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Manual handling risk assessment: HSE lifting filters and employer duties

Manual handling means lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying or supporting a load by hand or bodily force, and it is one of the main causes of musculoskeletal disorders. This page explains the legal hierarchy and HSE's simple risk filters, based on leaflet INDG143.

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Answers are written by a language model solely from this base's documents, with numbered sources. They can be wrong and aren't legal, medical or financial advice: check the sources before any important decision.

The hierarchy employers must follow

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations set out three steps: avoid hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable, assess the risk of any handling that cannot be avoided, and reduce that risk to as low as reasonably practicable.

Avoiding handling can mean redesigning the task, delivering materials directly where they are used, or using conveyors, hoists, pallet trucks or lift trucks. An assessment should consider the task, the load, the environment, individual capacity, handling aids, work organisation and the pace, frequency and duration of the work.

Using HSE's simple risk filters

The lifting and lowering filter gives guideline weights by hand zone. The highest values in the filter are 25 kg for men and 16 kg for women. Values are reduced when handling is done with arms extended or at high or low levels, and if the hands pass through more than one zone, the smallest weight applies. Tasks within the filters do not normally need further assessment unless individual workers are at significant risk.

For seated handling, the filter values are 5 kg for men and 3 kg for women. Pushing and pulling is likely to be low risk when force is applied with the hands, the torso is upright, the hands are between hip and shoulder height and the distance is no more than about 20 m. Otherwise, use the MAC or RAPP tools or a full assessment.

Workers who may be especially at risk

Your assessment should take account of new or expectant mothers, people with disabilities, workers returning after a manual handling injury, inexperienced, young or temporary workers, older workers, lone workers and homeworkers, and migrant workers who may not have English as a first language.

Psychosocial factors such as high workloads, tight deadlines and lack of control over work can also make people more likely to develop musculoskeletal disorders. Encourage workers to report symptoms early, and consider advice from an occupational health provider when symptoms appear.

Frequently asked questions

Is manual handling training on its own enough?

No. HSE says training alone cannot overcome a lack of mechanical aids, badly designed tasks, unsuitable loads or an unsuitable environment. The first objective should be to design handling operations to be as safe as reasonably practicable.

Do I have to write down my manual handling assessment?

If you have fewer than five employees you do not have to, although it is useful for later reviews. Any record should be simple, focused on controls, and reviewed when processes or workers change.

What duties do workers have?

Workers should follow safe systems of work, use equipment provided for their safety properly, cooperate with the employer, report changes or hazardous handling, and avoid putting others at risk.

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