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The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are a crucial part of the employer's health and safety handbook, and their accompanying Guidance on Regulations, known as L23, form just as important reading.

L23 was subject to revision by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) during autumn 2016. It was reformatted into four parts to make it easier to navigate. Employers will now find the regulations and brief guidance in Part 1, followed by a more detailed level of guidance on undertaking risk assessments and control risks in Parts 2, 3 and 4.

As an employer, you should find the new colour coding helpful in identifying the different parts of the guidance, which explains how to assess, avoid and reduce the risk of manual handling related personal injury.

The newly revised guidance delivers a number of key messages for employers: 

1. That hazardous manual handling operations must be avoided as far as is reasonably practicable
2. That any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided are assessed
3. To reduce the risk of injury as far as is reasonably practicable

Notable Amendments to L23

The guidance now includes ‘risk filters'. These have been designed to identify tasks that do not require a detailed risk assessment. An explanation of how the HSE's assessment tools can be used to help with the process of assessment.

The self-employed worker is now covered by the guidance, which is in line with the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (General Duties of Self-Employed Persons) (Prescribed Undertakings) Regulations 2015 and the Deregulation Act 2015 (Health and Safety at Work) (General Duties of Self-Employed Persons) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015.

Guidance on team handling has also been the subject of revision.

Manual Handling Applies in Most Working Environments

L23 is one of the most importance pieces of guidance for employers. Manual handling isn't just a task that is confined to manual roles: many employees will at some point, regardless of their working environment, be required to carry out some form of manual handling task; whether it's transporting a box of copy paper from the stationery cupboard to a desk or the pushing of a vacuum cleaner, there are risks involved.

For this reason, it is vital for employers to ensure they remain up to date on the latest regulations, to which purpose L23 is extremely beneficial.