
• Muscle and Joint Problems (Musculoskeletal Disorders): Repeated tasks or overexertion can hurt muscles, bones, and joints, leading to pain, especially in the lower back.
• Strains and Sprains: Twisting or overstretching muscles can cause these injuries, which are painful and may take time to heal.
• Hand Injuries: Cuts, fractures, or burns can occur if objects are not handled carefully.
• Foot Injuries: Dropping heavy loads can bruise or break feet and toes.
• Shoulder Injuries: Lifting incorrectly can dislocate shoulders or damage muscles.
• Neck Injuries: Heavy loads or poor techniques can strain neck muscles, causing stiffness and pain.
• Hernias: Lifting too much weight can strain stomach muscles, leading to hernias that might need surgery.
• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI): Doing the same task repeatedly can overwork certain body parts, causing pain over time.
• Cuts and Lacerations: Sharp or rough objects can easily cause injuries if not handled properly.

Proper training and safe practices are critical to avoid these injuries.

Common Mistakes from Manual Handling Activities

Common mistakes that can cause injuries from lifting or moving things include:

• Lifting in the wrong way
• Bending with your back instead of your knees
• Bending your back when you lift
• Using your back muscles instead of your legs
• Thinking you are stronger than you are
• Lifting things that are too heavy
• Not checking how heavy objects or something is before lifting
• Rushing to finish the task
• Not taking time to use the right way to lift
• Not making the workspace safe
• Not using tools or equipment to help lift
• Not getting enough training
• Not knowing how to use equipment properly
• Twisting your body when lifting
• Turning your body when lifting or carrying
• Not turning with your feet when changing direction
• Not checking the area for things in the way
• Not looking for obstacles or hazards
• Forgetting about tripping dangers
• Holding things wrong
• Not keeping things close to your body
• Carrying objects with a weak grip or bad balance
• Not planning before you lift
• Not thinking of safer ways to move heavy things
• Not seeing risks
• Ignoring hazards in easy tasks
• Forgetting how small movements can add up

You should try to avoid these mistakes and using the right lifting methods, workers can lower the chances of getting hurt.

📚Related Post: 5 Principles of Moving and Handling.

Examples of Manual Handling Activities

Manual handling activities involve moving or supporting things by hand or body strength. Some examples are:

• Lifting: Picking up heavy boxes, tools, or building materials like bricks.
• Lowering: Moving things from a high place to a low place, like unstacking goods in a warehouse.
• Carrying: Moving tools, materials, or supplies across a workspace.
• Pushing: Using force to move trolleys, carts, or heavy machines.
• Pulling: Dragging loads, like pulling carts or pallets across the floor.

Other manual handling examples include:

• Stocking shelves in stores
• Moving furniture or big items in warehouses
• Handling farming machines
• Lifting and carrying office supplies like printer paper
• Using machines or aids to lift things
• Helping patients in healthcare

These tasks are common in many jobs, such as in construction, farming, healthcare, and retail. It is important to be trained and follow safety rules to avoid injuries while doing these activities.

How to Practice Proper Lifting Methods and Avoid Manual Handling Injuries

To lift safely and avoid injuries, follow these important steps:

• Plan before lifting
  • Check how heavy and big the item is.
  • Make sure the path is clear.
  • Ask for help or use lifting aids if it’s too heavy.
• Use the right form
  • Keep your back straight and bend your knees.
  • Lift with your legs, not your back.
  • Keep the load close to your body.
  • Keep your shoulders and hips in line.
  • Don’t twist or lean sideways while lifting.
• Get a good grip
  • Use both hands to hold the load tight.
  • Wear gloves if you need help gripping.
• Move smoothly
  • Lift, carry, and lower the load gently.
  • Don’t make sudden or jerky movements.
• Warm up before lifting
  • Stretch your muscles before lifting.
  • Cold muscles can get hurt more easily.
• Start with lighter weights
  • Learn the right form with lighter items first.
  • Slowly lift heavier items as you get stronger.
• Listen to your body
  • Stop if you feel pain or discomfort.
  • Don’t push yourself too hard.
• Breathe properly
  • Breathe out when lifting, breathe in when lowering.
• Ask for help
  • Work with a trainer or someone experienced to learn the right way.
  • Ask for feedback to improve your form.

