Manual Handling Operations and Correct Lifting Technique

What does the manual handling regulation require?

In warehouses, on dispatch ramps and at the feed points of production lines, carrying boxes, sacks and crates is daily work. Because it is seen as work “anyone can do”, its risk is also underestimated. This is exactly where the manual handling regulation comes in.

The Regulation on Manual Handling Operations (Official Gazette 24.07.2013) aims to protect employees from the health and safety risks of manual handling, in particular back and lower back injuries. Under the regulation, manual handling means transporting or supporting a load, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving it, which, because of the nature of the work or unfavourable ergonomic conditions, involves risks in particular of back or lower back injury (Art. 4).

The employer’s obligations follow a sequence:

First, eliminate handling (Art. 5/a): The employer organises work so that loads do not need to be handled manually, and ensures that loads are moved by appropriate means, in particular mechanical systems.
If unavoidable, reduce the risk (Art. 5/b, Art. 6): Taking into account the points in Annex 1, the employer uses appropriate methods, makes the necessary arrangements in the workplace and organises the working environment and the requirements of the activity accordingly.
Consider individual factors (Art. 7): The individual risk factors in Annex 2 are taken into account when protecting groups that require special policies.
Inform and train (Art. 8): Employees are told about the measures taken, the weight of the load and, for eccentric loads, its centre of gravity, the correct way to handle loads and the risks of handling them incorrectly.
Consult employees (Art. 9): The views of employees or their representatives are sought and their participation is ensured.

Manual handling risk assessment: the four groups in Annex 1

When carrying out a manual handling risk assessment, systematically question the four groups of factors in Annex 1 of the regulation:

Factor group	Examples in Annex 1	Typical appearance in a warehouse	Example measure
Characteristics of the load	Too heavy or large, hard to grip, unstable, must be held away from the body	Large box without handles, drum with shifting contents	Packaging with handholds, smaller packs, two-person carrying
Physical effort required	Too strenuous, done with the body twisted, involving sudden movement, done in an unstable posture	Pulling sacks out of a container	Conveyor, vacuum lifter, loading ramp
Working environment	Restricted space, uneven or slippery floor, changes in level, unsuitable temperature and ventilation	Ramp threshold, icy outdoor area, hot attic floor	Floor repair, removing level changes, climate control
Requirements of the activity	Frequent or prolonged twisting of the trunk, insufficient rest, long carrying distance, a pace that cannot be changed	Hours of lowering boxes in order picking	Rotation, breaks, changing the shelf layout

The individual risk factors in Annex 2 are also part of the assessment: an employee being physically unsuited to the task, unsuitable clothing or footwear, and inadequate information and training. During the assessment, watch the person carrying, weigh the load and measure the distance; an assessment made at a desk does not capture what happens on the floor. In practice, methods such as the NIOSH lifting equation can be used; the regulation does not make any one method compulsory.

First, reduce handling

What the regulation asks for first is not training but a reduction in handling. The arrangements that work best in warehouses:

Shelf layout: Place heavy and fast-moving products on shelves between waist and shoulder height, and light and slow-moving ones on the lower and upper shelves.
Lifting aids: Hand trucks, pallet trucks, lifting tables, vacuum lifters and roller conveyors.
Packaging: Ask suppliers for packaging with handholds or for smaller packs.
Height adjustment: Use a pallet lifter to bring the load to the employee’s waist height; do not force the employee to bend down to the level of the load.
Distance: Shorten the carrying route; store materials close to where they are used.

Mechanical equipment brings another risk: forklifts and pallet trucks meeting pedestrians. On this subject, see our article on forklift and pedestrian traffic plans in warehouses, and for racking systems, our article on industrial racking safety.

