What are the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

The HSE defines manual handling as the act of “transporting or supporting a load by hand or bodily force”. This can include any type of carrying, lifting, lowering, pushing or pulling. If you are moving a load without using a piece of equipment or a machine to assist you, this is classed as manual handling.

A ‘load’ is defined by the HSE as any kind of movable object or animal. Human beings can also be considered loads.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main piece of legislation governing the moving and handling of loads manually at work.

These regulations outline the duties and responsibilities of both employers and employees with regard to safe manual handling. The regulations provide a set of instructions designed to avoid injuries or ill health caused by hazardous manual handling practices.

When performed incorrectly, manual handling duties can cause a range of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs include any type of injury or condition that causes pain in the joints, back or limbs.

More than 500,000 workers in the UK suffer from work-related MSDs, according to the current health and safety statistics from the HSE. These conditions amount to 32% of all reported work-related ill health. Approximately 43% of cases involve the back, and 39% are injuries to the upper limbs or neck. The remaining 20% are MSDs affecting the lower limbs.

Almost every workplace environment imaginable has manual handling risks. Construction workers, factory workers and health workers, for instance, are often required to perform repetitive manual handling tasks and so have a greater risk of developing an MSD.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 were brought into force to provide employers and employees with guidelines on how to safely handle loads without incurring an injury.

Under the Regulations, employers must avoid the need for any kind of hazardous manual handling work ‘so far as reasonably practicable’.

If the situation cannot be avoided, an employer must assess the risk and then mitigate or eliminate it. Once a risk assessment has been performed, an employer must take steps to reduce the risk of injury to ‘the lowest level reasonably practicable.’

Alternative methods or specialised manual handling machinery or equipment must be provided where necessary. Employers must ensure that all staff have received sufficient manual handling training and are kept informed of all risks associated with their daily tasks.

For their part, employees must ensure they follow safe work practices, use any provided equipment safely and correctly and cooperate with their employer regarding any health and safety issues.

Employees must also inform managers immediately if they become aware of any manual handling risks in the workplace. Employees should make sure that their own actions do not put themselves or other people at risk.

Note: There is no weight limit imposed by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. The ‘lifting and lowering risk filter’ in the HSE’s manual handling at work guidance shows a maximum weight of 25kg for men and 16kg for women at optimal lifting height. However, it notes that these guidelines make broad assumptions and generalisations and are not ‘safe limits’.

Preventing manual handling risks entails considering ways to eliminate potentially hazardous situations.

Is it possible to avoid moving a load by completing a task in a different way? If there is no way to avoid moving the load, then the optimum way of moving should be considered.

Can the load be moved using machinery or equipment? If so, employers and managers need to ensure that staff are properly trained in how to correctly use the equipment or machinery.

By carefully considering all options available to them, managers and staff can avoid or mitigate the risks associated with manual handling duties.

Risk assessments are crucial when dealing with any manual handling situations. Whenever there is a manual handling task that must be completed, a risk assessment should be done to gauge how hazardous the situation is.

All areas of risk should be assessed, including:

• The nature of the task
• The load itself
• The workplace environment
• The capacity of the individual/s involved
• Materials or equipment that is being used
• The frequency, pace, and duration of the tasks

Certain workers may be at higher risk of injury than others. Managers and employers should carefully consider the needs of:

• Women who are pregnant or have recently given birth
• People with disabilities
• New, inexperienced or temporary employees
• Elderly workers
• Homeworkers, lone workers, or home office workers
• Workers who do not have English as a first language

Psychosocial risks must also be taken into account when performing a risk assessment. For example, factors such as deadlines and excessive workloads can result in workers not following correct procedures.

Manual handling tasks are commonplace in the majority of workplaces. To avoid accidents and injuries, correct manual handling procedures should be followed. Adhering to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 will ensure that all workers use proper manual handling techniques.

Human Focus offers courses that cover the key information employers and employees need to uphold health and safety at work. Our Manual Handling Training course provides crucial information on avoiding risks of manual handling.