Manual Handling Course terms and glossary.

B

Biomechanics

The study of how forces act on the moving body. In manual handling it explains why certain positions load the spine heavily and others protect it.

Base of Support

The area on the ground covered by your points of contact with it. Standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart widens this base and keeps you steadier as you lift.

C

Centre of Gravity

The single point where a body's weight effectively balances. Keep yours low and over your feet and you stay far more stable under a load.

Cumulative Trauma

Damage that builds up slowly from many small strains rather than one big incident. A large share of handling injuries develop this way.

E

Ergonomics

Designing tasks, tools and workspaces around the people who use them. Good ergonomic design takes much of the manual handling risk out of a job.

Environment

The E in TILE. It covers the surroundings where handling happens - the space available, the floor, the lighting and the temperature.

H

HSA

The Health and Safety Authority, Ireland's national body for workplace safety. It enforces the legislation and issues the guidance that underpins manual handling training.

Hazard

Anything that could cause harm. In handling, common hazards are heavy or awkward loads, poor posture, repeated movements and difficult surroundings.

L

Load

The L in TILE - the thing being moved. You weigh up its mass, size, shape, stability, how easy it is to grip and what is inside it.

Lumbar Region

The lower back, made up of the five lumbar vertebrae. It carries much of your weight and is the area most often hurt by careless lifting.

Lordosis

The gentle inward curve of the lower spine. Holding onto this natural curve while you lift helps shield your back from harm.

M

Manual Handling

Moving or supporting a load using your own body. It takes in lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, holding and restraining objects or people.

MSD

A musculoskeletal disorder - harm to muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage or spinal discs. Poor handling is one of the biggest causes.

Mechanical Advantage

Letting your body's own levers do the work so a lift takes less effort. Good technique is really just making the most of this.

P

Posture

How your body is positioned and aligned. Safe handling posture keeps the natural curves of the spine and stays out of awkward, twisted shapes.

Power Zone

The band between mid-thigh and mid-chest where lifting is safest. Keep loads here whenever you can.

R

Risk Assessment

Spotting hazards, judging how likely harm is, and deciding what controls to put in place. Employers are required to do this for handling tasks.

Repetitive Strain

Injury from doing the same movement over and over without enough rest, slowly overloading the same muscles, tendons or joints.

S

Spinal Disc

The soft pads between the vertebrae that cushion the spine. Lifting badly can squeeze, damage or rupture them.

Safe System of Work

A worked-out way of doing a job that lists its hazards and sets safe methods to remove them or cut the risk as far as is reasonably practicable.

T

TILE

The manual handling checklist: Task, Individual, Load and Environment. Weighing all four up helps you find and control the risks.

Task

The T in TILE - the work itself. You consider the movements involved, how far the load travels, how often, and for how long.

Team Lifting

Two or more people moving a load that is too heavy or awkward for one. It only works with clear communication and a shared plan.

W

Warm-up

A few minutes of light movement that gets blood flowing and loosens muscles before physical work, lowering the chance of a strain.

Work-Related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD)

A group of conditions affecting the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and neck. You may also hear it called repetitive strain injury, or RSI.