You should care practice these steps to lift safely and avoid injuries. Manual handling injuries can have long-term impact on one’s health and lifestyle. It is better to be safe than sorry.

How can workplaces improve manual handling safety

Managers can improve workplace safety by make manual handling safer by doing these things:

Use Machines and Tools

• Give workers tools like trolleys, hoists, and conveyor belts to help move things without lifting them.

Check for Risks

• Regularly check if any tasks are dangerous and find ways to make them safer.

Change the Work Area

• Move things so workers don’t have to carry them too far or in awkward ways.
• Store heavy things at a good height, like waist height, to make lifting easier.

Teach Workers the Right Way to Lift

• Train workers on how to lift things safely and how to use tools correctly.
• Offer classes again later to remind workers how to stay safe.

Make Loads Lighter

• Make big loads smaller or lighter to make them easier to carry.

Make the Work Area Safe

• Make sure there is enough space, good floors, and enough light.
• Change the temperature if it’s unsafe for lifting.

Give Workers Breaks

• Keep track of how much work workers do and make sure they take breaks to rest.

Check if Workers Can Lift Safely

• Look at what each worker can do to make sure they can handle the job safely.

Give Protective Gear

• Give workers gloves and shoes with good grip to protect them.

Avoid Lifting if Possible

• Don’t make workers lift things if there is an easier way to do it.

By doing these things, workplaces can help keep workers safe from getting hurt.

Regulation Guiding Manual Handling Activities

The main rules for manual handling in the UK are called the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR), which were updated in 2002.

These MHOR regulations guides employers on what they must do:

• Avoid dangerous manual handling: Get rid of risky tasks if possible.
• Assessing risks: Check for risks before doing manual handling tasks that can’t be avoided.
• Reduce risks: Take steps to lower the chances of injury as much as possible.
• Provide safe work systems: Set up proper rules and methods for safe manual handling.
• Offer training: Teach workers how to handle things safely and use equipment properly.
• Use mechanical aids: Provide equipment like trolleys and hoists to make lifting easier and safer.
• Design safe workspaces: Make sure the workplace is safe for manual handling.
• Do regular reviews: Keep checking and improving how things are done at work.

The regulations say manual handling is anything that involves moving or supporting a load by hand or with body force.

This includes lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, and moving loads.

Employees also have responsibilities, including:

• Using equipment safely
• Following training and procedures
• Working with employers to keep things safe

These rules are meant to prevent injuries and problems with muscles and joints in the workplace.

Training You Need for Manual Handling Activities

To safely perform manual handling activities, you need to complete a manual handling training course.

Manual handling training is very important to keep workers safe and reduce the chance of injuries. The training should teach how to check for risks, do lifting the right way, and understand ergonomics to make sure workers are healthy and work well.

The training should be aimed for the specific tasks that employees do (such as lifting boxes in a warehouse, moving patients in a hospital, or handling construction materials on a building site) and the place where they work (such as a factory floor, an office space, or an outdoor construction site).

It’s important to think about what kind of work is done and how your business operates to decide if manual handling training is needed as part of your health and safety plan.

The training can be accredited (officially recognised) or non-accredited.

Accredited courses are good because they meet certain standards, as they are checked by awarding bodies. Non-accredited courses can be changed to fit your company’s needs but still have to cover the important topics.

If you require a Manual Handling Training, please contact our team via phone or email above. You can as well fill the form below.

Frequency Asked Questions

Our Conclusion

In conclusion, manual handling is important in many workplaces, but it can be dangerous if not done correctly.

Knowing the risks and using the correct techniques can help prevent injuries. Employers must ensure that workers get proper training and follow safety rules.

When manual handling is done safely, businesses can keep workers healthy, reduce time off, and make the workplace more productive. Using the right tools and designing the workspace carefully can also help lower risks.

It’s important to focus on manual handling safety for the health of workers and the success of the company.

Focusing on safe manual handling, businesses can keep workers healthy, lower sick days, and increase productivity. By taking steps to make manual handling safer, companies can create a healthier and more efficient workplace.