Toolbox talk: manual handling

This is a ready-to-give toolbox talk on manual handling. Keep it to about five to ten minutes, run it before the work starts, and make it about the loads the crew are actually moving today. Use it as a script, adjust it to the job, and take questions at the end.

Why this matters

Manual handling injuries are one of the biggest causes of lost time on a building site. They are not always dramatic. A back can go lifting a single awkward kerb, but just as often the damage builds up over weeks of lifting blocks, bags and boards the wrong way. Once a back or a shoulder is injured it can follow someone for the rest of their working life. The point of this talk is to move materials in a way that still lets you work next year, not just today.

The main risks on the job

• Heavy, bulky or awkward loads, such as kerbs, lintels, bagged materials and sheet goods.
• Repetitive lifting, the same movement over and over through the day.
• Twisting and stooping, lifting from low down or turning under load.
• Carrying too far, over uneven ground, up ladders or across a busy site.
• Poor grip or an unstable load that shifts as you lift it.

What you must do

• Avoid the lift where you can. Use a telehandler, hoist, trolley, sack truck or wheelbarrow, have deliveries placed close to where they are needed, and break loads down into smaller units.
• Assess the lift with TILE: the Task, the Individual doing it, the Load, and the Environment. If any of those makes it risky, change the plan.
• Use good technique. Think before lifting, feet apart and stable, bend the knees not the back, keep the load close to your body, and turn by moving your feet, never by twisting.
• Do not overload yourself. If it is too heavy or awkward, use an aid or make it a team lift with one person calling it.
• Keep the route clear and the load stable, and set it down in a controlled way.
• Report early. Aches and strains that are reported early can be sorted out. Ignored, they become injuries.

Questions to discuss with the crew

• What are the heaviest or most awkward things we are moving today?
• Can any of it be moved with a trolley, barrow or mechanical aid instead?
• Where do deliveries land, and can they be placed closer to the work?
• Is anyone carrying an ache or a strain we should know about?

Record the talk

Write down the date, the topic, who gave the talk and who attended, and keep it on file. The record shows the briefing happened, and it is often asked for by the principal contractor or in an investigation after an incident.

Related: Toolbox talk: working at height, the toolbox talks index, and the COSHH assessment for construction guide.