Risk assessments have been making workplaces safer, more enjoyable places to be for the better part of a century, but it wasn’t until the advent of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) that this tool for compliance was enshrined in UK law. Since then, risk assessments have come a long way, shaping our general working practices and helping the labour movement press for better working conditions and staff involvement in health and safety. This is particularly true in more hazardous sectors, where manual handling risk assessments are required.
Not only does assessing manual handling risks reduce the likelihood of accidents, injury and damage to equipment, but it’s also conducive to a more positive business ethos and community. So, whether you’re a company/site manager, warehouse operative, or safety rep, this guide is for you.
Before we begin, though, download our free blank risk assessment template, as we’ll be going through exactly how to use it and modify it for your own circumstances. Because this is such a broad topic, we’ve included examples from a variety of sectors, from the obvious (logistics and construction) to contexts that businesses tend to overlook. Now, let’s get going.
- Underscoring the Importance of Workplace Risk Assessments]
- Download Your Risk Assessment Template
- How to Complete a Manual Handling Risk Assessment (With Examples)
- The Bottom Line
Underscoring the Importance of Workplace Risk Assessments
By way of a quick introduction, allow us to remind you of the unignorable importance of workplace risk assessments. First, a mini refresher on what exactly constitutes a risk assessment.
According to the British Safety Council, they can be defined as “a systematic process of identifying hazards and evaluating any associated risks within a workplace, then implementing reasonable control measures to remove or reduce them.”
As such, it’s the role of whoever conducts the risk assessment to ensure that no harm comes to employees, visitors or members of the public; in fact, their safety and wellbeing depend on this tool. It doesn’t come as a surprise, then, that they are a statutory requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and the Health and Safety at Work Act.
For specific risks such as manual handling hazards, there are additional laws – namely the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR) – to heed, which bring additional, context-specific assessment requirements. It goes without saying that the ramifications of disregarding the guidance go beyond legal penalties: it jeopardises your operational efficiency, employee experience, and brand reputation. But, above all, no one deserves to be put at unnecessary risk at work.
Download Your Risk Assessment Template
If you haven’t already, now’s a good time to get your hands on our ready-to-use, editable manual handling risk assessment sheet. With it, you should be able to:
- Assign clear responsibility for assessments and instil an accountability framework
- Follow the correct step-by-step process and include all the right details
- Stay compliant with UK legislation
Who Should Conduct It?
Under MHOR, employers are required to avoid manual handling tasks, where “reasonably practicable”, and where unavoidable, assess and reduce the risk of injury. This means that they are ultimately responsible for making sure the paperwork gets done; however, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the ones to physically conduct the risk assessment.
Anyone who falls under the label “competent persons” – as in someone with a working understanding of what’s being assessed, the applicable hazards, the principles underlying the exercise, and the relevant up-to-date health and safety measures – can do so.
Thus, site managers, warehouse operatives, health and safety reps, business owners and external professionals are all capable of completing the assessment.
The Anatomy of a Manual Handling Risk Assessment
While risk assessments in manual handling contexts can vary in detail and scope, they will have the following elements in common:
- Description of specific tasks (with relevant details such as load weight and carry distance) and their related hazards
- An explanation of who might be harmed
- Risk ratings, in terms of severity and likelihood
- Current control measures
- Remedial actions required and by who
- A timeline for implementation
- Sign-offs from relevant staff involved in the risk assessment
Some may also include checklist sections for specific types of manual handling – think lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling – to guide the assessor’s evaluation (see page 2 of the template).
What the Law has to Say About Using Templates
While there is no barrier preventing businesses from conducting generic manual handling risk assessments for common risks across similar operations, assessors must always endeavour to accurately represent ongoing work. It should be based on real-life situations, not theoretical ones. That means detailing the precise nature of each manual handling task and the risk factors specific to the working environment in question, down to the number of employees and layout of facilities.
As such, take our template as more of a starting point that you can build from and modify according to your organisation’s unique needs.
How to Complete a Manual Handling Risk Assessment in 5 Steps (With Examples)
Step 1 – Identify the Hazards
Hazards are things with the potential to harm people, whether staff, visitors or customers. They may occur during the time of work, or possibly later down the line, in the case of a poorly lifted object that falls from a high place, like racking or a shelf.
