Manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work, and back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders are among the main reasons for time off work.

Many people also spend much of their day at a computer, where poor posture can cause aches, pains and eye strain. In this module you will learn how to handle loads safely, and how to set up a workstation correctly.

Manual handling is any activity that involves moving items, by lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing or pulling, whatever their weight, shape or size. Done badly, it can cause many injuries and health problems, especially musculoskeletal disorders. These are injuries, damage or disorders of the joints or other tissues in the upper limbs, the lower limbs or the back, and they are one of the two leading causes of work-related illness.

Back injuries often develop slowly, over a long period, and are not noticed at first. Other common problems are lower limb pain, joint pain and repetitive strain injuries, and injuries to the fingers, thumbs, arms and hands. Typical workplace examples include pushing cages, carrying boxes or crates, stocking shelves and moving equipment. There are other risks too, such as tripping because the load blocks the carrier's view.

Manual handling means moving or supporting a load by hand or by bodily force. It includes lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, holding and moving.

A load can be a box, a sack, a tool, a piece of equipment, or even a person or an animal. Poor manual handling can cause back injuries, strains and sprains, hernias, and injuries to hands, arms and feet. Many of these injuries build up gradually over time.

Under the General Application Regulations, employers must first avoid manual handling that involves a risk of injury, where this is reasonably practicable. For example:

• Using mechanical aids, such as trolleys, pallet trucks, hoists, conveyors and lift tables.
• Changing the process, so the load does not need to be moved by hand.
• Having goods delivered directly to where they are needed.

Where manual handling cannot be avoided, the risks must be assessed and reduced.

Employers must follow a hierarchy of control. The first step is to avoid hazardous manual handling operations as far as is reasonably practicable, using mechanical aids. The second is to assess any manual handling that cannot be avoided. The final step is to reduce the risk of injury to as low as is reasonably practicable. There are many ways to avoid hazardous manual handling. You can mechanise the process, for example with conveyors.

You can use handling aids such as trolleys or pallet trucks, or mobile hoists to lift and move heavy and awkward loads. You can deliver raw materials directly to where they are used, and automate processes where possible. Also check whether you need to move the load at all, because some components are safer to work on where they sit. Mechanisation can introduce other hazards, so, for example, forklift trucks and conveyor maintenance both require training.

A manual handling assessment looks at four things, often remembered as TILE:

• Task: does it involve twisting, stooping, reaching, long carrying distances or frequent lifting?
• Individual: does it need unusual strength, or put anyone at particular risk, such as a new or pregnant worker?
• Load: is it heavy, bulky, unstable, hard to grip, sharp or hot?
• Environment: are there space constraints, uneven or slippery floors, steps, poor lighting or extremes of temperature?

When assessing manual handling risks, employers must consider four aspects, which form the acronym TILE. The task covers what needs to be done with the load. Will it involve repetitive handling, twisting or swooping, how long will it be handled, and is more than one person needed? The individual covers who is carrying it. They must have had proper training, feel confident to do the handling and have the strength to do it.

The load covers what is being handled, including its size, stability, weight and how easy it is to grasp. The environment covers where the load is being moved. Consider any space constraints, a slippery or uneven floor and trip hazards, and if the work is outside, weather such as slippery or icy conditions. Employees also have legal duties: follow training and safe systems of work, use safety equipment properly, cooperate, report hazardous handling and avoid putting others at risk.

• Break loads into smaller, lighter parts.
• Store heavy items between knee and shoulder height.
• Improve the layout, to reduce carrying distances, twisting and stooping.
• Use team lifts for heavy or awkward loads, with one person in charge.
• Give training in safe handling, and in the use of handling aids.
• Rotate tasks and allow rest breaks for repetitive work.

Employers can take simple steps to reduce the risk of injury. They can improve the flow and storage of products and materials, and split loads into smaller, lighter ones. Where heavy items must be moved in and out of storage, they should be arranged at around waist height, which is the best position for safe handling. The working area can be redesigned to shorten the distance staff carry loads and to avoid the need to open doors along those routes.

Mechanical aids can also be introduced to avoid hazardous manual handling. Examples are lift trucks such as forklifts, reach trucks and side loaders, cages and trolleys, cranes and hoists, powered pallet trucks, pneumatic transfer systems, pumped pipework and gravity feed systems. Anyone who operates this equipment must be properly trained, and this is particularly important for lift trucks, which must have trained, authorised operators.

