This course covers what constitutes manual handling under UK law, how to identify and assess risk using the TILE framework, and the safe techniques required to protect yourself and others in the workplace.
This course covers what constitutes manual handling under UK law, the duty to follow the hierarchy of avoid, assess, and reduce, how to identify and assess risk using the TILE framework, the injuries that can result from poor handling practices, and the safe techniques required to protect yourself and others in the workplace. It is designed for anyone whose role involves lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling loads, whether in warehouses, healthcare, construction, offices, or any other setting.
Manual handling, TILE, TILEO, musculoskeletal disorders, risk assessment, HSE, MAC tool, RAPP tool, ART tool, lifting technique, load, employer duty, avoid assess reduce, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, psychosocial risk factors, fatigue, 5 Ps, mechanical aids, hierarchy of control, weight guidelines
This module defines manual handling under UK law as any transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, and carrying. You'll understand that loads include both inanimate objects and animate loads such as patients or animals, and that manual handling occurs across virtually every workplace, from retail and construction to healthcare and office environments. Through practical scenarios and knowledge checks, you'll be able to identify what counts as manual handling and recognise how widespread it is in daily working life.
This module explores the scale and nature of injuries caused by poor manual handling, including back injuries, upper limb disorders, strains, sprains, and hernias. You'll learn that 511,000 workers in Great Britain suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders each year, resulting in 7.1 million lost working days. You'll also understand how fatigue and stress act as risk multipliers, and which groups, including new workers, expectant mothers, older workers, those with disabilities, and lone workers, require particular attention when planning and handling tasks.
This module outlines the legal framework governing manual handling in UK workplaces, centred on the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. You'll understand the employer's three-tier hierarchy of duty - avoid, assess, reduce - and the additional obligations around training, equipment, and workforce consultation. You'll also learn about employee responsibilities, including following safe systems of work, reporting hazards and near-misses, and disclosing relevant health conditions.
This module introduces the HSE's TILE framework for assessing manual handling risk across four factors: Task, Individual, Load, and Environment, with the optional fifth factor (Other) covering equipment, work organisation, and psychosocial pressures. You'll learn when a risk assessment is required, how to document findings, and the three levels of assessment - from simple filters using HSE guideline weights through to full documented assessments using tools such as the MAC, RAPP, and ART. You'll also understand that there are no legal weight limits in the UK and that the commonly quoted 25 kg figure applies only under very specific conditions.
This module covers the practical techniques for lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling loads safely, grounded in the 5 Ps framework: Plan, Position, Pick, Proceed, and Place. You'll learn how to assess a load before lifting, adopt the correct stance and grip, maintain your back's natural curve, lift smoothly using your legs, and set loads down safely. You'll also understand that good technique is the last line of defence - not the first - and that it should always follow proper task design, engineering controls, and the provision of mechanical aids.
