Moving and manual handling

Moving and handling are about using your body to lift, move, hold or support a load manually.

• Lifting
• Carrying
• Pulling
• Pushing
• Static holding (holding in one position)
• Lowering
• Reaching/stretching
• Supporting.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) (MHOR) cover manual handling. The requirements of these regulations can be summarised:

• remove risks of injury associated with moving and handling activities;
• if you can’t remove the injury risks, then you assess them;
• take the necessary measures to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level possible;
• inform, instruct and train your workers in moving and handling. 

There are four factors – LITE – that you must consider when carrying out a moving and handling assessment:

• Load – what is being carried or moved?
• Individual – who is moving and/or handling the load?
• Task – what does the activity actually involve? And how will it be undertaken?
• Environment – where will the moving and handling activity be carried out?