CONTENTS

Construction Site Safety

9. Manual Handling

Introduction L21 The Management of Health and Safety at

Work Regulations 1992. Approved Code of
Over 20% of all accidents occurring in the Practice
construction industry each year involve injuries
sustained whilst manually lifting and handling L 23 Manual Handling. The Manual Handling
materials or equipment. Although employing less Operations Regulations 1992. Guidance on
than 10% of the country’s work force, the regulations
construction industry accounts for 25% of all
injury accidents. Summary of regulations
All construction and building work involves lifting The Manual Handling Operations Regulations
and handling to some extent. Although mechanical 1992 outline how to deal with risks to the safety
equipment should be used whenever practicable, and health of employees who have to carry out
much of the work will inevitably continue to be manual handling in the course of their
done manually. The risk of injury can be greatly employment, as follows:
reduced by a knowledge and application of correct
1. Assess the manual handling task to
lifting and handling techniques and by taking a few
reduce any risk that may be inherent in
elementary precautions.
the operation.

Legislation 2. Avoid the need to carry out manual

handling as far as possible.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
3. Where a risk is identified, implement
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations measures to reduce that risk.
1992
The requirements relevant to lifting and handling
The Management of Health and Safety at Work are as follows:
Regulations 1999
Employer’s duties
References Each employer shall, so far as is reasonably
practicable, avoid the need for employees to
HSE publications undertake any manual handling operations at work,
HSG 48 Human factors in industrial safety which involve a risk of their being injured;

HSG 60 Work related upper limb disorders; a or

guide to prevention where this is not reasonably practicable, each
HSG 96 The cost of accidents at work employer shall:
• make a suitable and sufficient assessment
INDG 90 Ergonomics at work of all such manual handling operations to
be undertaken by them, having regard to
INDG 110 Lighten the load: guidance for those points contained in Appendix A of
employees on musculoskeletal disorders this note
INDG 143 Getting to grips with manual handling • take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of
injury to those employees arising out of
their undertaking any manual handling
operations to the lowest level which is
reasonably practicable

© Construction Industry Training Board GE 700/9

March 1994
CONTENTS FIRST PAGE

• make full and proper use of any system of

• take appropriate steps to provide any of
work provided for his use in connection
those employees who are undertaking any
with manual handling by his employer
manual handling operations with general
indications and, where it is reasonably Reference
practicable to do so, precise information on: The Manual Handling Operations Regulations
the weight of each load 1992, Regulation 5

the heaviest side of the load whose centre • use any machinery or equipment provided
of gravity is not positioned centrally. by his employer in accordance with any
Reference training or instruction received
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations
• inform his employer, or anyone else
1992, Regulation 4 (1)
responsible for safety, of any dangerous
Any assessment that an employer has made must work practice or shortcomings in his
be reviewed where: employers arrangements for safety.
• there is reason to suspect that it is no Reference
longer valid, or The Manual Handling Operations Regulations
• there has been a significant change to the 1992, Regulation 12
manual handling operations to which that
assessment relates Common injuries

Where changes to an assessment are required, • Strains and sprains to muscles and joints,
as a result of any review, an employer shall make torn ligaments and tendons, disc trouble
them. and hernias. These are often caused by
sudden and awkward movements, e.g.
Reference twisting or jerking while lifting, or handling
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations heavy loads; they are also caused by
1992, Regulation 4 (2) persons attempting to lift loads beyond their
physical capabilities. The muscles of the
Employers must additionally:
abdominal wall are particularly vulnerable,
• provide safe systems of work and excessive strain may lead to ruptures.

• ensure the safety of their employees and

the absence of risks in the handling,
storage and transport of all types of articles
and substances
• provide the instruction and training
necessary to ensure the health and safety
of their employees.

