Manual Handling is a physical activity that takes place in every workplace, and in some cases the activity does not pose a problem. However it can be a potential workplace hazard when an employee for example is required to handle heavy loads, which could result in a back injury.

It will be necessary to carry out a risk assessment of existing manual handling tasks before making an informed decision on which manual handling tasks need to be avoided or reduced. Employers must then take steps to avoid or reduce the risk of injury.

There are four key requirements:

• Avoidance of Manual Handling
• Reduction of Manual Handling
• Risk Assessment of Manual Handling Tasks
• Provision of Instruction and training for relevant employees