Manual handling (lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling loads) remains one of the most common sources of workplace injury. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), more than one-third of all reported workplace injuries are caused by manual handling activities. Most of these injuries result in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as sprains, strains, and chronic back problems. The good news is that many of these injuries are preventable.
Employers have both a legal and moral duty to prevent these injuries. A robust manual handling assessment is not just a best practice. It is a legal requirement and a cornerstone of an effective health and safety management system.
What Is a Manual Handling Assessment?
A manual handling assessment is a structured process that identifies, evaluates, and reduces the risks associated with lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, or carrying loads by hand or bodily force.
The aim is simple: prevent injury by eliminating or controlling hazards before harm occurs.
Most assessments follow the TILEO framework, which examines five key factors:
- Task – What is being done?
- Individual – Who is doing it and are they fit and capable?
- Load – What is being handled (size, shape, weight, stability)?
- Environment – Where is it happening (space, flooring, temperature)?
- Other factors – Time pressure, equipment use, communication, supervision.
This framework allows assessors to systematically identify risks and implement proportionate, practical controls.
When Are Manual Handling Assessments Required?
A manual handling assessment is legally required whenever there is a foreseeable risk of injury. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Introduction of new tasks involving manual handling
- Changes in layout, process, or equipment
- Following incidents or near misses
- In response to employee concerns or reported discomfort
- During routine audits or safety reviews
Employers must first try to avoid hazardous manual handling. If it cannot be avoided, they must assess the risk and take action to reduce it as far as is reasonably practicable.
Types of Manual Handling Assessments
- Generic Assessments
Used for common, low-risk tasks across similar environments. These serve as a reference point but must be adapted to specific circumstances.
2. Task-Specific Assessments
Detailed assessments tailored to a particular task in a specific setting. These consider variables such as task frequency, posture, and environmental hazards.
3. Dynamic Assessments
On-the-spot evaluations performed by competent workers or supervisors when tasks change unexpectedly. This form of informal assessment enhances situational awareness.
4. Individual Assessments
Designed for workers with specific needs, such as returning employees, pregnant workers, or those with known limitations. These assessments ensure fitness for work and necessary adjustments.
Generic manual handling assessments provide a useful overview of common risks, but they cannot capture the unique hazards of individual tasks. Each activity may involve different load weights, shapes, handling techniques, and environmental factors that significantly affect the level of risk.
For this reason, generic assessments should always be supplemented with task-specific risk assessments, which consider the actual conditions, workers involved, and controls required. This approach ensures compliance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, provides a stronger basis for practical control measures, and offers clear evidence of due diligence in protecting employees from injury.
How Often Should Assessments Be Reviewed?
Manual handling assessments should not be a tick-box exercise. They require:
- Initial completion before the task begins.
- Scheduled reviews based on task complexity and risk level.
- Immediate updates following:
- Accidents, incidents, or near misses
- Process or equipment changes.
- Changes to workforce (new starters, health changes)
- Updates to legislation or best practice guidance
Low-risk activities may only require annual review, whereas high-risk or frequently changing tasks may warrant quarterly, or even task-by-task, review.
Legislation
- Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended)
Under these regulations, employers have a legal duty to:
- Avoid hazardous manual handling wherever reasonably practicable.
- Assess the risk of injury from any manual handling that cannot be avoided.
- Reduce the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Provide information, training and supervision to employees.
2. Employer Duties Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Section 2(1) places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees.
- This includes taking appropriate action to prevent manual handling injuries. This is achieved by planning tasks safely, training staff, and monitoring performance.
Consequences of Failing to Complete Manual Handling Assessments Effectively
Neglecting or inadequately completing manual handling assessments can lead to significant consequences for both employers and employees.
For Employers:
- Legal Penalties: Failure to comply with regulations can result in HSE improvement or prohibition notices, fines, and in serious cases, prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- Civil Claims: If an employee is injured due to an inadequate risk assessment, the employer may be liable for compensation through personal injury claims.
- Reputational Damage: Workplace injuries and enforcement actions can damage a company's reputation, leading to lost business opportunities and public scrutiny.
- Increased Costs: Injuries at work can lead to sick pay, recruitment, training costs, higher insurance premiums, and reduced productivity.
- HSE Investigations: Serious incidents may trigger formal investigations, resulting in operational disruption and additional regulatory oversight.
For Employees:
- Injury and Long-Term Health Effects: Without proper assessments, workers may suffer avoidable injuries, such as back pain, hernias, or joint problems, some of which can be long-lasting or permanent.
- Loss of Earnings: Injuries can lead to extended time off work or, in some cases, prevent the individual from continuing in their current role.
- Reduced Morale: Unsafe working conditions often lower morale, create stress, and erode trust between workers and management.
- Limited Support: Poor assessments mean workers may not receive the tools, training, or adjustments they need to carry out tasks safely.
In short, failing to conduct effective assessments does not just put compliance at risk. It places people, productivity, and the business itself in jeopardy.
Best Practice: How to Conduct Effective Assessments
- Involve staff. Workers often understand the risks better than managers. Involve them in the process.
- Observe the task. Watch the work being done and analyse posture, load handling, and environmental constraints.
- Document clearly. Keep assessments accessible, updated, and understandable.
- Link to training. Assessments should inform staff training, safe systems of work (SSoWs), and supervision arrangements.
- Take action. Identifying a risk without implementing controls is a failure of the process. Follow up, track changes, and ensure accountability.
Manual handling assessments are more than paperwork. They are a powerful tool to prevent injury and ensure compliance. By understanding when and how to assess, and by reviewing assessments consistently, employers can create safer workplaces, reduce absence, and meet their legal duties.
Effective manual handling management reduces harm, supports workforce wellbeing, and protects your business.
Need Support?
If you need further guidance on lighting at work, please feel free to contact our dedicated advice line on 033 33 215 005 or email info@wirehouse-es.com.
References
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (2024) Manual handling at work: A brief guide. INDG143 (rev3). Available at:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (2024) Health and safety at work: Summary statistics for Great Britain 2024. Available at:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (2020) Manual handling assessment charts (the MAC tool). Available at:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/
Legislation.gov.uk (1974) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. c.37. Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37
Legislation.gov.uk (1992) Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. SI 1992/2793 (as amended). Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/2793/contents/made