Employee’s duties

Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act,

says ‘It shall be the duty of every employee while
at work to take reasonable care of himself and of
other persons who may be affected by his
actions’. In addition, under the Manual Handling • Cuts and abrasions from rough surfaces,
Operations Regulations, it is the duty of each sharp or jagged edges, splinters,
employee, while at work, to: projections, etc. Protective clothing should

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be worn, especially leather or own assessments, their involvement or that of

PVC gloves to protect the hands. their Safety Representatives will usually be
essential.
• Back injuries are most frequently sustained
while lifting and handling manually. They The way in which assessment teams are set up
may be the cumulative effect of repeated should be laid down as part of the employer’s
minor injuries, or the result of an abrupt management system and should follow the usual
strain. Stoop lifting should be avoided; it procedure for consulting Safety Representatives.
greatly increases the chances of sustaining An employer should make provision for training
back injuries. Laboratory tests show that assessment teams, but if there are special
the stresses imposed on a rounded back difficulties and it is decided to call in outside
during stoop lifting is six times that assistance, the employer should ensure that the
experienced if the trunk is kept erect while person is competent to make the type of
bending at the knees. assessments required and that clear instructions
The risk of injury is reduced by a knowledge of are given.
correct lifting techniques and not by attempting to The wide range of manual handling tasks that
lift excessively heavy loads without assistance. arise on every building and construction site need
to be fully identified. This should be systematically
carried out by looking at individual tasks and the
way in which they are carried out. Assessment
forms similar to the HSE’s example of an
assessment checklist help to identify the factors
which affect the risk and, by giving marks for
these factors, e.g. low/medium/high, the assessor
is led to conclusions about the overall risk.
Whilst carrying out the assessment, the assessor
should consider ways of reducing any risk found.
An assessment should not just be a paper
exercise but should be used to pinpoint the unsafe
• Crushing of limbs, etc. by falling loads, or features of the work, so that the employer may
by fingers, hands or feet becoming trapped improve the situation.
by loads.
It is quite acceptable to group tasks which have
Correct positioning of hands and feet in relation to common features into a single or generic
the movement of the load is essential. Timber assessment, but care must be taken to ensure
wedges should be used when raising or lowering that the range of risks is clearly identified. The
heavy loads to prevent fingers and hands important thing is to identify the risk of injury, and
becoming crushed. Safety shoes with steel toe then point the way to practical improvements.
caps will protect the feet. Soles of footwear should
also provide a secure grip. Significant findings should be recorded and kept,
but this is not necessary if the findings are obvious
and the assessments easily repeated.
Making an assessment
The assessment is the employer’s responsibility Lifting capacities
although, in practice, that duty is likely to be
The weight that can be lifted by any individual, will
delegated. It should be possible to do most
vary according to personal physique, age,
assessments in house, but expert help may be
condition and practice, and the techniques
needed in difficult or unusual cases. Often
employed. Compact loads of up to 30 kg can be
assessments can be done by a team of people
safely carried by an average male worker
and, although employees should not make their
providing the proper techniques are used. The

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general rule is that the load should not be lifted if it Suitable protective clothing should be worn. This
causes a feeling of strain. Assistance should be may include gloves, safety footwear, safety
available if required; an employee must not be helmets, and special overalls if hot or corrosive
required to lift loads beyond his capacity. substances are to be carried.
Youthful exuberance and bravado often tempt Ensure that the lifting and lowering areas are clear
younger employees to attempt to lift loads that are of tripping hazards, and likewise check the route
too heavy. While they may succeed in the short over which the load is to be carried.
term, long term damage may be done.
After taking account of expert opinion and the long The load
history of complaints over handling heavy blocks,
Large, heavy loads should if possible be broken
the Construction Industry Advisory Council has
down into smaller, lighter and more manageable
concluded that there is a high risk of injury in the
sizes. It is easier to lift 10 kg five times than to lift
single handed, repetitive manual handling of
50 kg once.
building blocks heavier than 20 kg.
If single person handling is needed, either blocks Where the load has to be moved by a woman, the
of 20 kg or lighter should be specified and used or weight should be reduced by approximately 30%.
other precautions should be taken to reduce the
risk by, for example, the provision of mechanical As a rough guide, where a load has to be moved
handling. frequently, weights should be reduced as follows:
With blocks weighing less than 20 kg, manual
Special factors in Rough guide
handling risks are still significant and suitable operation
precautions should be taken to minimise these
Operation repeated once Reduce weight by 30%
risks as much as possible.
or twice a minute
Lifting capacity declines with age and an older Operation repeated five to Reduce weight by 50%
person may not be capable of lifting the same load eight times a minute
as a younger person; although this can be offset
Operation repeated more Reduce weight by 80%
by employing a better technique. than 12 times per minute
‘Average’ female Reduce weight by 30%
Preparing to lift
Handler twists through 45 Reduce weight by 10%
Before lifting and handling any load, the following degrees
points should be established: Handler twists through 90 Reduce weight by 20%
degrees
• What has to be moved?
Handler seated and Less than 5 kg
• What does it weigh? twisting
• Can it be safely handled by one person? Handler seated About 5 kg
• Where is the load’s centre of gravity? Pushing or pulling a load About 25 kg for starting
• Does it really have to be moved? (assumed that force is or stopping a load
applied with hands About 10 kg for keeping
• How far does it have to be moved and from between knuckle and a load in motion
where to where? shoulder height)

