Key Principles of Manual Handling

Despite updates in legislation and health and safety equipment, numerous workers continue to injure themselves because they’re using poor manual handling techniques. These injuries have a massive impact on the UK economy and workforces. In fact, UK workforces logged half a million work-related musculoskeletal disorder cases (new or longstanding) in 2019/20 alone. These injuries cost the UK economy around £5.6 billion in claims against companies.

It is clear that, even now, we need to do more to educate our workforces on safe manual handling.

How Do the Manual Handling Regulations Protect Us?

We should follow the legislation and guidance that is in place to protect us. In this case, The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) helps workforces to:

•      Improve the nation’s health and wellbeing

Prevent and control the severity of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

•      Reduce the days lost to the industry by staff absence and associated financial costs

But, before we can follow these regulations, we need to understand exactly what safer manual handling is.

What Is Manual Handling?

Manual handling is the transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force. It applies to the handling of loads by human effort rather than mechanical help. Manual handling manoeuvres include:

•      Carrying

•      Lifting

•      Lowering

•      Pushing

•      Pulling

Before carrying out these manoeuvres, you must learn how to perform safer manual handling techniques correctly.

What Are the Principles of Safer Manual Handling?

OK, so, now you’ll be wondering what the safer manual handling principles are. These are the simple techniques you should adopt to reduce your risk of injury.

1.      Adopt a good posture

2.      Avoid stooping

3.      Adopt a stable base

4.      Hold the load, object or person close

5.      Have a secure grip on the load

6.      Avoid twisting

7.      Use smooth flowing movements

If you follow these key principles, you and your staff will go a long way in protecting yourselves from injury and claims against your company.

ETD’s Online Manual Handling Course

To learn more about the safer principles of manual handling and the legislation that we must all abide by, you can take ETD’s Manual Handling Course. Follow these five simple steps to get started.

·         Create a free company account or single user account, selecting the £12+ VAT payment scheme.

·         Purchase your user accounts using the online Elavon platform.

·         For company accounts, create your user accounts (using unique usernames) and “activate” each user by pressing the “activate” button.

·         Purchase your online training by selecting the courses that you require. Ticking a course will instantly assign it to the user’s account.

·         Once the courses have been assigned, single users can access the course under “my courses”. Company users can log into their account, go to “my courses” and start the training.

If you require any assistance with the online training, then please contact our support team, who will be happy to help.