📦 Manual Handling

1. Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, what is the FIRST thing an employer should try to do about a hazardous manual handling task?

1. Avoid the need for the manual handling task wherever it is reasonably practicable
2. Provide every worker with a back support belt
3. Make sure the heaviest items are lifted last
4. Send all workers on a lifting competition course

The Regulations set out a clear order: avoid hazardous manual handling so far as is reasonably practicable, then assess what cannot be avoided, then reduce the risk. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

2. What does the letter 'L' stand for in the TILE checklist used to assess a manual handling task?

1. Load
2. Lifting
3. Ladder
4. Length

TILE stands for Task, Individual, Load and Environment, the four factors to consider when assessing a manual handling operation. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (TILE)

3. If a manual handling task cannot be avoided, what must the employer do next under the Regulations?

1. Carry out a suitable assessment of the task and reduce the risk of injury
2. Simply tell workers to be careful
3. Wait until someone is injured before acting
4. Order new tools without looking at the task

Where hazardous handling cannot be avoided, the Regulations require the employer to assess it and then take steps to reduce the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

4. You are asked to move a load by hand but you think it is too heavy. What is the best thing to do?

1. Stop and tell your supervisor so the task can be looked at again
2. Lift it quickly to get it over with
3. Ask the smallest person nearby to do it instead
4. Drag it across the floor and hope it does not break

If you believe a load is too heavy or the task is unsafe, you should stop and report it so the work can be reassessed and a safer method found. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

5. Which of these is the best technique when you have to lift a load from the ground?

1. Bend your knees, keep your back straight and keep the load close to your body
2. Keep your legs straight and bend your back over the load
3. Hold the load at arm's length away from your body
4. Twist your back as you lift to save time

Good lifting technique means bending the knees rather than the back, keeping the load close to the body and avoiding twisting, which reduces strain on the spine. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling (good handling technique)

6. Which part of the body is most commonly injured by poor manual handling?

1. The back
2. The ears
3. The eyes
4. The teeth

Manual handling is a leading cause of musculoskeletal injuries, with the back being the most commonly injured part of the body. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling

7. When planning a lift, why should you check the route you will carry the load along before you start?

1. To make sure it is clear of obstructions, trip hazards and steps
2. To see if anyone is watching you work
3. To find the longest possible route
4. Because the route does not matter once you are carrying

Checking the route beforehand for obstructions, trip hazards, steps and uneven ground is part of considering the Environment in the assessment and helps prevent accidents. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (TILE - Environment)

8. In the TILE assessment, which factor covers the worker's own physical capability, health and whether they need special training?

1. Individual
2. Task
3. Load
4. Environment

The 'Individual' factor considers the capability of the person doing the task, including their strength, health, any existing injury and the need for specific training. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (TILE - Individual)

9. A load you must move has no markings and you cannot tell how heavy it is. What should you do before lifting?

1. Find out the weight, or carefully test it by rocking it, before deciding how to move it
2. Assume it is light and lift it as fast as possible
3. Lift it fully first and put it down if it feels heavy
4. Throw it onto your shoulder in one movement

Knowing the weight is part of assessing the Load; if it is unmarked you should find out or carefully test it so you can choose a safe method or get help. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (TILE - Load)

10. You and a workmate are team-lifting a long, awkward load. What is the most important thing for a safe lift?

1. One person directs the lift so you both move and lower the load together
2. Each person lifts at a different speed to keep it interesting
3. The taller person does all of the lifting
4. Neither of you talks during the lift

In a team lift one person should take charge and give clear instructions so everyone lifts, moves and lowers in a co-ordinated way, preventing sudden uneven loading. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling (team handling)

11. Which of the following would make a manual handling task MORE risky under the 'Task' factor of TILE?

1. The task involves frequent twisting, stooping and reaching upwards
2. The load is light and easy to grip
3. There is plenty of room and a level, dry floor
4. The worker has been properly trained

Tasks that involve twisting, stooping, reaching above shoulder height, repetitive movement or long carrying distances increase the risk of injury under the 'Task' factor. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (TILE - Task)

12. Part way through carrying a heavy box you realise your grip is slipping and your back is starting to ache. What should you do?

