Manual Handling Assessment

The number of working days lost due to musculoskeletal injuries, such as may be caused by manual handling, run into the millions and the personal suffering caused is immense. Therefore, there is a legal duty for employers to avoid manual handling operations if it is reasonably practicable, that is, if the cost in time and money to do so is not grossly disproportionate to the benefits gained. Otherwise you are required to assess the hazards associated with the task and to reduce the risk of injury as far as you can.

Our trained Manual Handling Assessor* will carry out assessments using either the in depth system outlined in the Approved Code of Practice to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations, or the MAC system (manual handling assessment chart tool developed by the HSE), depending on which is most appropriate.

We are able to help in the development of systems of guidance for manual handling of constantly varying loads, e.g. in retail distribution warehouses, where assessing the lifting of each individual load would be onerous. In more repetitive cases, we can advise on changes to storage, use of mechanical lifting equipment, provision of aids to grip and control and methods of lifting.

* The HSE's Health and Safety Laboratory 'Manual Handling for Assessors' course.