Work environment and ergonomics — AT guidance on lifting pulling and pushing
How to prevent daily physical work from wearing you down
Cleaning and service work is physical work. Lifting, pulling and pushing are part of almost every hour of a working day – a bucket, a trolley, a floor washing machine or a bed. The Work Environment Authority's AT guidance D.3.1 on lifting, pulling and pushing brings together the knowledge that underpins avoiding this daily physical work wearing down the body.
§What is manual handling?
Manual handling covers any form of movement of a load that is performed wholly or partly by muscle force — lifting carrying pulling pushing and supporting an object. The Working Environment Authority's guidance on lifting pulling and pushing describes how to assess the risk of this type of task and how to prevent or counteract the risk of health damage.
§Factors that increase risk.
- 01Heavy or unwieldy loads
- 02Loads lifted far from the body or in a twisted working posture
- 03Repeated recordings same day
- 04Poor substrate, stairs, or lack of space.
- 05Unfavorable temperature draft or poor lighting.
§How the boat mechanic trade is structured and how it's changing
The guidance points to three main strands in prevention: use technical aids where they are found (trolleys, raising-lowering functions, electric lifting aids), arrange the workplace appropriately so loads can be handled close to the body and at good working height, and instruct employees on how to perform the task correctly and without unnecessary risk.
- 01Use aids rather than raw force where available
- 02Push forward rather than pull, and hold the load close to your body
- 03Divide heavy tasks or ask for help with two-person lifting
- 04Vary working positions throughout the day
§Working positions and movements
Beyond the lift itself, the Working Environment Authority also looks at work postures and movements more generally — one-sided repetitive work prolonged forward-bending postures and locked body positions can strain over time even without heavy lifting. Change work sides regularly straighten your back and use any height adjustment options on equipment where available.
§Your own role
You cannot change a workplace's layout alone, but you can yourself choose to use the aids that exist, adjust equipment to your own height, ask for help with heavy or difficult tasks, and speak up if a task is unreasonably heavy or ergonomically unsafe. Report back to your manager if you experience repeated problems with specific tasks or equipment — it is often possible to find a better solution.
“The damage you avoid today by using an aid is the back you still have in ten years.”
— Occupational health and safety professional point