Say this
- Before you lift, ask if you need to lift at all. Use the trolley, pallet jack or hoist first. Slide, roll or push a load where you can.
- Check the weight and clear your path before you pick anything up.
- Get a second person for heavy or awkward loads. Agree who calls the lift.
- Stand close, one foot beside the load and one behind it. Bend your knees and keep your back straight.
- Hold the load close to your body. Push up with your legs. Do not jerk it.
- Turn with your feet, not your waist. Twisting with a load is how backs get hurt.
- Make sure you can see over the load. Put it down at waist height if you will pick it up again.
Ask the crew
- What should you try before lifting a load by hand?
- Where should the load be while you carry it?
- How do you change direction while carrying?
- Who do you tell if your back starts to ache?
Show them
- A demonstration of the four lifting steps with a real box from today's job.
- The trolleys, pallet jacks and lifting aids on site and where they are kept.
- Heavy items stored at floor level that we should move to waist height.
Sign-off
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
Sources
- WSH Guidelines on Improving Ergonomics in the Workplace, WSH Council.
- Is there a safe load reference for manual handling of lifting and lowering loads?, Ministry of Manpower.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.
