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Manual handling- what the law requires
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Where law is found

• Manual Handling Operations Regulations in force
  since 1 January 1993 and
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work
  Regulations 1999

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Legal definition of Manual handling

• means any transporting or supporting of a load
  (including the lifting, putting down, pushing,
  pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or
  by bodily force

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Legal definition of Load

• load includes any person and any animal
• (but not an implement, tool or machine while in
  use for its intended purpose)
• But Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and
  MHSWR 1999 apply when they in use as intended

x
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Legal definition of Injury

• injury does not include any injury caused by
  any toxic or corrosive substance which has leaked
  or spilled from a load / is present on the
  surface of a load / spilled from it / or is a
  constituent part of a load
• Again we could consider HSW
• and MHSWR duties when needed

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Guidance on the Manual Handling Operations
Regulations

• L23 (rev) gives help on the topic and the
  Regulations BUT make sure you have the up to date
  version with this cover
• it contains much new information
• See also www.hse.gov.uk/msd
• Getting to grips information sheet

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MHOR - Risk control

• Avoid handling operations involving risk of
  injury
• Reg 4(1)(a)
• Assess operations involving risk of injury that
• cannot be avoided Reg 4(1)(b)(i)
• Reduce the risk of injury eg using handling aids
• and provide information on the load
• Reg 4(1)(b)(ii) and (iii)
• Review the assessment Reg 4(1)(b)(iii)

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Workplace Regulations

• Workplace Regulations 1992 Regulation 11
• Suitable workstations -for the person and work
• Suitable seat where work (or a substantial part
  of it) can or must be done sitting - suitable
  for the person and operation and a suitable
  footrest provided if necessary

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Workplace Regulations
Workplace Regulations 1992 Regulation 12
Floors free from holesslopes.slippery material
so as to expose any person to a risk
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PUWER 1992 Regs 4 and 5
Work equipment covers almost any equipment
used at work. suitable for use suitable in any
respect which it is reasonably foreseeable will
affect the health and safety of any person
maintained in efficient state, efficient working
order and in good repair.
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Training

• Not a specific Regulation in MHOR but take into
  account training when considering the risk of
  injury and appropriate steps to reduce the risk
  (Reg 4(3) )
• No prescriptive or common syllabus
• Guidance in L23

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Manual Handling law a summary

• The main requirements are in MHOR but other law
  can apply too.

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