Getting to Grips: page 11

Pushing and pulling

The task is within the guidelines if the following figures are not exceeded:

See ‘Good handling technique for pushing and pulling’ for some examples of forces required to push or pull loads.

Using the results: Do I need to make a more detailed assessment?

Using Figure 2 is a first step. If it shows the manual handling is within the guideline figures (bearing in mind the reduced limits for twisting and for frequent lifts) you need not do any more in most cases. But you will need to make a more detailed assessment if:

• the conditions given for using the guidelines (eg that the load can be readily grasped with both hands) are not met;
• the person doing the lifting has reduced capacity, eg through ill health or pregnancy;
• the handling operation must take place with the hands beyond the boxes in the diagram; or
• the guideline figures in the diagram are exceeded.

• there are extra risk factors like uneven floors or confined spaces;
• the worker can’t push or pull the load with their hands between knuckle and shoulder height;
• the load has to be moved for more than about 20 m without a break; or
• the guideline figures in the table are likely to be exceeded.

More advice on how to make a more detailed assessment is given in our main guidance booklet 'Manual Handling. Guidance on regulations' (see ‘Further reading’ for details).

HSE has also developed a tool called the Manual Handling Assessment Chart (MAC), to help you assess the most common risk factors in lifting, carrying and team handling. You may find the MAC useful to help identify high-risk manual handling operations and to help complete detailed risk assessments. It can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk/msd.

Are you saying I mustn’t exceed the guidelines?

No. The risk assessment guidelines are not ‘safe limits’ for lifting. But work outside the guidelines is likely to increase the risk of injury, so you should examine it closely for possible improvements. You should remember that you must make the work less demanding if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Your main duty is to avoid lifting operations that involve a risk of injury. Where it is not practicable to do this you should assess each lifting operation and reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable. As the risk of injury goes up you must look at the operation increasingly closely to make sure it has been properly assessed and the risk of injury has been reduced.

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