CITB Manual Handling 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992?
- To set a maximum weight that any person may lift
- To require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling and, where unavoidable, assess and reduce the risk (Correct answer)
- To provide compensation for back injuries at work
- To require all manual handling to be done by mechanical means
Correct answer: To require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling and, where unavoidable, assess and reduce the risk
The 1992 Regulations follow a hierarchy: avoid manual handling entirely if possible; if not, assess the risk and take steps to reduce it to the lowest reasonably practicable level.
Question 2: Which factors are considered when assessing manual handling risk under the TILE acronym?
- Temperature, Isolation, Load, Environment
- Task, Individual, Load, Environment (Correct answer)
- Time, Injury record, Legislation, Equipment
- Training, Inspection, Lifting, Ergonomics
Correct answer: Task, Individual, Load, Environment
TILE assesses the Task, Individual, Load, and Environment to identify manual handling risks and inform control decisions.
Question 3: Which part of the body is most commonly injured during manual handling operations on construction sites?
- Hands and wrists
- Lower back (Correct answer)
- Knees
- Shoulders
Correct answer: Lower back
The lower back is the most frequently injured area during manual handling; poor posture, heavy loads, and repetitive bending place enormous strain on the lumbar spine.
Question 4: What is the correct posture for a safe manual lift?
- Bend at the waist, keep legs straight, and lift quickly
- Keep the back straight, bend the knees, hold the load close to the body, and lift smoothly (Correct answer)
- Twist the torso to place the load to the side
- Lean forward and use one hand to steady the load
Correct answer: Keep the back straight, bend the knees, hold the load close to the body, and lift smoothly
Safe lifting uses the leg muscles, keeps the spine neutral, and holds the load close to the body to reduce strain on the spine.
Question 5: Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, who is responsible for making a manual handling assessment?
- The employee who performs the task
- The employer (Correct answer)
- The HSE on request
- The site first-aider
Correct answer: The employer
Regulation 4 places the duty on the employer to assess manual handling risks and take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of injury.
Question 6: Which engineering control most effectively reduces manual handling risk?
- Providing back support belts as the primary control
- Using mechanical lifting aids such as pallet trucks, hoists, or conveyors (Correct answer)
- Training workers to lift heavier loads more efficiently
- Rotating workers so each person lifts for shorter periods
Correct answer: Using mechanical lifting aids such as pallet trucks, hoists, or conveyors
Mechanical aids address the risk at source by eliminating or substantially reducing the need for manual lifting, making them a higher-level control than PPE or administrative measures.
CITB Manual Handling 1
What is the primary purpose of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992?