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Frequently asked questions

A. The MAC is not appropriate for all manual handling operations, and may not comprise a fully 'suitable and sufficient' risk assessment if relied on alone. A full risk assessment will normally need to take account of additional factors such as an individual's health problems or the need for special information and training. The guidance on the MHOR[79] sets out in detail the requirements of an assessment.

People with knowledge and experience of the handling operations, industry specific guidance and specialist advice may also help when completing an assessment. Further information can be found at the MSD site[80].

A. The total scores should be used to help the assessor prioritise remedial actions. The scores provide an indication of which manual handling tasks require attention first. They should only be used for comparison purposes because the total scores do not relate to objective action levels. The scores can also be used as a way of evaluating potential improvements. The most effective improvements will bring about the highest reduction in the score.

A. HSE is aware of the importance of the role of individual[81] and also psychosocial[82] factors. Although not explicitly included within the flow charts, the user is prompted to consider individual and psychosocial factors in the score sheet. Due to space restrictions imposed on the MAC some risks have not been included within the flow chart, which is why it may not be a 'suitable and sufficient' risk assessment on its own. The role of psychosocial[83] and individual[84] factors is covered more thoroughly within this website.

A. Ideally both, but after some experience of using the MAC you should be able to judge which of the task elements poses the greater risk.

A. L23 provides a weight reduction factor for team handling. There has been work on team stretcher carrying but team carrying is more specialised than could be conveniently included in the MAC.

A. For simplicity, the load weight/frequency graphs are applicable to both males and females.

  • The green zone (top of green, bottom of amber) in the graph is based on data that Snook and Ciriello (1991) found acceptable to average females.
  • The amber zone (upper line) is a load and frequency acceptable to average males.
  • The red zone (upper line) is acceptable to 10 percent of males (strong males), until it reaches 50 kg. The 50 kg upper limit of the red zone was selected in line with information in the risk filter (twice the 25 kg upper load level for males). See Appendix of L23[85].
  • The purple zone was added to give an increased level of risk that was considered important by the project team, as a few industrial workers consider it acceptable to lift loads of this magnitude despite the indications of a high risk of injury.

A. The figures in L23 and the lifting graphs in the MAC (and V-MAC) are based on the same data set (Snook and Ciriello, 91), but have different uses. The figures in L23 are designed to identify when a more detailed assessment is required and use data that will provide a reasonable level of protection to 95% of the working population.

The MAC is designed to help the user identify high-risk manual handling operations. The load/frequency graph has been included to show how load, weight and repetition affect the degree of risk during manual handling. This is based on the lifting capabilities of the working population.

A. There is no reference to biomechanical limits in the MAC as calculating them is very complex. However the load/frequency data used are based on Snook and Ciriello's (1991) psychophysical studies.

A. Most patient-handling activities are known to pose at least some risk of MSD to workers. Although the risk assessment principles in the MAC apply to all handling situations, note that the MAC was not designed with patient handling in mind, and therefore may not be appropriate for patient-handling risk assessments. The postures assumed, direction of forces applied, and level of control by workers may differ substantially between typical patient handling and the handling of inanimate objects. In addition, patient-handling risk assessments require an additional set of patient-related factors to be considered, such as the ability of the patient to co-operate and balance, as well as tendencies towards aggressive behaviour.

Reference

Snook SH and Ciriello VM, (1991), The design of manual handling tasks: Revised tables of maximum acceptable weights and forces, Ergonomics 34, 1197-1213.

