Manual Handling

A manual task is any activity where you lift, lower, push, pull, carry, move, hold or restrain a person or object. It becomes hazardous when it involves repetitive or sustained force, high or sudden force, repetitive movement, sustained or awkward posture, or exposure to vibration. This lesson explains these risk factors using examples from disability and aged care, such as repositioning a person in bed or pushing a heavy wheelchair up a ramp. Key points: most tasks carry some risk, the risk factors add up, and recognising them is the first step to preventing injury.

Manual handling injuries, known as musculoskeletal disorders, include sprains, strains, back injuries, joint damage and nerve problems. Some happen suddenly, such as a back strain during a transfer, but many build up slowly through repeated small strains over weeks or months. This lesson explains how the body is injured, why early warning signs such as aches and stiffness matter, and why people being moved also face risks of falls, skin tears and fear. Key points: injuries often build over time, early symptoms must be reported, and unsafe handling can harm participants as well as workers.

Under work health and safety laws, everyone has a part to play in preventing manual handling injuries. We must identify hazards, assess and control risks, provide suitable equipment and training, and consult with workers. You must take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others, follow reasonable instructions, policies and plans, use equipment as trained, and report hazards and injuries. This lesson also explains the right to stop a task you believe is unsafe. Key points: safety is shared, follow the plan, and speak up early.

We manage manual handling risks with a simple four step process: identify hazards, assess the risk, control the risk and review the controls. This lesson explains each step and how it applies in a participant's home or a supported accommodation setting. It also explains how participants' mobility plans and manual handling assessments are developed, often with an occupational therapist or physiotherapist. Key points: risk management is ongoing, plans must be reviewed when a person's needs change, and your observations on shift are a vital part of the process.

Not all risk controls are equally effective. The hierarchy of controls ranks them from most to least effective: eliminating the hazard, substituting it with something safer, using engineering controls such as equipment and redesign, then administrative controls such as procedures and training, and finally personal protective equipment. This lesson applies the hierarchy to manual handling in disability and aged care, such as using height adjustable beds, ceiling hoists and trolleys. Key points: always start at the top, rely on training alone as little as possible, and use a combination of controls.

Even with a plan in place, conditions change from day to day. This lesson teaches a quick check you can do before any manual task, thinking about the task, the individual doing it, the load or person being moved, and the environment. It uses realistic examples such as a participant who is drowsy after new medication, a wet bathroom floor, or a hoist battery that is flat. Key points: take a moment to check before every task, the person's condition can change daily, and if anything is different from the plan, stop and seek advice.

Good body mechanics reduce strain when you must move objects or help a person move. This lesson covers the basic principles: plan the move, keep a stable base, keep loads close, bend your knees and hips rather than your back, avoid twisting by moving your feet, adjust the working height, and use smooth movements. It also covers communicating with the person throughout. Key points: good technique supports but never replaces equipment and planning, never lift a person manually, and always tell the person what you are doing and encourage them to help.

Many transfers can be made safer with simple handling aids. This lesson explains common aids such as slide sheets, transfer boards, transfer belts, turntables and electric beds, and when each is used. It covers repositioning in bed with a slide sheet, sit to stand support, and bed to chair transfers, always following the person's plan. Key points: use the aid named in the plan, check equipment before use, never leave a slide sheet under a person unless the plan says so, encourage the person to do as much as they can, and only use aids you are trained on.

Hoists move a person who cannot bear their own weight, or can only bear some weight. This lesson explains the main types, including mobile floor hoists, ceiling hoists and standing hoists, how slings are matched to the person, and the checks to do before every use. It covers the general steps of a hoist transfer and the most common errors. Key points: only use a hoist and sling you are trained and assessed on for that person, use the exact sling type and size in the plan, check both before each use, follow the plan on the number of workers, and never leave a person suspended alone.

One of the most common causes of serious worker injury is trying to catch a person who is falling. This lesson explains why you should not try to catch or hold up a falling person, how to guide them to the floor where possible, and what to do after a fall. It covers checking for injury, calling for help, and using equipment such as a floor lifting cushion or hoist to get the person up. Key points: protect the person's head, never lift a fallen person by hand, follow the plan and first aid training, and report every fall.

Your body is your most important piece of equipment. This lesson covers everyday habits that lower your risk of manual handling injury across a whole shift and a whole career: warming up, pacing heavy tasks through the day, rotating tasks with colleagues, taking breaks, managing fatigue from long or overnight shifts, wearing suitable clothing and enclosed shoes, and driving safely with good seat set up. Key points: plan the shift so heavy tasks are spread out, fatigue increases injury risk, tell your team leader if you are unwell or recovering from an injury, and ask for help rather than rushing.

Reporting is one of the most effective ways to prevent manual handling injuries. This lesson explains what to report, including hazards, faulty equipment, near misses, early symptoms of strain and injuries, and how to report through our incident and hazard system. It also explains why early reporting matters for your recovery and any workers compensation claim. Key points: report hazards and faulty equipment immediately and tag them out of use, report early aches before they become injuries, report every injury however small, and know that reporting will never count against you.