What is manual handling?

Manual handling is the lifting, pulling, pushing and carrying of a range of objects and awkward loads.

With manual handling playing such a central role in occupational safety, RoSPA has developed courses which offer both practical skills and relevant theory. It aims to help organisations reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders - the most commonly reported type of work-related ill health - which, the Health and Safety Executive estimates, result in 11.6 million lost working days a year.

The course incorporates the use of a movement tracking device - a motion sensor worn on a belt - which monitors the wearer's movement and posture and identifies actions such as stooping that are known to be risk factors in back injury.