Essential Safe Lifting Techniques for Manual Handling

All manual handling work must be risk assessed and suitably controlled under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR).

Under MHOR, employers are required to identify potential hazards, assess the risks and implement measures to control these risks. Controlling these risks includes providing suitable manual handling training relevant to the work. Employees, in turn, are required to apply safe lifting principles in their daily tasks.

However, injury statistics suggest this isn’t happening consistently in workplaces.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), manual handling accounts for 17% of all non-fatal injuries​​. These injuries can be grouped into two types: immediate and long-term.

• Immediate Injuries: These happen from one-time accidents or mishandling loads. They include sprains, fractures or cuts.
• Long-term Injuries: These develop over time because workers lift loads without proper technique or help. They include chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

HSE injury data comes from employer reports made under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Under RIDDOR, employers must notify HSE of “reportable” (i.e. severe) injuries or injuries that cause absences over seven days.

About four times as many manual handling injuries cause absences over seven days compared to reportable injuries.

Immediate injuries are obviously worrying, but the high number of seven-day absences suggests that workers are risking their long-term health by not consistently following manual handling best practices. This shows how important it is to always use safe lifting techniques at work.

Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR), employers should first attempt to eliminate manual handling tasks entirely by redesigning work processes or mechanising systems. If this isn’t practical, then manual handling tasks should be risk assessed and made safe.

You’re required to train workers in safe lifting techniques relevant to the tasks they’re expected to carry out. But training is only one way to reduce injury risks.

Each lift is different and must be assessed and made safe accordingly, so workers should be trained to use TILE before committing to a lift.

TILE stands for Task, Individual, Load, and Environment. When lifting loads, workers can use this framework to evaluate the risks and plan the necessary precautions:

Assess the specifics of the task:

• Are you pushing, pulling, lifting or carrying?
• Can you keep the load safely against your body and below shoulder height throughout the task?
• Are manual handling aids, like trolleys or pallet trucks, needed? And if they are, are they in good condition?
• Has personal protective equipment, such as gloves, been provided?

You should be confident you can handle the lift without risking injury. Consider your capabilities:

• Are you physically strong enough to lift the load safely?
• Is your height a risk factor? (This is particularly relevant for team lifting.)
• Do you have any existing health conditions that could be made worse?

Examine the load itself:

• How heavy is the load? There are no set weight limits for manual handling, but loads over 20kg should typically be split into more manageable parts.
• Is the weight evenly distributed? Heavier sides should be kept close to your body during lifting.
• Is the load difficult to grip? Accident risks are increased when loads are awkward or painful to hold.
• Is the load stable? If stability isn’t guaranteed, it’s unsafe to lift manually.

Assess the environment where the lift will take place.

• Do you have enough space to move freely? Without twisting or stooping?
• Is the floor uneven, cluttered or slippery?
• Are there stairs or steps on the planned route?
• Is the temperature suitable? Working in extremely hot or cold conditions increases injury risks.

After completing a TILE assessment, you should be confident you can carry out the manual handling task without unreasonable risk of injury. It’s then time to lift the load using the proper technique.

Safe lifting techniques follow the principles of ergonomics – the science of designing work to fit our bodies. We’re strongest when upright, standing on two feet and looking straight ahead, so this should be your ‘home’ position for safe manual handling.

Of course, you’ll inevitably need to pick up and place loads during manual handling activities. So, we’ve outlined how you can minimise injury risks with smart lifting practices below.

When picking up loads, it’s crucial to use the correct technique to prevent injury. Here are the key points to remember:

• Stable Base: Start with a stable base. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly forward. This helps you maintain balance and stability.
• Bend Your Knees: Avoid bending at the waist. Instead, bend your knees and keep your back straight. This reduces the strain on your back and uses your leg muscles to lift.
• Keep the Load Close: Hold the load as close to your body as possible. This reduces the leverage on your back and makes the lift easier.
• Avoid Twisting: When lifting, avoid twisting your back. Move your feet to turn instead of twisting your torso.
• Secure Grip: Before lifting, ensure you have a firm grip on the load. Use both hands to keep the load balanced.

Carrying and placing loads correctly is just as important as lifting them. Follow these guidelines:

• Keep the Load Close: As you carry the load, keep it close to your body to reduce strain on your back.
• Maintain Good Posture: Keep your back straight and shoulders back. Use your legs to support the weight.
• Avoid Overreaching: Avoid stretching or reaching too far when placing the load. Move closer to where you need to place the load to maintain control.

Pushing or pulling loads can be safer than lifting, but it still requires proper technique:

• Use Suitable Equipment: Use trolleys, pallet trucks, or other mechanical aids to move heavy loads. Ensure the equipment is in good condition and suitable for the task.
• Push, Don’t Pull: Whenever possible, push the load rather than pull it. Pushing allows you to use your body weight and reduces the risk of injury.
• Maintain an Upright Posture: Keep your back straight and avoid twisting. Ensure the equipment’s handles are at a comfortable height, between shoulder and waist level.
• Control the Load: Move the load slowly and steadily. Avoid sudden movements and ensure you can see where you are going.

Even with proper form, fatigue will set in and increase injury risks. Repeating the same movement patterns day in and day out also makes long-term injuries more likely.

Alternate tasks throughout the workday so team members can rest between bouts of manual handling. Adopt this approach over longer timeframes, too, so workers aren’t carrying out the same exact tasks every day.

Training workers in safe lifting techniques is essential for compliance, safety and productivity.

However, one-off training sessions are ineffective. Even experienced workers can default to unsafe lifting techniques without regular reinforcement. You should monitor manual handling in your workplace to recognise when training needs to be repeated.

Online training offers several clear benefits. It’s easy to share with workers and can be paused during busy periods.

Our Manual Handling Training leverages these benefits. You can assign courses quickly, monitor progress and let employees learn at their own pace. This flexibility helps ensure workers understand, retain and, most importantly, apply the techniques covered.

We also provide specialised courses for different work environments, ensuring that the lifting techniques taught are relevant to your work. Whether your employees are in warehouses, manufacturing, construction or offices, our training modules cover all necessary aspects to keep them safe and compliant.