EXERCISE

Manual Handling Procedures and Techniques

during Loading and Unloading of Materials
and Farm Products
Manual Material Handling
is the process of transporting, moving, or supporting of
loads by physical force from farms to storage or market
and vice- versa.
Manual Handling Tasks:

PUSHING PULLING LIFTING CARRYING

Manual Material Handling
is the process of transporting, moving, or supporting of loads
by physical force from farms to storage or market and vice-
versa. Pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying are all examples of

Manual Handling Tasks:

PUTTING DOWN MOVING SUPPORTING

for long distance of loads/travel:

→Vehicles
→Carts
→ Wheelbarrows
→and Other equipment are advised.
The following should be given consideration when
loading and unloading the loads:
1. weight
2. size and shape
3. condition and availability of gripping
4. way of carrying
5. how often you have doing carrying task, and
6. transferring of loads without damage, accidents or
any forms of problem
 Always remember during manual handling of
loads:
 Manual handling accidents and injuries are often caused
by lifting heavy objects, including animals incorrectly.
 Always keep the load close to your body, bend your
knees (instead of your back) and lift with your thigh
muscles. Never lift with your back.
 Organize your work area to reduce the amount of
bending, twisting, and stretching required.
Always remember during manual handling of
loads:
 Plan. Consider the safest possible ways of
lifting, carrying, holding, lowering,
pushing, and pulling.
Improper handling of loads result to
injuries, accidents, and unsafe situation
Occupational Health and Safety
(OHS)
guidelines and procedures require you to avoid improper and hazardous
practices in manual handling which may result only to injuries, accidents
and damage of loads and equipment.
 Click icon to add picture
AVOIDING ASSESSING

Procedures
and
LIFTING
Techniques REDUCING
SAFELY
Avoiding
- Consider whether you must move the load
manually at all. If possible, eliminate manual
handling completely
Remember the work in the farm do not set specific
requirements such as weight limits. So, consider:

 the task.
 the load.
 the person’s capability; and
 the working conditions.
Assessing
- identify the possible risks and problems
that can damage the loads and vehicles or
can injure and put your health and safety
to risks. Determine how the problems can
hurt or harm everybody and everything.
Identify the problems, e.g., loads that:
 weigh over 25 kg or are difficult to handle
because of their size or shape.
 need frequent lifting or lowering or carrying
over long distances.
 are difficult to maneuver, and/or involve twisting
or lifting above shoulder height or from the floor.
Reducing
- If you cannot eliminate the risk,
look at how you can reduce it to
an acceptable level. for example:
 Use mechanical assistance and/or lifting aids.
 Change to smaller, lighter unit sizes, e.g., use
feed blocks or feed bags weighing 25 kg or less.
 Reduce lifting or carrying distances by
providing mechanical or other ways to move
goods.
 Find improved ways of handling.
 Lifting Safely
1. Think before handling or lifting:
 Where is the load going to be placed?
 Can I use handling aids?
 Do I need help with the load?
2. Keep the load close to your waist for as long as possible
while lifting.
3. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to your body
4. Adopt a stable position: Have your feet apart with
one leg slightly forward to maintain balance
(alongside the load if it is on the ground).

5. Ensure a good hold on the load: Where possible,

hug the load as close as possible to your body. This
may be better than gripping it tightly with the
hands.
6. Bend your back, hips and knees slightly at the start of the
lift: This is better than either fully flexing the back (stooping)
or fully flexing the hips andknees (full/deep squatting).

7. Don’t flex your back any further while lifting: This can
happen if your legs begin to straighten before you start to
raise the load.

8. Avoid twisting your back or leaning sideways, especially

while your back is Bent
9. Keep your shoulders level and facing in the same
direction as your hips. Turning by moving the feet is
better than twisting and lifting at the same time.

10.Keep your head up while handling: Look ahead, not

down at the load, when you are holding it securely.

11. Move smoothly: Don’t jerk or snatch the load as this

can make it harder to control.
13.Don’t lift or handle more than you can
easily manage; There is a difference between
what people can lift and what they can lift
safely.
 Put down, then adjust: If precise
positioning of the load is necessary, put it
down first, then slide it into the desired
position.
Proper Lifting Technique
1. Keep a wide base of support.
2. Squat down, bending at the hips and knees only.
3. Keep good posture.
4. Slowly lift by straightening your hips and knees (not
your back).
5. Hold the load as close to your body as possible, at the
level of your belly button.
6. Use your feet to change direction, taking small steps.
Correct and wrong posture/ position in lifting
heavy loads
 

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on your notebook.
1. is the process of transporting, moving or supporting of
loads by physical force from farms to storage or market
and vice-versa?
A. manual handling of materials C. pushing
B. lifting of box D. carrying

2. Which of the following could not be considered as one

of the practices of manual handling of materials?
A. Transporting C. lifting
B. running D. pushing
3. Which of the following is not one of the suggested
techniques for a correct manual handling of materials?

A. Keep the load close to your waist for as long as

possible while lifting.
B. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to your
body.
C. Bend your body from legs to back in lifting up
the object.
D. Adopt a stable position: Have your feet apart
with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance
(alongside the load if it is on the ground)
4. Which of the following statement is a correct
technique in manual handling?

A. Bend your body from legs to back in lifting the

object.
B. Twist your body, if necessary, to make you reach
the object.
C. Bend your knee and push away the objects from
your body.
D. Keep your head up while handling: Look ahead,
not down at the load, when you are holding it
securely.
5. Which of the following postures or positions is correct?

A B C D
6. Identify the wrong posture or position in handling load?

A B C D
 7. Identify the position or posture at the right side.
A. lifting
B. pulling
C. carrying
D. holding

8. Identify the posture or position at the right side.

A. holding
B. pulling
C. carrying
D. lifting
9. Where should you position your arms and the load when you
transfer it.?

A. Keep the arms close to the side of the body or waist as well as the
load.

B. Grip the load and hug it closely to the chest or shoulder level.

C. Extend arms forward so that the loads could not touch and dirt the
clothes.

D. Hug the loads with legs extended side wards.

10. What is the right position of the legs when lifting
of loads?

A. Adopt a stable position: Have your feet close with one leg and fully
forward to maintain balance (alongside the load if it is on the ground)

B. Adopt a stable position: Have your feet apart with one leg slightly
forward to maintain balance (alongside the load if it is on the ground)

C. Keep the legs stride to both sides.

D. While the legs are on bending position, move your body slightly
backward to get the strength.