Checklist · Workplace Health & Safety
Manual Handling Risk Assessment
Assessment of manual handling tasks to identify musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors and determine controls, consistent with Safe Work Australia guidance.
52 checklist items · Last reviewed
Checklist Items
| Item | Pass / Yes | Fail / No |
|---|---|---|
| TASK AND WORKER DETAILS | ||
| Workplace / Department | ||
| Assessment Date | ||
| Assessor Name | ||
| Task / Activity Description | ||
| Workers / HSRs Consulted | ||
| Reason for assessment (new task, change, injury or near miss, worker concern, scheduled review) | ||
| Frequency of task (times per shift) | ||
| Duration of task (minutes per occurrence) | ||
| RISK FACTORS: FORCE | ||
| Task involves high force (heavy lifting, hard pushing or pulling, tight gripping) | Yes | No |
| Task involves sudden or jerky force (catching, throwing, freeing a stuck load) | Yes | No |
| Task involves repetitive or sustained force (holding, carrying, gripping for long periods) | Yes | No |
| Force needed is more than the worker can comfortably apply | Yes | No |
| RISK FACTORS: POSTURE AND MOVEMENT | ||
| Task involves sustained or repeated bending of the back | Yes | No |
| Task involves twisting of the back while handling a load | Yes | No |
| Task involves working above shoulder height | Yes | No |
| Task involves reaching far from the body | Yes | No |
| Task involves sustained awkward postures (kneeling, squatting, neck bent) | Yes | No |
| Task involves repetitive movements of the same body part | Yes | No |
| Task involves pushing, pulling, or carrying over distance | Yes | No |
| RISK FACTORS: VIBRATION | ||
| Hand-arm vibration from hand-held power tools | Yes | No |
| Whole-body vibration from driving or operating mobile plant | Yes | No |
| LOAD CHARACTERISTICS | ||
| Object / load being handled | ||
| Weight of load (kg) | ||
| Load is awkward, bulky, or unstable | Yes | No |
| Load has adequate handholds or grip points | Yes | No |
| Load has unpredictable movement (e.g. live person, animal, liquid) | Yes | No |
| ENVIRONMENT AND SYSTEMS OF WORK | ||
| Working surface is uneven, slippery, or cluttered | Yes | No |
| Insufficient space to perform the task safely | Yes | No |
| Work area layout forces poor posture (bench height, shelving, reach distances) | Yes | No |
| Temperature extremes affecting the worker | Yes | No |
| Work pace, deadlines or staffing levels prevent breaks or safe technique | Yes | No |
| CLIENT / PATIENT TRANSFERS (CARE SETTINGS) | ||
| Client mobility assessed and a current mobility or transfer plan in place | Yes | No |
| Transfer method and equipment specified (hoist, sling, slide sheet, standing aid) | Yes | No |
| Number of workers needed for each transfer specified and available | Yes | No |
| Equipment present, suitable for the client’s weight and checked before use | Yes | No |
| Bed height adjustable and enough space around the bed, chair or toilet | Yes | No |
| Client’s ability to bear weight or cooperate can change during the transfer | Yes | No |
| Workers trained in the transfer method and equipment | Yes | No |
| Plan in place if the client falls or cannot complete the transfer (do not catch) | Yes | No |
| RISK RATING | ||
| Overall MSD Risk Level (Low / Medium / High) | ||
| Justification for risk level | ||
| CONTROL MEASURES (HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS) | ||
| Elimination: Can the manual task be eliminated? | Yes | No |
| Redesign / substitution: Can the task, load or work area be changed (smaller loads, adjustable benches, better layout)? | Yes | No |
| Engineering controls identified (trolleys, hoists, lifting aids, adjustable surfaces) | ||
| Administrative controls identified (job rotation, breaks, two-person tasks, training) | ||
| PPE required (e.g. gloves, non-slip footwear) | ||
| Person responsible for each control and due date | ||
| RESIDUAL RISK AND REVIEW | ||
| Residual risk level after controls | ||
| Controls checked with workers to confirm they work | Yes | No |
| Review date | ||
| Assessor Signature | ||
| Supervisor / Manager Signature | ||
How to use this checklist
When to use it
Use this manual handling risk assessment template for any hazardous manual task: one involving high, sudden, repetitive or sustained force, repetitive movement, sustained or awkward posture, or exposure to vibration. Assess before a new task starts, when equipment, the work area or the way the work is done changes, after an injury, near miss or worker complaint, and on the review date. Skip the client transfer section outside care settings.
Who completes it
A supervisor, WHS officer or other person who understands the task, working with the workers who actually do it and their health and safety representative. Watch the task being done rather than relying on a description: the risk factors are easier to spot in practice.
If an item fails
Each “yes” in the force, posture and movement, and vibration sections is a reason to look for a control, starting at the top of the hierarchy: remove the task, then change the task, load or layout, then use mechanical aids, and only then rely on rotation, training and PPE. Training in lifting technique on its own is not enough to control the risk. Record who will put each control in place and by when, then check with workers that it works.
Reference: Safe Work Australia model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks. Check with your state regulator for the version that applies to you.