• Will assistance be required? The size and shape of a load may be as significant
• Can the process that requires it to be as its weight in determining whether assistance is
moved be changed? required. Large awkward loads, which require the
arms to be extended in front of the body, place
• Can the move be carried out more safely more strain on the back and abdomen than do
with mechanical assistance? compact objects carried close in to the body.

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The absence of natural or designed handling • chin in, head up

points can also make it difficult to raise and carry
• use of body weight.
objects without strain and may require arrows and
other lifting and handling aids.

Some lifting and handling techniques employing

Not all loads need to be carried, of course. It may the kinetic method are described below:
be easiest to roll, slew or push them. But
assistance might still be required to avoid the risk Bend at the knees (1)
of injury.
The weight to be lifted must be within the lifting
capacity of the individual worker and the load
Kinetic method of lifting should be approached squarely, facing the
Kinetic handling must be taught by skilled trainers. intended direction of travel. The feet are positioned
It cannot be ‘picked up’. It is important that about a hip’s width apart, one foot slightly in front
postural errors are corrected during training before of the body. The knees are bent and the body
bad habits are established. lowered as close to the load as possible while
remaining relaxed and balanced. The back should
Main features of the method: be straight from hips to shoulders, but not
• a load utilises the strong leg and thigh necessarily vertical.
muscles - not the weaker back muscles as
Grasp the load (2)
in stoop lifting
The load is tilted with one hand (if necessary) so
• maintains the natural shape of the spine
that the other hand can obtain a secure grip at the
throughout the lift. Although the body may
corner nearest the body. The free hand is then
be bent over, the spine remains straight
transferred to the furthest corner of the load and
• uses the momentum of body weight to drawn as close to the trunk as possible. Arms
initiate forward movement. should be well tucked in to provide maximum
The correct posture (i.e. the position of various support to the load.
parts of the body) in performing a task is essential.
Important points are:
• correct position of feet
• flexible knees
• straight back
• arms close to body for lifting and carrying
• correct grip or hold

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Lift, using the legs (3) When the weight is approaching the maximum
lifting capacity of the individual, it will be necessary
The load can then be lifted by straightening the
to lean back on the hips with the load to bring the
legs so that the body and load move upwards in
trunk to the erect position before straightening the
unison. All movements should be smooth and
legs to lift the load. In this instance the body is
natural. Jerking, twisting, or straining movements
being used simply as a counterbalance to keep
should be avoided.
muscular effort down to a minimum.
Lifting should feel comfortable. Lifting movements
will remain smooth and natural providing the back Changing grip
and head are kept naturally erect. This is achieved
by looking straight ahead when straightening the Grips should not be changed while carrying the
legs, instead of looking down at the load. load. First rest the load on a ledge or other firm
support, then change the grip if necessary.
Carrying the load (4)
The load should be held firmly into the body and Stacking
carried to where it is to be deposited. The closer Loads should not be lifted above shoulder height.
the centre of gravity of the load can be kept to When it is impossible to lift and stack with the
that of the body, the easier and more natural the elbows tucked into the sides of the body, a
lift. It is important to be able to see over or around platform should be used to stand on. An
the load so as to avoid tripping hazards. intermediate platform should also be used when
lifting loads down from a higher level.

