Safe Lifting & Manual Materials Handling

The revised Safe Lifting and Manual Material Handling course will provide workers with strategies to adapt lifting and handling techniques, personalized to their work environment.

It will also include content on manual materials handling. This revised training will also provide customers flexibility where customers can choose from a variety of modules, depending on their specific needs.

Training Overview

Manual materials handling remains a high-risk occupation in terms of injuries. It is not enough to train on "bend your knees and keep your back straight.

" This revised training emphasizes motor learning, practice and adaptive strategies providing tools to prevent situations in which workers lift. MSDs are the number one type of work-related lost-time claims reported to the WSIB in Ontario.

MSDs cause pain and suffering for thousands of workers every year, and cost Ontario's workplaces billions due to time off work, medical costs, absenteeism, and lost productivity. Back injuries can be mitigated using proper lifting techniques.

What Topics Will Be Covered?

Overall, the newly revised Safe Lifting and Manual Material Handling course will:

• Provide information on the mechanisms of injury which helps workers understand what is happening when reviewing lifting mechanics.

• Focus on various techniques and strategies when applying those techniques in various situations.

• Discuss the hierarchy of controls, educate participants how to use provided controls effectively and safety.

• Teach participants how to spot defective controls and report those to their supervisor. 

• Focus on proper practice which is the key to long term knowledge transfer and more importantly affect motor learning.

What Are The Benefits?

Participants are provided an opportunity to practice the lifting techniques

• Exercises build interactivity to increase engagement and reinforce learning

• Comprehensive resources provided for on-going customer use

Topics Include:

Module 1:

• The importance of safe lifting and MMH practices

• How lifting injuries occur

• Strategies and safe lifting/MMH techniques to reduce hazard exposure

• Proper lifting/MMH mechanics

• Various hazard controls to minimize risks

Module 2:

• Finding a suitable solution to lifting and handling in your specific workplace to reduce the risk of injury

• Proper lifting and handling mechanics based on real world situations

Who Is This Recommended For?

This is intended for all types of participants. The course meets requirement for both provincial and federal workplaces.

What Are The Prerequisites?

None