Manual handling and safe lifting
Avoid, assess and reduce manual handling risk: think about the task, the person, the load and the environment, use aids, and lift, carry, push and pull with good technique.
- Level
- Beginner
- Length
- About 45 minutes
- Contents
- 3 lessons · 1 video · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 1 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Assess a handling task by looking at the task, the individual, the load and the environment
- Choose to avoid, mechanize or reduce a lift before relying on technique
- Demonstrate the key points of a controlled lift, carry and set-down
- Plan a team lift and decide when to stop and ask for help or equipment
Course outline
- 1.Manual handling and safe liftingVideo · 2 min
- 2.Why handling injuries happenLesson · 15 min
- 3.Lifting, carrying and setting downLesson · 16 min
- 4.Team lifts, aids and knowing when to stopLesson · 14 min
- 5.Manual handling and safe lifting: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 21 questions
- 6.The motor on the floorScenario
- 7.Final exam7 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- Your site's manual handling risk assessments and procedures
- Your national or local regulator's guidance on manual handling (weight guidelines and legal duties differ by country)
- Manufacturer instructions for handling aids such as trolleys, pallet trucks and lifting devices
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.