School Manual-Handling Management Procedure

This procedure applies conditionally to [school name], where the school is a maintained or academy primary or secondary school in England acting as an employer and staff or other workers undertake manual-handling activities. It must be adapted to the school's activities and responsible employing body.

Purpose and legal framework

Where applicable, the school or responsible employing body must comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as amended by the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002.

The school will plan and manage manual-handling work so that the risk of injury is avoided where possible, assessed where it remains, and reduced through selected controls.

Roles and responsibilities

The responsible employing body will identify the person accountable for this procedure as [responsible employing body] and will assign day-to-day coordination to [manual handling coordinator].

The responsible person will identify the school's relevant manual-handling activities, coordinate the assessment of remaining risks, record selected controls, and assign actions to [action owner role].

People undertaking manual-handling activities must follow the controls applicable to their work and report relevant changes or concerns to [reporting contact].

Procedure

1. Identify manual-handling activities

Identify the manual-handling activities undertaken in or for the school by staff or other workers, including the movement of items or loads. Record the activity, the people involved, the location, and the person responsible for managing it.

2. Avoid manual handling where possible

For each identified activity, consider whether the manual handling can be avoided. Record the decision and the reason for proceeding where the activity is retained.

3. Assess remaining risks

Where manual handling remains, assess the risk of injury arising from the activity. The assessment must relate to the school's actual activity and must identify the controls selected to avoid or reduce the risk.

The assessment owner for the activity is [assessment owner]. The assessment date and next review point are [assessment date] and [assessment review point].

4. Select and apply controls

Select controls that avoid or reduce the risk identified by the assessment. Record each control, the activity to which it applies, the person responsible for implementing it, and the action due date.

The selected controls for [manual handling activity] are [selected controls]. The implementation owner is [control implementation owner].

5. Communicate responsibilities and actions

Communicate the applicable activity controls and responsibilities to the people undertaking or managing the work. Record assigned actions and manage them through [action management arrangement].

Review and change

Review this procedure and the activity-specific arrangements when the school's activities, responsible employing body, or manual-handling risks change, and otherwise in accordance with [school review arrangement].