Manual Materials Handling (MMH)

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Lifting and Lowering

The workplace lifting and lowering conditions greatly affect the loads placed on joints of the body like the spine and shoulders, and thus the likelihood of developing fatigue and MSD. In a perfect lifting situation the load is: close to the body, at waist height, not moved a far distance, infrequently lifted, moved with no twist, and moved with a good grip on the object.

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Carrying 

Carrying objects can be challenging and time consuming. Using equipment to eliminate carrying such as conveyor systems and carts can eliminate carrying objects and also improve productivity. 

Pushing and Pulling

Tasks that require pushing and pulling are common in the workplace. There are different tools and strategies for reducing the load on your body when performing these tasks to reduce risk of injury to the back, shoulders, and other body regions. These include:

• Solutions that eliminate pushing and pulling forces like automated pallet pushers, tuggers, and forklifts for transporting heavy loads 
• Carts that have been properly maintained and are height adjustable
• Positioning the body appropriately when pushing and pulling, including  pushing with arms close to the body, keeping good spine posture, and knees aligned (view body positioning posters)

For these tips and more, view related resources below. 

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Gripping

Gripping objects such as power tools, boxes, and other items happens frequently during manual handling tasks. A few different types of grips include:

• Power grip 
• Pinch grip 
• Pistol Grip

See the posters and videos below for more information.

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Body Positioning Posters

View this series of three posters that show the proper body positioning to reduce risk of MSD injury to the shoulder, knee, and low back.

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