Manual handling refers to the transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force. This includes lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, or moving items, and it’s a common activity across many sectors. However, when carried out without due care, it can lead to a significant number of workplace injuries, particularly musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), sprains, and strains.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) place a clear duty on employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where possible, assess the risk of injury from unavoidable tasks, and reduce the risk so far as is reasonably practicable. In practice, this means identifying potentially harmful tasks and taking action to make them safer.
Implementing a robust manual handling risk assessment helps businesses not only comply with the law but also reduce injuries, lower absenteeism, and create a culture where health and safety is genuinely prioritised.
Why Conduct a Manual Handling Risk Assessment?
Carrying out a manual handling risk assessment is not simply a tick-box exercise, it’s a legal and practical necessity. From a health standpoint, poor manual handling techniques are a leading cause of work-related injuries, particularly those affecting the back, neck, and upper limbs. Chronic back pain and other MSDs can have long-lasting effects on workers, often leading to long-term absence and even permanent disability.
Under the MHOR ’92, employers are required to avoid the need for hazardous manual handling wherever possible. Where it cannot be avoided, there is a statutory obligation to assess the risk and implement effective control measures. The aim is to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
For businesses, the benefits of conducting effective manual handling risk assessments are considerable. Firstly, they help to significantly reduce sickness absence and the number of workers’ compensation claims, leading to tangible cost savings. Secondly, they support better productivity. When employees are not burdened by injury, morale and output both improve.
In industries that are heavily regulated or where public perception matters, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics, being proactive about manual handling risks enhances your reputation. It demonstrates that you take your responsibilities seriously and are committed to employee welfare.
Core Components of a Risk Assessment
Identifying Tasks & Hazards
The first step in any manual handling risk assessment is to identify all relevant tasks. This could include activities like lifting boxes in a warehouse, pushing trolleys in a retail environment, or handling patients in a healthcare setting. It is essential to review each operation and document what is involved.
However, not all manual handling tasks carry equal risk. Using a simple filter approach helps prioritise which tasks require a more detailed assessment. Tasks involving heavy or awkward loads, repetitive movements, or awkward postures are often the highest risk and should be assessed more thoroughly.
The TILE Framework for Hazard Analysis
To systematically assess risk, the TILE framework is widely used:
- Task: Consider how the task is carried out. Does it involve twisting, stooping, long distances, or repetitive movements? The frequency and duration of the task are also key.
- Individual: Different individuals have varying capabilities. Factors like age, gender, fitness level, pre-existing medical conditions, and experience must be taken into account.
- Load: Assess the load’s weight, shape, and stability. A load that is bulky, unstable, or difficult to grasp increases the risk of injury. Consider whether handling aids are in use or available.
- Environment: Examine the conditions in which the task is performed. Slippery or uneven floors, poor lighting, and temperature extremes can increase the difficulty of manual handling tasks.
Other factors such as the adequacy of personal protective equipment (PPE), the influence of psychosocial stressors, and the availability of training or mechanical aids should also be considered to ensure a well-rounded analysis.
Assessment Tools
For more complex or high-risk tasks, specialist tools can be used to quantify risk and guide decision-making. These include the Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) for lifting and carrying, the Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling (RAPP) tool, and the Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) tool. The choice of tool depends on the nature of the manual handling activity. These tools provide structured, evidence-based methods to help assess risks systematically.
How Much Detail? Levels of Risk Assessment
Not every task requires a detailed assessment. Many low-risk activities can be addressed with an informal review. However, when a task is identified as potentially hazardous, a more detailed approach is essential.
The level of detail should correspond with the level of risk. For instance, if a lifting task involves a heavy, awkward object in a confined space and must be performed frequently, a detailed assessment using the MAC tool can help identify specific areas of concern. These tools provide colour-coded risk levels or numerical scores that help assess the urgency of interventions.
The process should always be documented, and the rationale for chosen control measures clearly explained.
Implementing Control Measures
Once risks have been identified, control measures must be implemented according to the hierarchy of risk control.
The first priority should always be to eliminate the hazard altogether, for example by automating the task. If elimination isn’t possible, substituting the task with a less hazardous one, such as using mechanical aids like hoists or conveyors, can reduce the risk.
Engineering controls, such as redesigning the workspace or using height-adjustable workstations, help make tasks safer. Administrative controls include changing work practices, such as introducing job rotation, scheduled breaks, or detailed standard operating procedures.
Although PPE like gloves and safety boots may help in some instances, it should always be treated as the last line of defence, used only in conjunction with other measures.
Training and supervision are critical. Staff should receive instruction in safe handling techniques, correct use of mechanical aids, and dynamic risk assessment to be able to judge risk in real time and adjust their behaviour accordingly.
Review, Monitor & Maintain
Manual handling risk assessments should not be static. They must be reviewed regularly, especially following an incident, equipment failure, or when there is a significant change in the task or workplace layout.
Dynamic risk assessment should also be embedded in everyday practice. Employees should be encouraged to continually assess risk as they work and raise concerns when conditions change.
Engaging workers in the review process and seeking their feedback can highlight issues that may be missed by management alone. It also reinforces a shared responsibility for safety.
Maintaining an up-to-date risk assessment not only supports compliance but is also a practical way to identify opportunities for further improvement and innovation.
How Kingfisher Professional Services Can Help
Kingfisher Professional Services offers comprehensive support for manual handling risk assessments and control strategies. Our services include:
- Consultancy: Bespoke manual handling risk assessments tailored to your organisation, incorporating the TILE framework to ensure thorough analysis.
- Training: We offer practical, engaging training for employees, including train-the-trainer programmes to help organisations build internal capability. Our training supports compliance with MAC, RAPP, and ART tools.
- Ongoing Support: We provide scheduled review services, post-incident investigations, and guidance to keep your practices aligned with evolving legislation and industry best practice.
With Kingfisher’s expert support, your business can reduce risk, enhance safety, and achieve long-term compliance and wellbeing.
Conclusion
Manual handling risk assessments are an essential part of any organisation’s health and safety strategy. They help prevent injury, ensure legal compliance, and contribute to a safer, more efficient workplace.
At Kingfisher Professional Services, we combine expert consultancy with tailored training and practical support to help you manage manual handling risks effectively. Contact us today to learn how we can support your workplace with comprehensive manual handling assessments and training solutions.