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Lifting heavy objects can be part of our job and being effective and efficient at work is the key for a happy and by extension, healthy life. If you lift a heavy load carelessly however, you can end up pulling a muscle or even worse, suffer long-term damage to your back or upper limbs.

The British Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that in 2007/08 nearly 539,000 people in Britain suffered from a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) affecting the upper limbs or neck caused or made worse by the present a past occupation.

MSD’s are one of the most common disorders in Britain, and they include problems such as low back pains, joint injuries and strains. More than a third of all over-three-day injuries reported each year are caused by manual handling - the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force. So if your job involves lifting or carrying, it is essential that you know how to do it properly.

First of all it is essential that all workers know that loads do not have to be heavy to cause injury to the person handling the load. Picking up, carrying, pushing or even pulling even a relatively small item can result in injury if it is not done properly.

Prevention and control of MSDs resulting from improper manual handling of loads, has been identified as a priority by the Health and Safety Commission.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as amended in 2002 ('the Regulations') apply to a wide range of manual handling activities, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. The load may be either inanimate , such as a box or a trolley, or animate, a person or an animal.

The Regulations require employers to:

·      avoid the need for the employees to undertake any manual handling operations which involve a risk of their being injured so far as is reasonably practicable;

·      assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided; and

·      provide employees who undertake manual handling operations, precise information on the weight of each load, and the heaviest side of any load whose centre of gravity is not positioned centrally.

Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and regulations 10 and 13 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to provide their employees with health and safety information and training. Courses should be suitable for the individual, tasks and environment involved, use relevant examples and last long enough to cover all the relevant information. It should be supplemented as necessary with more specific information and training on manual handling injury risks and prevention.

The Regulations require employees to:

·      abide by work rules laid down for their own safety;

·      make proper use of equipment provided for their safety;

·      co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters;

·      inform the employer if they identify hazardous handling activities;

·      take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk.

Ways of reducing the risk of injury

One of the basic rules is that men should not lift weights heavier than 25kg and women’s maximum limit is 16kg. Another factor which can affect the maximum safe weight is the height to which the object will have to be lifted. If lifting an object above shoulder height, men should not lift items heavier than 10kg and women, 7kg.

Employers should carry out risk assessments for all lifting. The safe limit depends on many variables such as the individual involved, the height to which the load has to be lifted and the distance that the load has to be carried. You should never assume that because a workmate can lift an object without injury that it is a safe weight for you to do so. We all differ in body size and strength and what is safe for your colleague can be hazardous for you.

How to carry loads

You should take care when doing any of the following tasks:

·        Holding loads away from the body;

·        Twisting, stooping or reaching upwards;

·        Large vertical movement;

·        Carrying for long carrying distances;

·        Strenuous pushing or pulling;

·        Repetitive handling;

·        Insufficient rest or recovery time between carrying different loads;

Always consider whether you can:

·         Use a lifting aid?

·         Improve workplace layout to improve efficiency?

·         Reduce the amount of twisting and stooping?

·         Avoid lifting from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads?

·         Reduce carrying distances?

·         Avoid repetitive handling?

·         Vary the work, allowing one set of muscles to rest while another is used?

·         Push rather than pull?

Here Are Some Practical Tips:

·         Remove obstructions such as discarded wrapping materials;

·         For a long lift, consider resting the load midway on a table or bench to change grip;

·         Keep the load close to the waist;

·         Keep the load close to the body for as long as possible while lifting;

·         Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body. If a close approach to the load is not possible, try to slide it towards the body before attempting to lift it;

·         Adopt a stable position. The feet should be apart with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance (alongside the load, if it is on the ground);

·         Avoid tight clothing or unsuitable footwear;

·         Start in a good posture. At the start of the lift, slight bending of the back, hips and knees is preferable to fully flexing the back (stooping) or fully flexing the hips and knees (squatting);

·         Don't flex the back any further while lifting. This can happen if the legs begin to straighten before starting to raise the load;

·         Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, especially while the back is bent. Shoulders should be kept level and facing in the same direction as the hips. Turning by moving the feet is better than twisting and lifting at the same time;

·         Keep the head up when handling. Look ahead, not down at the load, once it has been held securely;

·         Move smoothly. The load should not be jerked or snatched as this can make it harder to keep control and can increase the risk of injury;

·         Don't lift or handle more than can be easily managed. There is a difference between what people can lift and what they can safely lift.

If you do suffer an injury or feel any pain while lifting or handling an object, stop immediately and inform your employer. Make sure that the incident is recorded because it could be some hours later before you realize the true extent of the damage.