Manual Handling: Why the Training Video Isn't Enough

A manual handling training video is useful, but watching one does not mean the manual handling risk has been properly controlled. If your team regularly lifts, carries, pushes, pulls or moves loads, you also need to assess the tasks, reduce unnecessary handling and provide suitable equipment and practical instruction.

Here's what employers and site managers should look at beyond the training video.

Why a Training Video Is Only One Part of the Solution

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess unavoidable tasks and reduce the risk of injury. A generic video cannot account for everything happening on your site.

A warehouse operative moving cartons, a construction worker carrying materials and a maintenance engineer moving equipment may all have completed the same training, but the risks are completely different.

Your assessment needs to consider:

• The task: lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing or pulling
• The load: weight, size, shape, stability and grip
• The working environment: space, flooring, lighting, temperature and obstacles
• The individual: capability, experience and any relevant limitations
• The frequency and duration: one lift is very different from repetitive handling

HSE specifically warns that its guideline weights are not safe lifting limits. Risk depends on the circumstances of the task.

The Real Question: Can You Remove the Lifting?

Before telling someone how to lift a load, ask whether they need to lift it manually at all.

Could you:

1. Use a trolley or mechanise the movement?
2. Change the layout so loads travel a shorter distance?
3. Store heavy items between suitable working heights?
4. Split a heavy load into smaller units?

The principle is simple: don't rely on better lifting technique to compensate for a task that could be redesigned.

HSE's guidance specifically recommends considering lifting and handling aids as part of risk reduction.

Training Should Reflect the Actual Job

Once the task has been assessed, training becomes much more useful.

Employees should understand:

• What the specific hazards are
• How to assess an unfamiliar load
• Which handling aids are available and when to use them
• How to position themselves and handle loads safely
• When a load requires team handling
• When to stop and ask for assistance

HSE guidance states that training should include practical techniques for assessing unfamiliar loads, rather than simply relying on theoretical instruction.

For higher-risk activities, consider practical, task-specific training rather than treating a completed video as the end of the process.

Review the Task, Not Just the Training Record

A certificate or completed video does not prove that the workplace remains safe.

HSE recommends reviewing assessments when the operation changes, or following an incident or work-related ill health.

Review your manual handling arrangements when:

• A new product or load is introduced
• The workplace layout changes
• Equipment or processes change
• Employees report discomfort or difficulty
• An accident or near miss occurs
• The frequency or volume of handling increases

That turns manual handling from a one-off training exercise into an ongoing risk-management process.

Don't Forget Pushing and Pulling

Manual handling is not just about lifting boxes.

Trolleys, cages, pallet trucks and other equipment can introduce significant pushing and pulling risks, particularly where there are slopes, uneven surfaces, restricted spaces or high starting forces.

HSE's RAPP tool is designed specifically to help assess pushing and pulling tasks, while the MAC tool covers lifting, lowering, carrying and team handling.

This matters because simply providing a trolley does not automatically make the task low risk. The equipment, load and route still need to work together.

The Equipment Is Part of the Control Measure

If your assessment identifies a need for handling aids, make sure the equipment is suitable for the job and actually available where it is needed.

The best handling aid is the one workers can realistically access and use as part of the normal job.

Dalton Safety's wider workplace safety equipment and PPE range can be used alongside your site's manual handling controls, particularly where handling takes place in construction, warehousing, manufacturing and maintenance environments.

Frequently Asked Questions About Manual Handling

Is Manual Handling Training Legally Required?

Training forms part of managing manual handling risks, but employers should not treat training alone as sufficient. The priority is to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess unavoidable tasks and reduce the risk.

Is There a Maximum Weight Employees Can Lift?

No. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations do not set a specific maximum lifting weight. HSE's guideline figures are risk-assessment filters, not legal weight limits.

Does Using a Trolley Eliminate Manual Handling Risk?

No. Pushing and pulling can still create risks. Consider the load, equipment, route, flooring, gradients and force required.

How Often Should a Manual Handling Risk Assessment Be Reviewed?

Review it when the assessment may no longer be valid or when there is a significant change to the operation. It should also be reviewed following relevant incidents or work-related ill health.

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