{"id":2418,"date":"2025-06-27T12:55:54","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T10:55:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/?p=2418"},"modified":"2025-06-27T12:59:58","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T10:59:58","slug":"manual-handling-of-loads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/manual-handling-of-loads\/","title":{"rendered":"Manual Handling of Loads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Manual Handling of Loads: risks, obligations and prevention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Manual handling of loads is one of the most common activities in the workplace, but also a major cause of injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. It is often underestimated, but lifting, carrying, pushing or dragging a load incorrectly can have serious consequences, both short- and long-term. <\/p>\n\n<p>In this article we will analyze:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is meant by manual handling of loads,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are the main risks,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What the Italian regulations say,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and especially how to prevent them with proper assessment and training.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>What is manual handling of loads?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Legislative Decree 81\/08, Article 167, defines manual handling of loads <strong>as any operation of carrying or supporting a load by one or more workers<\/strong>, including the actions of lifting, laying, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving a load.  <\/p>\n\n<p>So it is not just lifting boxes: moving a cart, dragging a pallet or holding a heavy tool for an extended time also fall into this category.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>The main health risks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Manual handling activities involve <strong>biomechanical<\/strong>, <strong>postural <\/strong>and <strong>traumatic risks<\/strong>. The most common include: <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Musculoskeletal disorders <\/strong>(MSDs): pain and injury in the spine, especially in the lower back, but also in the shoulders, arms, and knees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disc hernias<\/strong>: caused by excessive strain or improper posture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strains and muscle tears<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Falling objects<\/strong> during handling, which can cause bruises or fractures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>The risk increases in the presence of:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>heavy or bulky loads<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>repetitive or prolonged movements<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inadequate work environment<\/strong> (slippery floors, tight spaces, poor lighting)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>What the law provides for<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Legislative Decree 81\/08 devotes <strong>Title VI<\/strong> to the manual handling of loads. Employers are obliged to:  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Assess the risk<\/strong>, taking into account weight, load characteristics, environmental conditions and individual worker factors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Take organizational measures<\/strong> to minimize the need for manual handling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Train workers<\/strong> in the use of proper lifting and handling techniques.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Provide mechanical aids<\/strong> when possible (carts, pallet trucks, lifts).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>In the case of particularly exposed workers (e.g., warehouse workers, porters, logistics workers), it is also essential to conduct <strong>periodic health surveillance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p><strong>How to assess risk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>The risk assessment of manual handling of loads must consider:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Load weight<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Frequency and duration of effort<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lifting distances<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Forced postures<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Work organization<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Among the most commonly used tools for analysis are standardized methods such as:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>NIOSH<\/strong> (for lifting)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Snook &amp; Ciriello<\/strong> (for pushing and pulling)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>OCRA <\/strong>(for repetitive movements)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Accurate assessment allows critical issues to be identified and targeted corrective measures to be taken.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Prevention: the key to reducing injuries<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>The most effective preventive actions include:<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>1. Worker training<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Teaching proper lifting techniques:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bend your knees, not your back,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep the load close to the body,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid twisting of the torso during lifting,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Working with two people for heavy loads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>2. Work organization<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Divide loads into lighter parts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alternate between light and heavy activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage regular breaks in repetitive work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>3. Mechanical aids<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Carts, pallet trucks, conveyor belts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ergonomic lifts for fixed workstations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equipment up to standard and maintained.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>4. Adaptation of the workplace<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Smooth and non-slip floors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adequate maneuvering space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sufficient lighting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>Conclusions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Manual handling of loads is a risky activity that deserves attention and prevention. With proper assessment, proper training and the use of appropriate tools, injuries and muscle disorders can be dramatically reduced. <\/p>\n\n<p>A company that protects the health of its workers is a safer, more efficient and responsible company.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Do you need support in risk assessment in your company?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Our company specializes in occupational safety consulting. Contact us for a personalized consultation or to arrange training courses for your staff. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Manual Handling of Loads: risks, obligations and prevention Manual handling of loads is one of the most common activities in the workplace, but also a major cause of injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. It is often underestimated, but lifting, carrying, pushing or dragging a load incorrectly can have serious consequences, both short- and long-term. In this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2416,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safety"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2419,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418\/revisions\/2419"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gsaingegneria.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}