Additional guidance on what information to give about load weights

The purpose of this additional guidance is to offer HSE’s view on what the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) require those responsible for health and safety in the workplace to do on labelling loads. However, it is for the courts to determine what the regulations require.

What the law says

The first step required by the Regulations is that employers should, as far as reasonably practicable, avoid the need for their employees to carry out manual handling operations that involve a risk of injury. If this is not reasonably practicable then the risks to employees of the manual handling operations carried out in the normal course of their work should be assessed and reduced as far as is reasonably practicable.

But, after prevention and control measures have been taken, some loads may remain whose weight creates a risk of injury to employees in the normal course of their work. In these cases Regulation 4(1)(b)(iii) of MHOR requires employers to:

"take appropriate steps to provide any of those employees who are undertaking any such manual handling operations with general indications and, where it is reasonably practicable to do so, precise information on

• the weight of each load, and
• the heaviest side of any load whose centre of gravity is not positioned centrally."

Remember

• You only need to label a load if there is a risk of injury and it is reasonably practicable to do so.
• You do not have to provide this information if the effort involved in doing so would be much greater than any health and safety benefits that might result.
• It is much better to reduce risky manual handling operations by providing lifting aids, splitting loads and telling people not to carry several items at once.

Appropriate Steps to take where it IS reasonably practicable to give precise information would include:

Giving information that will help to prevent injury. It is not necessary to quote weights to anything more than the nearest kilogram or two. More detailed information would not help handlers avoid risks. This also applies to indications of the heaviest side, unless the load is sufficiently out of balance to take handlers by surprise.

The purpose of providing information about weights is to quickly and reliably warn handlers when a load is heavy. So you need to put the information where it will be seen and is easy to understand.

Marking the weight on the load itself can be a good way to give precise information, but is not a legal requirement. Other methods of giving the information can be used, such as a verbal reminder, a wall poster or a pocket card.

Appropriate steps to take where it is NOT reasonably practicable to give precise information would include:

• In these situations it is sufficient for the employer to provide general indications about the weight (and heaviest sides, if applicable) of the typical kinds of loads to be handled in a job. This can be done in various ways, e.g. through training, wall charts and pocket cards
• Training should also cover practical techniques handlers can use to assess the weight of unfamiliar loads, such as applying force gradually and stopping if strain is felt; or rocking the load from side to side before attempting to lift it.

The Q and A section gives examples of kinds of work where precise information cannot be given - and shows what still has to be done in these cases. There may well be other examples which are not given.

Manufacturers and suppliers

MHOR does not place a duty on manufacturers or suppliers to mark weights on loads. But they do have duties under sections 3 and 6 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect people not in their employment who may be affected by handling loads they have supplied.

Therefore it is good practice for manufacturers and suppliers to mark weights (and, if relevant, information about the heaviest side) on loads if this can be done easily.