Link URLs in this page

  1. MSDshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/msds.htm
  2. Back painhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/backpain/index.htm
  3. Upper limb disordershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/index.htm
  4. Lower limb disorders https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/lld/index.htm
  5. Display screen equipment (DSE)https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/index.htm
  6. Manual handling at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/manual-handling/index.htm
  7. Overview - MSD toolkithttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/toolkit.htm
  8. Overview - MAC toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/index.htm
  9. Introduction to MAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/introduction.htm
  10. Developmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/development.htm
  11. Score sheethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/scoresheet.htm
  12. Overview - Liftinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/liftintro.htm
  13. Lifting from pallet videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/liftvid1.htm
  14. Lifting creels of wire videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/liftvid2.htm
  15. Lifting control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/guidance01a.htm
  16. Overview - Carryinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/carryintro.htm
  17. Carrying from conveyor videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/carryvid1.htm
  18. Carrying task in pastry factory videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/carryvid2.htm
  19. Carrying control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/guidance02a.htm
  20. Overview - Team handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/teamintro.htm
  21. Team handling pallet videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/teamvid1.htm
  22. Team handling container videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/teamvid2.htm
  23. Team handling control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/guidance03a.htm
  24. Psychosocial risk factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/psychosocial.htm
  25. Individual differenceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/individuals.htm
  26. MAC assessment tipshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/tips.htm
  27. MAC FAQhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/faq.htm
  28. Overview - V-MAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/index.htm
  29. Advantages and limitationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/1-advantages-limitations.htm
  30. What you need to knowhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/2-what-you-need-to-know-before.htm
  31. How to use the V-MAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/3-how-to-use.htm
  32. Which jobs and workers to assesshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/4-which-jobs-workers-to-assess.htm
  33. Entering datahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/5-entering-data.htm
  34. What does the V-MAC tell you?https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/6-what-does-vmac-tell-you.htm
  35. Values in the summary tablehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/7-summary-tables.htm
  36. Recording and usinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/8-recording-and-using.htm
  37. Worked exampleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/9-worked-examples.htm
  38. V-MAC FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/mac/vmac/10-faqs.htm
  39. Overview - ART toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/index.htm
  40. What is the ART toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/whatis.htm
  41. Overview - Learning to use the ART toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/learning.htm
  42. Preparationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/preparation.htm
  43. Risk factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/riskfactors.htm
  44. Observationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/observation.htm
  45. Overview - Making an assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/assessment.htm
  46. Task descriptionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/task.htm
  47. Overview - Assessment guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/assessguide.htm
  48. A. Frequency and repetition of movementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/freqrep.htm
  49. B. Forcehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/forceassessment.htm
  50. C. Awkward postureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/awkpostures.htm
  51. D. Additional factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/addfactors.htm
  52. Score sheethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/score.htm
  53. A walkthroughhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/walkthrough.htm
  54. Overview - Try it outhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/try.htm
  55. Book bindinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/bookbinding.htm
  56. Jogging sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/jogging.htm
  57. Collating papershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/papers.htm
  58. Whisky carton assemblyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/cartonassembly.htm
  59. Croissant curlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/croissant.htm
  60. Overview - Analysis and actionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/analysis.htm
  61. What the scores meanhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/scoresmean.htm
  62. Analysing task rotationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/rotation.htm
  63. Overview - Taking actionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/action.htm
  64. Repetitionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/repetition.htm
  65. Forcehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/force.htm
  66. Posturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/posture.htm
  67. Durationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/duration.htm
  68. Physical environmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/environment.htm
  69. Psychosocial issueshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/psychosocial.htm
  70. Art Tool Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/resources.htm
  71. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/uld/art/faq.htm
  72. Overview - RAPP toolhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/pushpull/index.htm
  73. Push/pull riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/pushpull/risks.htm
  74. Push/pull risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/pushpull/assessment.htm
  75. The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/legislation.htm
  76. Health monitoringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/health-monitoring.htm
  77. Workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/workers-msds.htm
  78. Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/resources.htm
  79. MHORhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l23.htm
  80. MSD sitehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/index.htm
  81. individualhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/individuals.htm
  82. psychosocialhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/psychosocial.htm
  83. psychosocialhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/psychosocial.htm
  84. individualhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/individuals.htm
  85. L23https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l23.htm
  86. Manual handling at work: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.htm
  87. Managing upper limb disorders in the workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg171.htm
  88. Manual handling assessment charts (the MAC tool) https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg383.htm
  89. Risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) tool https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg478.htm
  90. Assessment of repetitive tasks of the upper limbs (the ART tool)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg438.htm
  91. Display screen equipment (DSE)https://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/index.htm
  92. Manual handling at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/manual-handling/index.htm

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Updated 2021-01-26