Manual handling risk assessment tools

What are my duties?

The Manual Handling operations regulations require employers to:

avoid

the need for manual handling operations;

assess

the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that carn’t be avoided; and

reduce

the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Factors to consider when making an assessment

It is important to identify all the significant risks of injury, and point the way to practical improvements. Getting to Grips with Manual Handling: A Short Guide provides information about factors which employers should consider when making a risk assessment.

Risk assessment filter (general risk assessment guidelines)

A full assessment of every manual handling operation could be a major undertaking and might involve wasted effort. To enable assessment work to be concentrated where it is needed most, Getting to Grips with Manual Handling: A Short Guide gives further numerical guidelines which can be used as an initial risk assessment filter.

Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC Tool)

Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC Tool) [204KB] is a new tool designed to help employers assess common injury risk factors in lifting and lowering, carrying, and team handling operations. Employers may find the MAC tool useful to identify levels of risk in manual handling operations and to help complete risk assessments.