1. Stop, put the load down safely and rest or get help before continuing
2. Carry on quickly because you are nearly there
3. Throw the box down to free your hands
4. Twist your body to ease the strain and keep going

If you feel strain or are losing grip, you should put the load down safely and either rest, change your grip or get help, rather than risk a back injury or dropping it. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling

13. Whose legal duty is it to make sure hazardous manual handling tasks are assessed and the risks reduced?

1. The employer
2. Only the most junior worker
3. The visiting health and safety inspector
4. Nobody, as it is left to common sense

The Regulations place the main duty on the employer to avoid, assess and reduce manual handling risks, although workers must follow the safe systems provided. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

14. You have to carry bricks across a site where it has been raining and the ground is muddy and uneven. Which TILE factor does this mainly affect?

1. Environment, because the floor surface and conditions affect the lift
2. Load, because bricks are always the same weight
3. Individual, because only your fitness matters
4. None, because outdoor work is never assessed

The 'Environment' factor covers floor conditions, space, lighting and weather; wet, muddy or uneven ground increases the risk of slips and trips during handling. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (TILE - Environment)

15. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 do NOT set a fixed maximum weight that any person may lift. Why is this?

1. Because safe handling depends on the task, the individual, the load and the environment together, not weight alone
2. Because all loads on site weigh the same
3. Because lifting weight has no effect on injury risk
4. Because only loads over 50 kg are covered by any law

There is no single legal maximum weight because risk depends on the combination of TILE factors, so each task must be assessed on its own merits. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

16. A risk assessment shows a repeated lifting task is causing aches among the gang. Following the Regulations, what is the best long-term control?

1. Redesign the task or introduce a mechanical aid to reduce or remove the manual handling
2. Tell the gang to work faster so they finish sooner
3. Rotate the same painful task between everyone with no other change
4. Issue back belts and take no further action

The Regulations require reducing risk by redesigning the task or providing mechanical aids; simply sharing out or speeding up a harmful task does not address the underlying hazard. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

17. What is the main reason for using a wheelbarrow or trolley to move materials on site?

1. It reduces the amount of manual handling and the risk of injury
2. It makes the job take much longer on purpose
3. It removes the need to wear any PPE
4. It allows you to ignore the route you take

Mechanical aids such as wheelbarrows and trolleys carry the weight of the load, reducing the amount of manual lifting and carrying and therefore the risk of injury. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (reducing risk)

18. Before using a wheelbarrow to move a heavy load, what should you check?

1. That the tyre is inflated, the barrow is in good condition and not overloaded
2. That it is painted your favourite colour
3. That it has no handles so you can push faster
4. Nothing, as a wheelbarrow can never fail

A flat tyre, damaged barrow or overloading makes a wheelbarrow hard to control and can cause strain or tipping, so it should be checked and loaded sensibly before use. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling (mechanical aids)

19. What is a kerb lifter mainly used for?

1. Lifting and placing heavy kerb stones without lifting them by hand
2. Lifting people up to roof level
3. Mixing concrete more quickly
4. Cutting bricks to size

A kerb lifter is a mechanical clamp or device that grips and lifts heavy kerb stones, removing the need to lift these heavy awkward loads by hand. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling (mechanical aids)

20. You are given a powered hoist to lift materials but you have never used that type before. What should you do?

1. Not use it until you have been trained and are authorised to operate it
2. Have a go and learn as you lift the load
3. Let an untrained mate operate it instead
4. Remove the guards so it is easier to load

Mechanical lifting equipment should only be used by people who are trained, competent and authorised, so you should not operate an unfamiliar hoist until trained. Source: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)

21. While loading a trolley you notice one of its wheels is cracked and wobbling. What is the correct action?

1. Stop using it, label it as faulty and report it so it can be repaired or replaced
2. Carry on using it but go a bit slower
3. Overload the good side to balance it out
4. Hide it so nobody else notices the fault

Faulty equipment should be taken out of use, clearly marked and reported, because a cracked wheel could fail and cause a spillage or injury. Source: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)

22. A mechanical aid is available to move a heavy load, but it would take a few minutes to fetch it. What should you do?

1. Fetch and use the mechanical aid, as it reduces the risk of injury
2. Carry the load by hand to save the few minutes
3. Ask the newest worker to carry it instead
4. Leave the load where it is and ignore the job

Where a suitable mechanical aid is provided, it should be used to reduce manual handling risk; saving a few minutes is not worth risking a back injury. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (reducing risk)

23. You are using a hoist to raise materials up the side of a building. Which precaution is most important to protect people below?

