Manual Handling Training: Health and Safety for Hazardous Manual Tasks
Table of Contents
Manual handling refers to any activity requiring a person to use force to lift, lower, push, pull, carry, move, hold or restrain any person, animal or object. These manual handling tasks are common across nearly all Australian workplaces, from construction sites to aged care facilities, retail environments to offices.
In Australia, manual handling injuries account for approximately 30% of all workplace injuries, with significant costs to both employers and employees. SafeWork Australia data and information shows that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) resulting from hazardous manual tasks continue to be a leading cause of workplace injuries nationwide.
Proper manual handling training is essential for all organisations conducting a business or undertaking where workers perform manual tasks. Employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that their staff receive appropriate training and supervision to reduce the risk of injuries. This investment not only meets work health and safety laws but also minimises the risk of an MSD while improving productivity and reducing costs associated with workplace injuries.
Understanding Manual Handling Risks
Common hazardous manual tasks across different industries
Every industry involves hazardous manual handling tasks that can increase the risk of injury. In construction, workers frequently handle large loads and building materials. Healthcare and aged care workers must often lift or restrain patients. Office workers face risks from repetitive tasks such as writing and typing that may seem low-risk but can cause significant musculoskeletal disorders over time.
Examples of manual handling that may be hazardous include:
- Moving heavy objects in warehousing
- Patient transfers in healthcare
- Operating vibrating machinery
- Awkward lifting in confined spaces
- Repetitive movements in manufacturing
- Unexpected movements when restraining persons in education and care settings
Risk factors: load, environment, individual capability, task design
Manual handling risk factors can be categorised into four main areas that employers must consider when they assess the risk:
- The load: Weight, size, stability, grip conditions, and whether it involves hazardous substances
- The work environment: Space constraints, floor surfaces, temperature, lighting, and the presence of obstacles that can increase the risk of injury
- Individual capability: Physical strength, skills, training, age, existing injuries, and whether workers likely to be affected have specific needs
- Task design: Repetition, duration, posture requirements, the use of high force, and whether the task involves sustained or awkward positions
When these factors combine, they can significantly increase the risk of injuries to the musculoskeletal system.
Types of injuries resulting from poor manual handling techniques
Poor manual handling techniques can lead to both immediate and cumulative injuries:
- Sprains and strains to muscles and tendons
- Back injuries including damaged discs
- Joint injuries, particularly to shoulders and knees
- Compressed nerves (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Chronic pain and degenerative disorders
- Cuts, bruises or fractures due to dropped items
According to WorkSafe Victoria, many of these MSD risks can be effectively managed through proper risk assessment and implementing appropriate control measures.
Key Components of Manual Handling Training
A quality manual handling training program delivered by a professional provider will equip participants with essential knowledge and skills across several key areas. Here’s what you should expect to gain from comprehensive manual handling training:
Proper lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling techniques
Professional training programs teach participants the safest methods for performing manual tasks through practical, hands-on instruction. In these sessions, you’ll learn:
- How to correctly assess loads before handling them
- Proper body positioning to maintain a stable base of support
- Safe lifting techniques that protect your back and joints
- Methods for keeping loads close to maintain balance and control
- Ways to avoid harmful twisting and overreaching movements
- Techniques for pushing rather than pulling when appropriate
- Strategies to break down manual handling tasks to reduce the risk of injury
These evidence-based techniques are demonstrated by qualified instructors who can provide individualised feedback on your posture and form to help protect your musculoskeletal system.
Ergonomic principles and workplace design
Quality training courses explain how ergonomics and work design directly impact manual handling safety. You’ll gain valuable insights into:
- How workplace layout affects manual handling risks
- Principles for optimal workstation setup to maintain neutral posture
- Ways to arrange work areas to minimise reach and unnecessary movement
- The importance of appropriate work heights for different manual tasks
- How to incorporate adequate rest breaks to prevent fatigue and MSDs
This knowledge enables you to identify ergonomic issues in your own workplace and understand how the hierarchy of control applies to environmental factors that increase the risk of injury.
Use of mechanical aids and equipment
A well-designed training program will introduce you to various mechanical aids that can eliminate or reduce manual handling risks. You’ll discover:
- The range of mechanical aids available for your specific industry
- Hands-on practice with common equipment like trolleys, hoists or lifters
- When and how to safely operate mechanical aids
- The proper maintenance requirements for handling equipment
- How mechanical aids fit into your organisation’s risk management strategy
Trainers will demonstrate how equipment like slide sheets, patient lifters, adjustable height workstations and material handling devices can significantly reduce the risk of an MSD when used correctly.
Risk assessment skills for manual tasks
Professional training equips participants with practical risk assessment skills they can apply immediately in their workplace. You’ll develop the ability to:
- Quickly identify hazards in any manual handling task before commencing
- Confidently assess the level of risk based on multiple factors
- Select and implement appropriate control measures using the hierarchy of control
- Recognise when a more formal risk assessment is required
- Effectively consult with colleagues about potentially hazardous manual tasks
These valuable skills enable workers to make informed decisions about manual handling safety and contribute to your organisation’s overall risk management processes. Training providers ensure these concepts are presented in practical, accessible ways that empower workers to apply them in real-world situations.
