Manual handling hazards are a major cause of workplace injury and ill health. Tasks involving lifting, carrying, or repetitive movements are found in every sector and can quickly lead to musculoskeletal disorders, lost time, and rising costs.
To manage these risks effectively, employers need clear, practical steps that reduce injuries and improve day-to-day safety. This article explains how to spot manual handling hazards, prevent the most common injuries, and put measures in place that protect employees and business performance.
Musculoskeletal disorders: scale, cost and urgency
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) make up about 32% of all work-related illnesses in Great Britain. In 2023/24, 543,000 workers reported suffering from work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and this accounted for 7.8 million working days lost.
The three most common types of manual handling injuries are:
- Back disorders – 43% of MSD cases,
- Upper-limb or neck disorders – 37%,
- Lower-limb disorders – 20%.
If you manage people, operations or health and safety, manual handling safety is a strategic priority that affects your bottom line, your workforce, and your reputation.
The ongoing challenge of manual handling risks
From production lines to contact centres, manual handling risks are widespread. Hazards often arise from poor posture, excessive force, repetitive movements, static loading, and even the pace and culture of work.
These risks are present in physically demanding roles and less obvious settings, such as office environments where repetitive or awkward tasks cause strain over time.
No single solution fits all
The impact of manual handling tasks varies greatly between individuals. Factors such as strength, flexibility, age, previous injuries, and underlying health all play a role.
Job design is equally important. A task that is safe for one person may be unsafe for another if the load, frequency, or environment are not considered.
Effective controls must therefore be tailored rather than one-size-fits-all.
Complexity can undermine progress
Efforts to improve manual handling safety can be undermined when the tools are too complex or technical. For example, assessments that rely on detailed scoring systems, specialist software, or excessive paperwork often feel disconnected from everyday work. This can discourage employees and managers from engaging, leading to gaps in compliance.
By contrast, straightforward tools and clear communication are more likely to be understood, applied consistently, and to drive real behavioural change over the long term.
Assessing manual handling risks
Manual handling risk assessments are the starting point for managing workplace risks. Risk assessments identify the specific manual handling tasks being carried out, highlight the hazards involved, and ensure appropriate control measures for manual handling are identified to protect employees.
A manual handling risk assessment should:
- Break down the task into its component parts. Analyse each stage of the manual handling task, from lifting and carrying to pushing, pulling, or twisting. Identify where the body is placed under strain and where injuries could occur.
- Consider who is at risk. Recognise that risks differ across individuals. Age, fitness, flexibility, and prior injuries all affect how someone performs a manual handling task, and assessments should reflect these differences.
- Evaluate the work environment. Look at layout, floor surfaces, lighting, and space. These can all increase hazards linked to manual handling risk assessments and affect the suitability of control measures for manual handling.
- Examine organisational factors. Consider workload, shift length, deadlines, and workplace culture. Even with strong manual handling control measures, organisational pressures can push workers into unsafe habits.
When hazards are identified, the assessment must lead to practical improvements. These control measures for manual handling might include redesigning tasks, providing mechanical aids, reorganising the workspace, or adjusting work schedules.
Control measures for manual handling
The manual handling hierarchy of control provides a structured framework for reducing risk and protecting workers from injury:
1. Eliminate
The most effective control is to remove manual handling altogether. This could mean re-designing workflows so that materials are delivered directly to where they are needed or arranging storage at waist height to avoid lifting and bending.
Eliminating the need for employees to lift, carry, or twist removes the hazard at its source.
2. Reduce
Where manual handling cannot be eliminated, reduce the risk by minimising the size and weight of loads. This could involve splitting deliveries into smaller units, using lighter materials, or improving packaging design and handles to make loads easier to grip.
Even small reductions in weight or awkwardness can significantly reduce strain on the body.
3. Engineer
Introduce mechanical or engineering solutions that take the effort out of handling tasks. Examples include lifting aids, pallet trucks, conveyor belts, or adjustable workstations. These solutions reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and increase efficiency and consistency.
4. Administer
Manage how work is organised so that tasks are less demanding. Job rotation prevents the same muscles being overused, while micro-breaks allow recovery time.
Clear procedures, signage, and supervision ensure that employees follow safe systems of work and avoid shortcuts that could increase risk.
