Manual Handling is any task where you lift, lower, push, pull, carry or move a load by hand or bodily effort. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Irish employers are legally required to assess the risk in these tasks and provide proper Manual Handling Training to everyone who carries them out. The key principles are simple: plan the lift, keep the load close, bend at the knees, avoid twisting, and assess every job with the TILE check (Task, Individual, Load, Environment).
Manual handling injuries are consistently among the most common causes of workplace injury in Ireland. Back damage, sprains, strains and other musculoskeletal problems often trace straight back to poor lifting technique. Completing a Manual Handling Course is not just a legal requirement. It is one of the most practical things you can do to protect your health at work.