Correct lifting technique: the steps to show in training

If handling is unavoidable, the correct lifting technique is at the heart of training. These steps should be demonstrated in practice, with real loads:

Assess the load first. Check its weight, centre of gravity, grip points and the route it will take. If there is an obstacle in the way, remove it first.
Get close. Stand as close to the load as possible, feet shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly forward.
Squat from the knees. Bend at the hips and knees while keeping your back straight; do not reach by bending at the waist.
Grip firmly. Hold the load securely with the palms, not the fingertips.
Bring the load close to the body. The further the load is from the body, the greater the strain on the lower back.
Rise using the legs. Stand up slowly and in a controlled way; do not jerk.
Do not twist; turn with your feet. Twisting at the waist while holding a load is the riskiest movement; change direction with your feet.
Apply the same rules when putting down. Lowering is as risky as lifting; set the load down by squatting from the knees.

Add these rules as well: do not carry a load alone if it blocks your view; ask for help with very heavy, large or awkwardly shaped loads, and in two-person carrying agree first on who will give the commands; if you have a choice between pushing and pulling, push the load.

How to plan manual handling training

Manual handling training draws on two sources: the mandatory content in Art. 8 of the Regulation on Manual Handling Operations and the training regulation that entered into force on 2 April 2026. Under the new regulation, the 4th topic group of basic training is devoted to job- and workplace-specific risks and is delivered face to face in hazardous and very hazardous workplaces. In warehouse and production work, manual handling is a natural part of this group. For details, see our article on basic OHS training topics.

For effective training:

Hold the training in the work area with real boxes and sacks, not in a classroom.
Ask each participant to lift and lower at least once, and correct mistakes on the spot.
Show load weights and centre-of-gravity markings; the regulation requires this information.
Observe on the floor within a few weeks of the training; habits do not change in a single session.
Document the training with a record and place it in the personnel file.

Back health and load carrying: the role of health surveillance

Back health in load carrying is not ensured by technique alone; job placement also matters. Annex 2 states that an employee who is physically unsuited to the task may be at risk. At pre-employment and periodic examinations, the workplace physician assesses lower back and back complaints, past injuries and individual circumstances and makes a recommendation for suitable job placement. For the special rules on heavy lifting for pregnant employees, see our article on pregnant and breastfeeding employees.

If lower back pain complaints are concentrated in one department, this is a systemic rather than an individual signal: reassess the handling tasks in that department.

In warehouse and logistics businesses in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, our OHS training service has employees practise lifting technique on the floor with real loads, and our risk assessment service assesses each manual handling task against the Annex 1 factors. Sector-specific risks are on our logistics and warehousing sector page.

Common mistakes

Treating training as the only measure. The regulation requires handling to be reduced before training; a risk assessment that only says “correct lifting training was given” is incomplete.
Looking only at weight. Light but frequent handling, handling at a distance or handling with the body bent also causes lower back injuries.
Forgetting the environment. A slippery ramp, a narrow corridor and a hot attic floor make the same load riskier.
Not reassessing when a new product arrives. A product whose packaging or weight changes also changes the shelf layout and the way it is handled.
Not recording complaints. Lower back and back complaints are an early warning of which tasks need reorganising; monitor them together with the workplace physician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a legal kilogram limit for manual handling?

The Regulation on Manual Handling Operations sets no general kilogram limit. The risk is determined and measures are taken by assessing the characteristics of the load, the physical effort required, the working environment and the requirements of the activity together.

Does wearing a back support belt count as a measure?

The regulation first requires an organisation of work that removes the need for manual handling, and then arrangements that reduce the risk. Personal products such as back belts do not replace these measures; decide whether to use them based on the workplace physician’s assessment.

How long does manual handling training take?

The regulation does not set a separate duration. The subject is covered in the job-specific risks group of basic training and in induction training; the practical part should be long enough for every participant to perform a lift.

Which method is used in a manual handling risk assessment?

The regulation does not make a particular method compulsory. The four factor groups in Annex 1 are assessed systematically; in practice, methods such as the NIOSH lifting equation can be used.