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Hand hooks or lifting aids Properly designed lifting aids will enable some
tasks to be performed more quickly and easily and
Hand hooks or lifting aids should be used if loads also eliminate the risk of injury or damage
are unwieldy or so irregular in shape that a good
grip cannot be maintained. Using rollers to move a load
Use of a lifting platform Lengths of steel pipe or proper rollers can be used
to roll or slew heavy crates. The load is pushed
The squat position is adopted as near to the load gently forward on two or more rollers, and further
as possible. Keeping a straight back, and using rollers are inserted under the front end as
the leg muscles, the load should be lifted onto a necessary.
platform. The person lifting the load then stands as
near to the platform as possible and, bending at
the knees and hips (NOT the back), eases the
load onto his shoulder, adjusts for balance and
straightens at the knees and hips. For lowering the
load, the procedure is reversed.
Carrying a load under one arm, supported on the
hip, causes strain and should be avoided.

Team lifting
When large or awkward weights are involved,
assistance should be sought. The assistant
should be of similar height and build, so that the Care must be taken by the person placing the
raised load does not become unbalanced or rollers to avoid being trapped as the load moves
unevenly distributed. forward, and to ensure that those pushing do not
trip over the rollers that have previously been
used.
Whenever practical, mechanical handling and
lifting should replace manual techniques. This will
reduce the risk of fatigue, improve efficiency and
reduce the risk of accidents.

Co-ordinating team activity is important in team

lifting. One person should give directions during
lifting, carrying and lowering.

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Construction Site Safety

9. Appendix A

Safety checklist
Manual handling and lifting
Preparation
• What is being lifted? • Are excessively heavy weights being lifted?

• Where to and how far? • Are loads being deposited or stacked

safely and securely?
• How many people will be needed to move
the load safely? • Is adequate supervision employed where
necessary?
• Are they all trained in kinetic lifting and
handling? After lifting and handling
• What methods and equipment will be • Are any incidents or accidents reported
required? and recorded?

• Is the required equipment available? • Where injuries have been sustained, has
medical attention been sought?
• Would mechanical means be more
practical or appropriate? • Is the damage or loss of equipment etc.,
recorded?
• Is the lifting and handling area clear of
hazards?
• Is the operation part of a routine? If so,
could it be more effectively planned and
executed?
Lifting and handling
• Is the proper clothing in use?
• Are proper (kinetic) lifting methods being
employed?
• Is co-ordination satisfactory in dual and
team lifting?
• Is the necessary equipment in use or to
hand?

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Construction Site Safety

9. Appendix B
FACTORS WHICH AN EMPLOYER MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND QUESTIONS HE OR
SHE MUST CONSIDER WHEN MAKING AN ASSESSMENT OF MANUAL HANDLING OPERATIONS

Factors
1. The tasks Do they involve • holding or manipulating loads at a distance from
the trunk?
• unsatisfactory body movements or posture
especially
a. twisting the trunk?
b. stooping?
c. reaching upwards?
• excessive movement of loads, especially
a. excessive lifting distance?
b. excessive lowering distance?
c. excessive carrying distance?
• excessive pushing or pulling?
• risk of sudden movement?
• frequent physical effort?
• prolonged physical effort?
• insufficient rest periods?
• insufficient recovery periods?
• a rate of work imposed by a process?

2. The loads Are they • heavy?

• bulky or unwieldy?
• difficult to grasp?
• unstable, or with contents likely to shift?
• sharp, hot, or otherwise potentially damaging?

3. The working environment Are there • space constraints preventing good posture?
• uneven, slippery or unstable floors?
• variations in level of floors or work surfaces?
• extremes in temperature or humidity?
• conditions causing ventilation problems or
• gusts of wind?
• poor lighting conditions?

4. Individual capability Does the job • require unusual strength, height?

• create a hazard to those who might reasonably be
considered to be pregnant or have a health
problem?
• require special information or training for its safe
performance?

5. Other factors Is movement or posture • hindered by personal protective equipment or by

clothing?

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