1. Keep the area beneath the load barriered off so no one stands under the suspended load
2. Lift the load as fast as possible to clear the area quickly
3. Let workers walk underneath as long as they look up
4. Remove the hoist's safety brake to speed up the lift

No one should stand or pass under a suspended load, so the area below a hoist must be cordoned off to protect people if the load were to fall. Source: Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)

24. Even when a trolley carries the weight of a load, why can pushing and pulling it still cause injury?

1. Strain can come from poor posture, jerking, or pushing heavy or stuck loads over rough ground
2. Pushing and pulling can never cause any injury
3. Only lifting from the floor can ever injure anyone
4. Trolleys remove all force from the body completely

Pushing and pulling are still forms of manual handling; awkward posture, sudden jerks, heavy loads or rough ground can strain the body even when wheels carry the weight. Source: HSE guidance on manual handling (pushing and pulling)

25. What is the first thing an employer should try to do about a hazardous manual handling task?

1. Avoid the manual handling operation altogether so far as is reasonably practicable
2. Provide every worker with a back support belt
3. Make sure two people always carry the load together
4. Buy lighter packaging for the load

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 set out a hierarchy where the first step is to avoid hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable.

26. What is the correct order of the manual handling hierarchy?

1. Avoid, then assess, then reduce the risk of injury
2. Reduce, then avoid, then assess the risk
3. Assess, then avoid, then lift the load
4. Lift, carry, then assess the load

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to avoid handling where possible, assess what cannot be avoided, then reduce the risk of injury.

27. If a hazardous manual handling task cannot be avoided, what must the employer do next?

1. Carry out a suitable assessment of the manual handling operation
2. Tell workers to lift faster to get it over with
3. Ignore it because it cannot be avoided
4. Wait until someone is injured before acting

Where hazardous manual handling cannot be avoided, the regulations require a suitable and sufficient assessment of the operation before any reduction measures are decided. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

28. The letters TILE are used to help assess a manual handling task. What do they stand for?

1. Task, Individual, Load and Environment
2. Time, Injury, Lifting and Effort
3. Tools, Instructions, Lifting and Equipment
4. Twist, Incline, Lower and Empty

TILE stands for Task, Individual, Load and Environment, the four factors considered when assessing a manual handling operation. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

29. A heavy load needs moving across the site and a trolley is available nearby. What is the best thing to do?

1. Use the trolley so you do not have to carry the load by hand
2. Carry the load by hand to save time
3. Drag the load along the ground
4. Ask the load be split between your arms and shoulders

Using mechanical aids such as a trolley avoids or reduces manual handling, which is the aim of the hierarchy under the regulations. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

30. You are asked to move a load that you think is too heavy to lift safely on your own. What should you do?

1. Stop and speak to your supervisor about getting help or an aid before lifting
2. Lift it quickly so nobody notices the problem
3. Lift it but hold your breath to give more strength
4. Carry it a little way then drop it if it hurts

If a load is too heavy you should not attempt the lift; reporting it allows the risk to be reduced through help, splitting the load or a mechanical aid. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

31. Whose legal duty is it to avoid, assess and reduce hazardous manual handling at work?

1. The employer
2. Only the youngest worker on site
3. The delivery driver
4. The local council

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 place the main duty to avoid, assess and reduce hazardous manual handling on the employer.

32. A delivery of bagged cement arrives. The bags can be moved by a forklift right up to where they are needed. What is the best approach?

1. Use the forklift to deliver the bags as close as possible to reduce hand carrying
2. Have operatives carry every bag from the gate to save fuel
3. Stack the bags at the gate and carry them one by one all day
4. Throw the bags from person to person to move them quicker

Moving the load mechanically as close to the point of use as possible reduces the amount of hazardous manual handling, following the hierarchy. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

33. Under the 'Individual' part of a TILE assessment, which of the following should be considered?

1. The person's physical capability and any health issues affecting the lift
2. The colour of the load
3. The price of the materials
4. The brand of gloves provided

The 'Individual' factor looks at the person doing the task, including their physical capability, training and any health conditions that affect safe handling. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

34. Under the 'Environment' part of a TILE assessment, which factor would be considered?

1. Uneven floors, restricted space or poor lighting in the work area
2. The worker's date of birth
3. The weight of the worker's tools at home
4. The cost of the scaffold hire

The 'Environment' factor covers the surroundings, such as floor condition, space, lighting and temperature, that can make a lift more hazardous. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

35. A long, awkward and heavy beam must be moved by hand because no aid can reach the spot. How can the risk best be reduced?

1. Use a team lift with enough people and a clear plan led by one person
2. Have the strongest person carry it alone to keep others clear
3. Lift it as fast as possible and twist it into place
4. Balance it on your shoulder and run with it

When handling cannot be avoided, a properly planned team lift with one person directing reduces the risk of injury from a heavy, awkward load. Source: Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992