5. Protect
Ensure that workers are equipped to handle unavoidable manual handling tasks safely. This includes manual handling training in correct lifting techniques, introducing stretching or mobility routines to improve flexibility, and monitoring for early signs of musculoskeletal issues. Training should be practical and refreshed regularly, not a one-off exercise.
Tools to support risk assessments
Several established tools can help assess the risks from manual handling and repetitive tasks. Each is designed for a different type of activity:
- MAC tool. The Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) are used to assess lifting, lowering, and carrying tasks. They help identify high-risk activities and prioritise interventions.
- ART tool. The Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) focuses on repetitive upper-limb tasks, highlighting risks from frequency, posture, and force.
- RAPP. The Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling (RAPP) tool evaluates push/pull operations such as trolleys or pallet trucks, where force and posture are key considerations.
- REBA and RULA. The Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) measure postural risks. They are particularly useful for tasks involving awkward or static postures.
- HSE MSD Online Tool. A digital platform from the HSE that simplifies scoring for the MAC, ART, and RAPP tools, making assessments quicker and easier to use in practice.
Building safer routines
Effective manual handling combines thorough risk assessments with safe systems of work and daily routines that reduce strain and build resilience.
Embedding safer routines helps make safe manual handling part of everyday work. Practical steps include:
- Warm-up and mobility routines. Encouraging short stretching or mobility exercises at the start of shifts can help prepare muscles and joints, reducing the likelihood of injury. These routines are particularly valuable in roles involving frequent lifting or repetitive movement.
- Task variation. Rotating or varying manual handling activities helps to prevent fatigue, maintain focus, and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders caused by overusing the same muscle groups.
- Reinforcing behaviours. Using clear visuals such as posters, signage, or floor markings, alongside regular coaching, helps to embed safe behaviours into daily practice. Positive reinforcement and practical reminders are more effective than one-off training sessions.
Encourage early reporting
Manual handling hazards are often under-reported because symptoms such as back pain, strains, or stiffness develop gradually rather than from a single incident. Employees may dismiss early signs as “part of the job,” or worry that raising concerns will be seen as complaining. This means many risks go unnoticed until they result in injury and lost time.
Creating a simple, blame-free system for reporting manual handling concerns encourages employees to log issues early. Involving occupational health promptly when reports are made means problems can be assessed and addressed before they escalate into long-term conditions, helping to reduce absence and support staff retention.
Leadership plays a crucial role in how manual handling is prioritised. When manual handling risk assessments are framed only as a compliance task, they can feel like a tick-box exercise. By instead connecting them to tangible outcomes (such as cost savings from fewer injuries, improved productivity through safer task design, and greater staff wellbeing) leaders can gain stronger buy-in across the organisation.
For example, a senior manager who personally reviews risk assessment findings and champions early reporting sends a clear signal that manual handling safety is a business priority. This visible commitment can shift workplace culture, making employees more confident to raise concerns and more engaged in safer ways of working.
Key takeaways
Manual handling hazards and MSDs are preventable, not inevitable. Organisations that take a structured, proactive approach can reduce risk, protect employees, and improve performance. Success rests on four essentials:
- Practical manual handling risk assessments. Focused, easy-to-use assessments help identify risks and turn findings into actionable improvements.
- Embedding the manual handling hierarchy of control. From eliminating unnecessary lifting to introducing mechanical aids, applying the hierarchy ensures risks are reduced at their source rather than relying solely on training.
- Straightforward control measures for manual handling. Simple, effective steps such as splitting loads, using assistive equipment, or redesigning tasks are more likely to be adopted consistently and deliver lasting improvements.
- Tackling the risks of manual handling early. Encouraging early reporting of discomfort and acting quickly prevents minor issues from developing into long-term injuries and costly absences.
Protect your workforce with Manual Handling Training
Manual handling hazards are one of the leading causes of workplace injury, contributing to musculoskeletal disorders and reduced productivity. Our Manual Handling Course provides employees with the knowledge and practical skills to recognise hazards, apply safe handling techniques, and reduce risks across all types of work.
Available online, in a virtual classroom, or face to face, training supports compliance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR).
Find out about the Manual Handling Course on our website, or contact our friendly team today on 0203 011 4242 / info@praxis42.com
Adam Clarke
Managing Director (Consulting)
