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Health & Safety

Manual Handling Assessments & Training

Expert manual handling risk assessments and practical on-site training under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. We assess your lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling tasks, recommend practical controls and train your team to handle loads safely.

33%Of all workplace injuries
470KWorkers with MSD each year
MHOR1992 Regulations compliance
LITELoad, Individual, Task, Environment
Manual Handling

What Is a Manual Handling Assessment?

A workplace risk assessment is a systematic examination of your work activities, premises and processes to identify what could cause harm to people — and whether you're doing enough to prevent it. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and anyone else who may be affected by their work activities.

If you have five or more employees, the significant findings of your risk assessment must be recorded in writing. But regardless of your size, risk assessment is the foundation of every health and safety management system — without it, you're managing safety blind.

RADCaT's qualified health and safety consultants carry out thorough, practical workplace risk assessments for businesses of every size and sector across the UK. We don't produce generic templates — we visit your premises, walk your processes, talk to your team and produce site-specific, task-specific assessments that genuinely reflect your operations and give you a clear, prioritised action plan for improvement.

Whether you need a general workplace risk assessment for your office, a task-specific assessment for high-risk activities in a factory, a site-wide review for a multi-building campus, or a pre-project risk assessment for a construction site — RADCaT delivers expert, HSE-compliant assessments tailored to your industry and your operations.

Manual handling injuries cost UK employers an estimated £5.6 billion per year in sickness absence, agency cover, compensation claims and lost productivity. A proper assessment and training programme from RADCaT pays for itself many times over.

Manual Handling services from RADCaT
Types of Risk Assessment

Manual Handling Services

Assessment, training and ongoing support for every lifting task in your workplace.

Manual Handling Assessments

LITE-based assessment of every manual handling task — load weight, shape, grip, stability, carrying distance, lifting height, posture, frequency, individual capability and environmental factors.

Patient & Resident Handling

Specialist assessments for care homes and healthcare — individual moving and handling plans, hoist assessments, slide sheet techniques, stand aid suitability and emergency evacuation lifting.

Warehouse & Factory

Assessment of production line handling, pallet operations, racking loading, drum handling, IBC movement and conveyor-to-bench transfers. Mechanical aid recommendations.

Construction Handling

Block laying, plasterboard handling, steel erection, timber carrying, pipe fitting and tool transport. Site-specific assessments for physically demanding construction tasks.

On-Site Training

Practical training delivered at your workplace using your actual loads and equipment. Correct technique, risk awareness, mechanical aids and individual responsibility. Manual handling training →

Mechanical Aid Assessment

Evaluation of mechanical handling aids — hoists, pallet trucks, trolleys, vacuum lifters, conveyor systems and lifting equipment. Recommendations for new equipment where manual handling can be eliminated.

Our Process

How We Carry Out a Risk Assessment

1

Task Identification

We identify every manual handling operation in your workplace — lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, lowering and holding tasks across all roles and departments.

2

LITE Assessment

Each task is assessed against the LITE framework — Load (weight, shape, grip), Individual (capability, training), Task (posture, distance, frequency), Environment (floor, space, temperature).

3

Control Measures

Practical recommendations to reduce risk — elimination, mechanical aids, team lifting, workstation redesign, load reduction, improved handling techniques and task rotation.

4

Training Delivery

On-site practical training for your team — correct technique for your specific tasks, using your actual loads and equipment. Certification and documentation provided.

5

Review Programme

Scheduled reassessment when tasks, loads, equipment or staff change. Annual review for retained clients. Ongoing monitoring of manual handling injury rates.

Common Questions

Manual Handling FAQ

What is the legal weight limit for lifting at work?

There is no specific legal weight limit in UK law. The MHOR 1992 require employers to assess all manual handling operations and reduce risk so far as reasonably practicable. HSE guidance suggests guideline weights (e.g. 25kg for men close to body at waist height) but these are not legal limits — they are trigger points for detailed assessment. The actual safe weight depends on the specific task, individual and environment.

Do office workers need manual handling assessments?

If office workers carry out any manual handling — moving boxes, rearranging furniture, handling deliveries, carrying equipment — then yes. Office environments often involve awkward handling in confined spaces. While risks are generally lower than industrial settings, they still need assessing and managing.

How often should manual handling assessments be reviewed?

When tasks, loads, equipment, working environment or staffing change. After any manual handling injury or near-miss. Best practice is annual formal review. RADCaT provides scheduled review visits for retained clients.

Do you train with our actual equipment?

Yes. We deliver practical manual handling training using your loads, your equipment and in your workplace. Care home training uses your hoists and slide sheets. Warehouse training uses your actual products and pallet configurations. This is far more effective than classroom training.

What industries need manual handling assessments?

Every industry where workers lift, carry, push or pull loads — manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, construction, care homes, hospitals, hospitality, retail, schools, offices and charity operations. If your staff handle loads of any kind, you need assessments.

Can manual handling training reduce injuries?

Yes. Proper assessment plus practical training typically reduces manual handling injuries by 30-50%. Combined with mechanical aids and workstation improvements, some clients achieve over 70% reduction in MSD-related sickness absence.

How much does a manual handling assessment cost?

Based on the number of tasks, complexity and whether training is included. Bundled assessment-plus-training packages offer the best value. Contact us for a free consultation and no-obligation quote.

Need a Manual Handling Assessment?

Tell us about your manual handling tasks and we'll provide a clear, no-obligation quote.