Legal & Compliance Library

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

Requires employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where possible, and assess and reduce the risk where it can't be avoided.

Scope

Avoid first, then assess what remains

The regulations ask employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where possible, then assess and reduce the risk of whatever handling can't be avoided.

Avoid, then assess

Duty

Applies wherever loads are lifted, carried or moved

Any employer whose work involves lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling loads falls within scope, regardless of how occasional the handling is.

Any handling, in scope

Practice

The assessment behind the technique

Good practice generally goes beyond a lifting-technique poster — a genuine assessment of the load, the task, the environment and the individual is what the regulations actually ask for.

Assessed, not just trained

This page is an educational, plain-English summary — it is not legal advice and must not be relied on as a substitute for the legislation itself or advice from a competent person. Always refer to the official source for the authoritative text.

What it covers

These regulations require employers to avoid the need for hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable, assess any manual handling that can't be avoided, and take steps to reduce the risk of injury.

Who it applies to

Any employer whose work involves manual handling of loads (lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling).

How SafetyOps supports compliance

A dedicated Manual Handling module is planned in SafetyOps; manual handling hazards can already be recorded as hazards within a general Risk Assessment today.

Explore the related module →

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