TRAINING PROGRAM

What is Manual Handling?

Transporting or supporting a load by hand or

bodily force. Manual handling is also sometimes
called manual material handling (MMH).
  Manual Handling covers a wide vaiety of activities
including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling,
carrying or moving.

Carrying
Pulling

Pushing Holding

Striking Lifting
 Manual handling occurs in almost all working environments
(factories,warehouses, building sites, farms, hospitals, offices etc).

 Poor manual handling practice is one of the most common causes of injury in
the workplace and the injuries can be disabling and costly.

Hazards in Manual Handling

Manual handling can result in fatigue, and lead to injuries of the back, neck,
shoulders, arms or other body parts. Two groups of injuries may result from manual
handling:
1. Cuts, bruises, fractures etc, due to sudden, unexpected events such as accidents.
2. Damage to the musculoskeletal system of the body (muscles, ligaments, bones, joints,
blood vessels and nerves) as a consequence of repetitive manual handling. These injuries are
called ‘musculoskeletal disorders’ (MSDs) and can be divided into 3 groups:

 Neck and upper limb disorders

 Lower limb disorders
 Back pain and back injuries.
 Symptoms
 Back or neck pain
 Pain in wrists shoulder or arms
 Stabbing pains in arms or legs
 Painful joints
 Pain, tingling or numbness in hands or feet
 Weakness or clumsiness
 Heaviness
 Burning sensations
 Stiffness
 Swelling
If you start to experience any of these
symptoms don’t ignore them!
What makes Manual Handling
hazardous?
There are several factors that make manual handling hazardous, and increase the risk
of injury. These are called risk factors. The risk factors, particularly for back injury,
are related to 4 aspects of manual handling:

1 3

THE
THE LOAD ENVIRONMENT

2 4

THE
THE TASK
INDIVIDUAL
Risk Assessment of Manual Handling Activities
Simple steps can be followed to carry out an effective risk assessment in the
workplace:

1. Look for the hazards that could cause accidents, injuries or ill health,taking into account
the load, the task, the environment and the operator.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how: evaluate the potential consequences of the
hazards.
3. Decide whether the existing precautions are adequate or whether more should be done:
find ways to reduce the risk.
 Prevention Measures
 To help prevent manual handling injuries in the workplace, you should avoid such tasks
as far as possible. However, where it is not possible to avoid handling a load,
employers must look at the risks of that task and put sensible health and safety
measures in place to prevent and avoid injury.

For any lifting activity If you need to lift something manually-

Always take into account: 1. Reduce the amount of twisting, stooping and
reaching
1. Individual capability 2. Avoid lifting from floor level or above shoulder
2. The nature of the load height, especially heavy loads
3. Environmental conditions 3. Consider how you can minimise carrying
4. Taining distances
4. Assess the weight to be carried and whether the
worker can move the load safely or needs any
help – maybe the load can be broken down to
smaller, lighter components
 When you have to Manually
Handle loads consider:

Remember : TILE

Task - how often, how Individual capability, male

much twisting or bending or female, old or young,
is needed? experienced or
inexperienced?

Load - how heavy? Good Environment - hot, cold,

grip? Bulky? Heavier at uneven floor, windy, stairs?
one end?
The WRONG way
 How To Protect Yourself
 Change positions often; take stretch breaks.
 Maintain Natural Posture whenever possible.
 Eliminate or reduce MSD risk factors.
 Use material handling aids.
 Report MSD symptoms.
 Subject to section 67 (1) of the Factory Act 1955, the maximum
weights which may be lifted or carried by an adult male—a
weight of not more than 55 kilogrammes (121 lbs).

There is no exact weight limit for manual handling. A weight of 20 to 25 kg is

heavy too lift for most people, especially if the load is handled several times in
an hour.

The Solution- Correct Body Posture

 Posture is the position of your body (including your arms, legs and
back) while you are working.
Lifting
TecFhOOnTiqPLuACeEMENT
Stretch Breaks
Safe Manual Handling Points