Managing Safely in Manual Handling Works

The Managing Safely in Manual Handling Works course from the American Institute of Safety Professionals provides dedicated, in-depth training on managing the risks of manual material handling: lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing, pulling, and holding. Manual handling is the single most common cause of workplace musculoskeletal injuries, particularly back injuries. While the ergonomics courses cover manual handling as one of several ergonomic risk factors, this dedicated course provides the depth that supervisors and safety officers need to manage manual handling risks across their operations: biomechanical understanding of why injuries occur, systematic risk assessment, NIOSH Lifting Equation at practical depth, mechanical aid selection, technique training (with the honest acknowledgement that technique alone does not prevent injuries), and the manual handling programme that reduces injury rates.

The curriculum covers manual handling injury mechanisms (disc compression, ligament strain, muscle fatigue, cumulative trauma), biomechanical principles (spinal loading, lever arm effects, intra-abdominal pressure), manual handling risk factors (load weight, height, distance, frequency, asymmetry, coupling, duration, posture), NIOSH Lifting Equation (Recommended Weight Limit, Lifting Index, six multiplier factors applied to workplace tasks), pushing and pulling assessment, carrying assessment, mechanical aid selection and justification (pallet jacks, hand trucks, hoists, conveyors, lift tables, vacuum lifters), technique training within its limitations, manual handling risk assessment methodology, team handling, and programme design and evaluation. All training is delivered 100% online through the American Institute of Safety Professionals LMS.

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand manual handling injury mechanisms: how spinal disc compression, ligament strain, and muscle fatigue interact to cause the back injuries that account for the largest category of workplace MSD claims.
• Apply the NIOSH Lifting Equation at practical depth: calculating the Recommended Weight Limit for specific lifting tasks using the six multiplier factors (horizontal, vertical, distance, asymmetry, frequency, coupling), calculating the Lifting Index, and using the results to determine whether the task requires redesign, mechanical aids, or administrative controls.
• Assess pushing and pulling risks: force requirements, handle height, distance, frequency, floor conditions, and the assessment methodology for the manual handling activities that NIOSH Lifting Equation does not cover.
• Select and justify mechanical aids: pallet jacks, hand trucks, hoists, conveyors, lift tables, vacuum lifters, and the selection criteria (load weight, frequency, distance, environment) and cost-benefit analysis that justifies procurement.
• Design manual handling programmes: policy, risk assessment, control implementation (mechanical aids first, technique training as supplement), training, injury reporting, and the programme evaluation that measures effectiveness.

Core Topics

• Injury Mechanisms: disc compression, ligament strain, muscle fatigue, cumulative trauma
• Biomechanics: spinal loading, lever arms, intra-abdominal pressure, failure thresholds
• Risk Factors: weight, height, distance, frequency, asymmetry, coupling, posture
• NIOSH Lifting Equation: RWL, LI, six multipliers, practical workplace application
• Pushing and Pulling: force assessment, handle height, distance, floor conditions
• Carrying: load weight, distance, one-hand vs two-hand, carrying aids
• Mechanical Aids: pallet jacks, hand trucks, hoists, conveyors, lift tables, vacuum
• Technique Training: limitations acknowledged, supplementary role, practical instruction
• Team Handling: when required, communication, coordination, limitations
• Risk Assessment Methodology: task identification, assessment, prioritisation, controls
• Programme Design: policy, assessment, controls, training, evaluation
• ROI: injury cost reduction, productivity improvement, justifying investment

• No prior training required
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• Supervisors managing workers who perform manual handling
• Safety officers assessing and controlling manual handling risks
• Warehouse and manufacturing managers
• Procurement managers evaluating mechanical aid purchases
• Ergonomics team members and coordinators
• Any professional responsible for manual handling safety

• Managing Safely in Manual Handling Works — YOU ARE HERE
• Ergonomic Hazards in General Industry (broader ergonomics)
• Ergonomic Hazards in Construction (construction manual handling)
• Ergonomics Program Management (programme-level management)