There are many workplaces in which it is essential to be able to move heavy loads around. Whether you are unloading stock or preparing products for shipping, it is a key health and safety tenet that all personnel involved in lifting be properly trained. This is where a manual handling course comes in.

What is a manual handling course?

A manual handling course is a key health and safety qualification for anyone involved in lifting and transporting heavy weights. The ASM Group Manual Handling course is intended for all personnel associated with the movement of loads. The health of employees should be of paramount concern to all employers. Back injuries can seriously affect quality of life, as well as ability to continue in employment. Equipping workers with the knowledge they need to properly look after their health while involved in heavy lifting tasks can drastically diminish the incidence of back and spinal injuries. A good grounding in proper manual handling makes a work force more efficient and productive, as well as safer.

Proper manual handling training will help workers be aware of the necessity for safe methods of manual handling to reduce the risk of injury. It will enable them to understand the need to use mechanical aids where possible, as well as assess the task using the TILE criteria (task, individual, load, environment). They will learn how to implement the correct method of lifting to ensure minimal risk to themselves and others.

Why do a manual handling course?

Each workplace should take the health and safety of their workforce seriously. If the workplace involves transporting weighty items, employees are at risk of injury through lifting incorrectly or attempting to move too much weight at one time. In order to encourage a healthy working environment, and guard against accident and injury, employees should complete a manual handling course. This will enable them to complete their duties, efficiently moving the necessary loads, whilst retaining a high level of health and wellbeing.

What will I learn on a manual handling course?

The ASM Group Manual Handling course aims to cover all the essentials for safe movement of loads. This includes:

  • Legislation to do with lifting in the workplace – your duties and responsibilities as an employee, and your employers duties and responsibilities to you.
  • Learning about anatomy and the musculoskeletal system, in order to use it to best effect and not put it under unnecessary strain.
  • Learning about body mechanics, and how best to avoid injury.
  • Learning about fitness and flexibility – how to increase and maintain both, including beneficial exercises and dietary recommendations.
  • Hazards and risk identification (TILE) to minimize accidents in the workplace.
  • Principles of lifting – how to safely complete manual handling jobs.
  • Safe use of mechanical aids to help with lifting and transporting.
  • A practical skills demonstration and putting your new knowledge into practice.

 

How long does the ASM Group Manual Handling course last?

The ASM Group Manual Handling course takes half a day. Participants are required to be medically fit enough to take part in the physical lifting and bending part of the course. A good level of English is also necessary in order to complete the course, which is assessed via both written and practical tests.

 

Do you need to complete a manual handling course?

If your job involves any element of lifting, the answer is yes. ASM Group run our Manual Handling course in Cork, and a whole range of workplace trainings both in person and online. If you need health and safety training of excellence in Ireland, look to ASM Group.