• Plan the lift. Check the load and the route, and decide where it is going. Get help if you need it.
• Stand close to the load, with your feet apart and one leg slightly forward.
• Bend your knees and hips, and keep your back in its natural position.
• Get a firm grip, and keep the load close to your waist.
• Lift smoothly, without jerking, and avoid twisting your back. Turn with your feet.
• Put the load down, then adjust its position.

Before you lift, think about where you will put the load, whether you need help, and how you will position yourself. Remove obstructions such as discarded wrapping from the route. Start with a good posture, squatting slightly using your hips and knees rather than bending your back. Adopt a stable position, with your feet apart and one leg slightly forward. Keep the load close to your body for as long as possible, get a good grip and hold the heaviest side next to you.

Avoid twisting your back or leaning sideways, keep your shoulders level and facing the same way as your hips, and keep your head up, looking ahead. For a long lift, rest the load on a bench to change grip. Guideline maximum weights are lower with arms extended or at high or low levels. If the load passes between zones, use the lower weight. If it exceeds the guideline, a risk assessment is required.

• Push rather than pull, where possible.
• Make sure you can see over the load, and steer and stop it safely.
• Keep trolleys well maintained, with wheels that run freely.
• Take extra care on slopes, ramps and uneven floors, and get help if needed.
• Keep your back straight, and lean in the direction of movement, using your body weight.

When you push or pull a load, follow some basic safe practices. Always push rather than pull. You must be able to see over the load and control steering and stopping. Avoid working alone when negotiating a slope or ramp, and remember that moving an object over an uneven surface needs greater force. Keep your feet well away from the load and go no faster than walking speed.

Aids for pushing and pulling, such as wheelbarrows and trolleys, should have handles at a height between the shoulders and the waist. The devices should also be well maintained, with wheels that run smoothly, because a poorly maintained trolley makes you use more force and increases the chance of injury. Treat every route as part of the task, and check the floor and any slope before you start moving.

Display screen equipment, or DSE, includes computers, laptops, tablets and their workstations. Part 2, Chapter 5 of the General Application Regulations requires employers to:

• Assess and reduce the risks of every workstation used by DSE users.
• Plan work so that users have breaks or changes of activity.
• Provide an eye and eyesight test for users on request, and glasses where they are needed specifically for screen work.
• Provide information and training.

Ergonomics is the fit between people and their work: designing the job and the workstation around the person.

Ergonomics refers to the fit between people and their work environment. An ergonomic workplace makes sure that tasks, equipment and the environment suit the comfort and needs of each worker. It also reduces accidents, injury and ill health, and improves productivity. Poor ergonomics can cause musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive strain injuries, upper limb disorders, eyesight problems and stress at work. The display screen equipment regulations require employers to analyse each workstation, including screens and keyboards, to make sure they allow safe working.

Employers must ensure employees take breaks away from the computer during the day, and provide eyesight tests on request, together with special prescription glasses if the test shows they are needed for screen work. They must also give training and information, and carry out a DSE assessment for each employee.

• Use a stable chair that adjusts in height, with good lower back support.
• Sit with your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest, and your thighs roughly horizontal.
• Have the top of the screen at about eye level, and an arm’s length away.
• Keep the keyboard and mouse close, so you can use them with relaxed arms and straight wrists.
• Position the screen to avoid glare and reflections from windows and lights.

A workstation should be designed to prevent strain. The chair should be stable and adjustable in height and tilt, with armrests and a padded seat, and people should be able to sit with their feet flat on the floor or on a footrest if they need extra support. Keyboards should be clean and legible, tilted at a comfortable angle so that the user does not lean or stretch, with wrists supported by a rest or the desk so they do not twist or bend.

The mouse should be used with a relaxed arm and a straight wrist, without reaching. The monitor should be at a height where your eyes are level with a point two to three inches below its top, positioned to avoid glare, with brightness and contrast adjusted for comfort. There should be space to move and stretch.

• Change your posture often, and avoid sitting in one position for long periods.
• Take short, frequent breaks or changes of activity, rather than occasional long ones.
• Rest your eyes by looking into the distance from time to time.
• Keep the workstation tidy, with enough space for documents and equipment.
• Report any aches, pains or eye problems early.