A manual handling is defined as an effort to lift, move, push or carry any object. A training program is needed because of risks involved in this job. Every organization that has personal for manual handling wants to know and eliminate every risk of accidents that can occurs. It is easier to eliminate a risk, once identified, than face the reality of an accident.

A trained personal will know to identify all the risks. That’s the first step. How is done that? Historical data’s can show some of those risks. Medical records of employees should be checked or if any compensation was ever paid to a worker. Also an employee discussion or a survey could bring more light of possible treats in the workplace.

For an expert eye observation of the place during the workers activity is the best practice for identifying most of the hazards. Movements of workers, position of workers during an action and environment give valuable data’s. Each and every worker is analyzed. How the worker is dressed? What are his or her skills? What experience workers have? Even the age is important for identifying specific dangers. Each worker must have protective equipment caracteristic with his workplace and dangers that can face with.

The next step after all hazards are identified consist in elaborate a risk reduction method. That means the workplace layout suffer changes. Also if considered, some things may be done in different ways, or somewhere else to increase the safety.

Physical or mechanical elements are mounted to improve the way work is done, like lifts or trolleys. On some surfaces is needed to improve grip. Other parts need changing the shape for better holding and maneuverability. If is possible handling is completely eliminated and where is not possible, the objects must be easy handled.

A method to improve the safety and eliminating risks is training the personal. A theoretical training approach could be followed by a practical training, or work technique training. After that, is reviewed all equipment of workers for minimum injuries in every accident scenario. Task rotations and rest breaks are helpful measures for personals.

In some countries a manual handling training is not compulsory, but in developed economies where markets are huge and manual handling is a necessity, hazards may occur. And risks are a reality that must be eliminated. Training the personal in manual handling reduce considerable accidents and injuries because workers know the risks, to identify them, and to eliminate most of them. A well trained personal offer to a company the eliminations of many costs, starting with insurance costs and health of workers.

If a company train his workers in manual handling and offer them protective equipment, that company gain what experts call transfer of responsibilities. Is not the company fault if an accident happens if they took all countermeasures to accidents! Is the worker fault because he did not respect manual handling standards!