Manual handling

Lifting objects of some weight is a common workplace task. But do you know how to do it correctly?

In this activity there are two videos showing the right way and wrong way to perform a lifting task. The content of the videos is described in the following text. Read the text and think about the way you lift objects. Are you doing it correctly?

The wrong way

The worker bends over and lifts the drum of cable. Here she is doing a number of things wrong.

• Firstly she is standing too far away from the drum, then she bends and lifts the drum with her back arched and her knees straight. This places strain on the lower back which can lead to back injury.
• When she places the drum onto the vehicle, she again bends and arches her back.
• In both movements, the muscles in her back are under the strain of the cable drum weight.

This is not a safe method of manual handling.

The right way

• This time the worker moves close to the cable drum and bends her knees to lower her body to the cable drum's height.
• Then she lifts the weight of the cable drum by extending her knees while keeping her back straight. This way the muscles in the legs are used to lift the weight of the cable drum.
• To place the cable drum into the vehicle, she moves as close as possible, then bends her knees to lower the cable drum.

This is a safe method of manual handling.