The following steps and flowchart (.pdf) will help you to carry out a suitable and sufficient manual handling risk assessment.
- First, think about the routine and the non-routine manual handling operations that may be carried out in your area. Speak to people and gather information on the range of activities carried out to get an understanding of the possible problems. You should have in your general risk assessments already identified the manual handling that may cause injury.
- The next step is deciding whether the manual handling activity can be eliminated or avoided. If it can be eliminated or avoided record that on your risk assessment.
- If it cannot be avoided or eliminated, consider whether it can be automated or mechanised, bearing in mind that this may introduce other risks.
- If it cannot be eliminated, avoided, automated or mechanised you will need risk assess the activity and decide how detailed your manual handling risk assessments should be. You can use our detailed risk assessment guidance (.pdf) to help you identify whether the manual handling activity is low or high risk. If it is within the filter values the activity is probably low risk and the findings can be recorded in your general risk assessment. If it is outside the filter values the activity will need a manual handling risk assessment because it is likely to be high risk.
Who carries out risk assessments
Everyone will be able to use the simple filter in the risk assessment guidance (.pdf) to identify low risk or high risk manual handling activities. It is recommended that the low-risk manual handling findings on general risk assessments are recorded by someone who has completed risk assessment training. However, if you have high risk manual handling activities, the assessor will need to be competent in using the HSE toolkits and the full assessments. It is recommended that for departments and sections where manual handling forms a significant part of the workload, key employees are trained to assess the high-risk activities.
Carrying out a detailed risk assessment
You will need to examine the manual handling activity risks. They are grouped into task, individual, load, environment and other factors (TILEO).
Task - how the activity is organised and covers duration, frequency performed, ability to take breaks, the position of the load in space in relation to the person moving it, as well as the position of the person in the workplace carrying it out.
Individual capabilities - the ability of the person carrying out the task and personal attributes that may increase the risk of harm. It includes consideration of existing health problems, pregnancy, young workers, level of training and specialist needs.
Load - what is moved and the characteristics of the load. Size and weight as well as stability and other hazardous properties.
Environment - where the task is carried out and the factors that may increase risk, such as postural constraints, lighting, floor condition, ramps and stairs.
Other factors - for example, including the impact of personal protective equipment and clothing.
There are two levels of manual handling assessment:
You may find that for complex tasks more than one detailed manual handling risk assessment is required to take into account the lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling aspects of the activity. Advice and support on manual handling assessment is available from the Health and Safety Team.