Manual Handling Training

What Is Manual Handling Training?

As the name suggests, manual handling training is a course that teaches your employees how to lift, handle and move objects in a safe and responsible way. It’s a legally-required Health and Safety course that helps delegates to understand the importance of good manual handling, the risks of poor handling techniques and how to undergo a manual handling risk assessment.

Manual handling training aims to reduce the risk of injury and ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of employees in the workplace.

Who Is Manual Handling Training For?

Manual handling training is aimed at employees of all levels in any organisation or sector who may be required to manually handle items. This may include lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, manoeuvering, steadying or transporting items by hand or by bodily force.

Needless to say, manual handling training is directly suited for physically-demanding industries such as construction, removals and agriculture. However, it’s also catered to office and retail workers who may need to deal with heavy deliveries or move furniture/objects.

Why Do You Need Manual Handling Training?

Manual handling training is a legal requirement for any organisation whose staff are required to do any lifting, lowering, pulling or pushing that carries a level of risk. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to ensure that all employees are trained and competent in manual handling.

However, manual handling training does more than just keep your business on the right side of the law. Over a third of all work-related injuries are due to poor manual handling, with back injuries being the biggest cause of staff absence in the UK. Subsequently, manual handling training helps to prevent such injuries while improving your business’ performance.

What Does Manual Handling Training Cover?

Our manual handling training course lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes. It involves both classroom-based learning and practical elements with an assessment at the end of the course. This combined approach maximises the effectiveness of the course while enabling delegates to comfortably implement their new-found knowledge on their own.

The content of the course includes:

• Manual handling risk factors and how injuries can occur.
• The spine and WRULDs (work-related neck and upper limb disorders).
• What are WRULDS?
• How to carry out safe manual handling, including good handling technique.
• Appropriate systems of work for the individual's tasks and environment.
• Basics of manual handling risk assessment.
• Use of mechanical aids.
• Tailored elements to demonstrate and understand the specific risks for your premises.
• Practical work to allow the trainer to identify correct trainee awareness.
• Manual handling quiz.

Delegates receive a manual handling certificate upon completion of the course. At SMSE, our manual handling training is bespoke. We’ll discuss your business needs beforehand and ensure our manual handling training is tailored to your type of work. Our trainers will then come to your premises and deliver the course in person.

What Are the Benefits of Manual handling Training?

• Improves Staff Wellbeing - Manual handling training avoids the risk of painful and physically limiting injuries to your staff, ensuring their health, safety and wellbeing. As an employer, this gives you peace of mind.
• Boosts Productivity - Manual handling training reduces the risk of work-related injuries, which means less staff absences which, in turn, means improved productivity and output for your business.
• Effective - Your delegates don’t just learn from behind a computer screen. Our manual handling training course combines practical activities with classroom-based learning, delivered by one of our enthusiastic, experienced and fully-qualified trainers, ensuring maximum impact.
• Efficient - Manual handling training doesn’t require you to sacrifice too much of your precious time. We offer a high-impact yet time-effective course that takes just 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Compliant -- Investing in manual handling training ensures your business is compliant with Health and Safety laws and regulations. It also protects you from the cost of potential litigation.
• Fun, Team-Building Activity - While we take the course seriously, manual handling training can provide a welcome shake-up to the daily work schedule in the form of a fun, enjoyable and team-bonding activity.