Handling hazards at work

This page is about lifting, carrying and moving things safely at work in Great Britain. It covers the manual handling law, the official lifting guidelines, hazard labels, moving dangerous goods, and getting rid of hazardous waste.

It is general information. It does not replace guidance from the Health and Safety Executive or advice from a competent person.

What the law asks of employers

Manual handling means moving or supporting a load by hand or by bodily force. That includes lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling and carrying. A load can be an object, a person or an animal.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 set an order for employers. First, avoid hazardous manual handling so far as is reasonably practicable. Where it cannot be avoided, make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk. Then reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable.

Workers have a duty too. They must make full and proper use of any system of work their employer provides to reduce the risk.

There is no legal weight limit

The Health and Safety Executive says the weight of a load is important, but the law does not set specific weight limits.

HSE's brief guide to manual handling gives guideline weights instead. It says these are not safe limits. They are a filter, to show which tasks are likely to be low risk.

The guide says a fuller assessment is needed in some cases. Examples are a load heavier than the guideline weight, lifts more often than once every two minutes, handling that involves twisting, or handling done by a team.

HSE also says good technique helps, but it is no substitute for lifting aids or a better task. Keep the load close to your waist, and turn by moving your feet rather than twisting.

The MAC tool

HSE's Manual Handling Assessment Charts, known as the MAC, help assess lifting, carrying and team handling. Each risk factor gets a score and a colour, from green for low risk to purple for an unacceptable level of risk.

HSE says a purple task must be improved, and a red one needs prompt action.

How common the injuries are

HSE estimates that 511,000 workers in Great Britain had a work-related disorder of the back, the neck and arms, or the legs in 2024/25. These are known as musculoskeletal disorders. It puts the working days lost at 7.1 million.

In surveys from 2009/10 to 2011/12, workers named manual handling as one of the main causes.

Hazard labels

The label on a hazardous chemical can show one or more pictograms, each a diamond with a red border. It can also carry a signal word. "Danger" is used for the more severe hazards and "Warning" for the less severe.

A chemical supplied for use at work comes with a safety data sheet. HSE points out that it is not a risk assessment. Assessing the risk of a hazardous substance is covered by separate rules, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, known as COSHH. The sister site handlinghazards.com explains them.

Moving dangerous goods

GOV.UK says the sender is responsible for classifying, packaging and marking dangerous goods that are to be transported. The goods must have the correct hazard symbols, warnings and safety advice.

Small amounts can be sent as "limited quantities", and then the sender does not need a dangerous goods safety adviser. GOV.UK says they must go in small containers, such as bottles, packed in boxes or on shrink-wrapped trays. A box can weigh up to 30kg, and a tray up to 20kg.

Getting rid of hazardous waste

GOV.UK says a business in England must make sure its hazardous waste causes no harm or damage. Examples include asbestos, batteries, solvents, pesticides and oils, apart from edible ones.

Its steps are to classify the waste, keep it separate and stored safely, and use authorised businesses to collect it. A consignment note travels with the waste. The business keeps a copy, and keeps records for 3 years.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules.

Useful links