Legal Requirements for Manual Handling in Australia
Work Health and Safety regulations specific to manual tasks
Under Australian WHS legislation, manual handling safety is governed by specific regulations. The model Code of Practice for Hazardous Manual Tasks provides guidance on how to manage risks associated with manual handling.
The Code of Practice outlines the way to manage manual handling risks through:
- Identifying hazardous manual tasks
- Assessing the risks of MSDs
- Implementing control measures according to the hierarchy of control
- Maintaining and reviewing control measures
While the Code is not legally binding itself, it provides practical guidance on achieving the standards required under WHS laws.
Employer and employee responsibilities
Under work health and safety laws, employers (persons conducting a business or undertaking) must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers. This includes managing manual handling risk by:
- Providing appropriate resources and training
- Consulting with workers on health and safety matters
- Implementing and maintaining effective control measures
- Monitoring the work environment for new hazards
- Responding to incidents and learning from them
Workers also have specific duties to:
- Take reasonable care for their own health and safety
- Follow reasonable instructions and workplace policies and procedures
- Use equipment provided by the employer correctly
- Cooperate with reasonable work health and safety policies
- Report hazards and incidents promptly
Both employers and employees must work together to minimise health and safety risks in the workplace.
Compliance requirements and documentation
To demonstrate compliance with manual handling regulations, organisations must:
- Maintain documentation of risk assessments
- Record incidents and injuries related to manual tasks
- Document control measures implemented
- Keep records of training and supervision provided
- Review and update safe work procedures regularly
- Maintain evidence of consultation with workers
These records are crucial not only for regulatory compliance but also for identifying trends and continuously improving manual handling safety.
Industry-Specific Manual Handling Considerations
Healthcare (patient handling)
The healthcare and aged care sectors present unique manual handling challenges as workers often need to hold or restrain patients. Key considerations include:
- Patient-specific risk assessments that account for mobility and cooperation
- Techniques for safe patient transfers that protect both staff and patients
- Use of specialised equipment such as hoists, sliding sheets and adjustable beds
- Managing unexpected movements from patients
- Balancing care requirements with safe handling practices
- Addressing space constraints in healthcare environments
Healthcare organisations must consult with workers to develop specific safe work procedures for different patient handling scenarios.
Construction and manufacturing
Construction and manufacturing industries involve frequent handling of heavy materials and equipment, requiring:
- Safe handling of building materials and components
- Coordination of team lifting where mechanical aids cannot be used
- Management of dynamic work environments with changing hazards
- Integration of manual handling safety into project planning
- Risk control measures for tasks involving awkward postures or confined spaces
- Strategies to isolate vibrating machinery from the user
The safe design of plant and equipment is particularly important in these industries to eliminate the need for hazardous manual handling.
Warehousing and logistics
Workers in warehousing and logistics regularly move goods and materials, necessitating:
- Systems for assessing and labelling load weights
- Optimised storage practices to minimise manual handling risks
- Traffic management to separate people from vehicles
- Appropriate mechanical aids for different load types
- Consideration of the full supply chain to reduce double-handling
- Attention to floor surfaces and environmental factors
These workplaces benefit from systematic approaches to risk management that address the entire materials handling process.
Conclusion
Effective manual handling training is essential to manage the risks of hazardous manual tasks across all Australian workplaces. By understanding the specific manual handling risks in your industry and implementing appropriate control measures, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of musculoskeletal disorders and other workplace injuries.
Remember that managing hazardous manual tasks requires a systematic approach that follows the hierarchy of control:
- Eliminate the need for hazardous manual handling where practicable
- Substitute the hazard with something safer
- Isolate vibrating machinery from the user or otherwise move the hazard away from workers
- Use engineering controls and mechanical aids
- Implement administrative controls including training and supervision
- Use personal protective equipment as a last resort
Employers must consult with workers about manual handling safety and ensure that all team members understand both the risks and how to control them. By fostering a culture where safe manual handling is prioritised, organisations can protect their most valuable asset—their people.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should manual handling training be refreshed?
SafeWork Australia recommends manual handling refresher training every two years for most workplaces, though high-risk industries like aged care and construction benefit from annual updates. Retraining should also occur after workplace changes, new equipment introductions, or manual handling incidents to ensure techniques remain current and the risk of MSDs is minimised.
Can manual handling training be conducted online?
While theoretical components covering manual handling risk assessment and WHS regulations can be delivered online, practical skills require face-to-face instruction. Most reputable providers offer blended learning with online modules followed by hands-on sessions where participants practice proper techniques and use of mechanical aids under qualified supervision.
How can training accommodate employees with different physical capabilities?
Professional manual handling training providers should assess your workplace demographics and tailor their programs accordingly. This includes modified techniques for workers with different capabilities, role-specific scenarios reflecting actual tasks, and appropriate considerations for younger or older workers. Discuss your specific workforce needs with providers before booking to ensure all participants receive relevant, immediately applicable training.