It’s important to include as much detail as possible about the manual handling task: what type of labour and movement is required? Lifting, pushing, pulling, twisting? How heavy is the load, and how far does it need to be transported? Each of these details helps build a better picture of the risks that may occur and how they can be mitigated.
Don’t forget to include psychosocial hazards, such as a lack of training, participation or support; boredom and isolation; fatigue; colleague relationships; monotonous working patterns; workload and stress. It’s best to gather these insights by consulting workers intimately involved with the processes in question.
Case Study Example
In a warehousing environment, health and safety can be instilled by identifying hazards relating to moving heavy pallets. Here, a lack of proper equipment – for example, the best pallet truck for the load type – might pose an unnecessary risk when manual work can be automated.
Step 2 – Identify who Might be Harmed
Next, assessors must thoroughly consider those who may be harmed, including those not directly carrying out the manual handling, such as a passerby. The utmost care and consideration should be given to vulnerable people, like younger or inexperienced staff, older people or those with underlying health conditions. Make sure to detail how they could come to harm: stress, slips, trips, falls, minor and major injuries are all common examples.
Case Study Example
In hospitality, a restaurant manager might conduct a risk assessment for changing barrels, given that they are hefty and tricky to manoeuvre, which might pose a risk to bartenders and other staff passing through the vicinity. Here, they might note down how improper lifting could lead to sprains and strains, or how faults could cause it to explode.
Step 3 – Assess the Risk & Set Out Ways to Mitigate that Risk
Next, evaluate the severity of the risks you’ve identified; this should cover the likelihood and how substantial the consequences may be in all scenarios. With the risk level considered, it’s up to the assessor to establish suitable and effective control measures to mitigate the hazards recognised, with realistic and appropriate timeframes for completion.
Useful tools for manual handling tasks, in particular, are as follows:
- The Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC Tool)
- The Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling (RAPP Tool)
Case Study Example
Supermarkets and other retail environments, wherein stocking shelves and moving pallets of inventory are common, might need a manual handling risk assessment to determine how severe the risk of items falling on customers and shelf stackers is.
Step 4 – Record & Apply Your Findings
At this stage, assessors should have a completed risk assessment form, either on paper or electronically, they are ready to share with the relevant staff and managers. The more detail you provide, the easier it will be to implement a long-term, effective solution.
It’s also important to note that if an employer has 5+ staff, the record is mandatory. That said, it’s equally valuable for small businesses to follow this best practice also, given that they may need written records in the case of a safety inspector visit.
Case Study Example
A safety rep shares a thorough risk assessment with a construction site manager to implement extra measures to reinforce the safety of some scaffolding, thereby staying compliant under the 2005 Working At Height Regulations.
Step 5 – Review the Risk Assessment & Update as Necessary
Once implemented, a risk assessment shouldn’t be forgotten; returning to it later down the line allows for refinement and additional precautions where the risks haven’t been reduced as expected. For instance, the nature of a hazard may change with time and as working practices morph and develop.
Case Study Example
In a hospital, mobile hoists were implemented following a risk assessment recommendation and have improved patient outcomes, pain and distress levels. However, years later, the equipment is ageing and outdated; here, a further assessment might be made before replacing the handling equipment with more modern options.
The Bottom Line: It’s Simpler than You Might Think
By now, you’ll probably have realised that the assumption that risk assessments command a ton of laborious paperwork is just that – an assumption. In reality, a suitable and sufficient risk assessment (under legal definitions) follows the 5 core steps we outlined above, provided you include as much detail as possible, tailored to your situation, and aim to consult those involved in the risk-impacted activities you identify.
As long as you record all significant findings, such as the hazards spotted, the controls your workplace already has in place, further measures required and those impacted, you can rest assured that you’re making a good start. And, remember, if you record hazards as being moderate to high risk, it’s best practice to take immediate action.
For more insight about how the correct manual handling equipment can fortify your workplace health and safety, please visit the rest of our blog. Our industry specialists are also on hand to discuss your requirements if you need further guidance – email sales@pallettruckshop.co.uk or phone 01384-841400.