Meaning & use
manual handling
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Meanings
noununcountable
the act of lifting, carrying, pushing or moving things by hand or bodily force, especially as part of a job.
Grammar: Uncountable: say 'manual handling is tiring', not 'a manual handling'. It is often followed by 'of' plus the thing moved: manual handling of heavy boxes.
Patterns
- manual handling of something
- manual handling training
- safe manual handling
The warehouse staff receive manual handling training every year.
Poor manual handling of the crates caused several back injuries.
She hurt her shoulder during manual handling at work.
noununcountabletechnical
the set of rules, training and equipment intended to prevent injury when people move loads at work.
Grammar: Used in this way, it often comes before another noun: manual handling policy, manual handling assessment. It is not used with 'a' or a plural form.
Patterns
- manual handling policy
- manual handling assessment
- manual handling regulations
The manual handling policy says two people must lift anything over 20 kilograms.
After the accident, the company reviewed its manual handling procedures.
New manual handling regulations came into force last month.
Common combinations
- manual handling training
- All new employees must complete manual handling training before starting on the floor.
- safe manual handling
- The poster shows the principles of safe manual handling.
- manual handling of heavy objects
- The risk assessment covers the manual handling of heavy objects.
- manual handling injury
- Most manual handling injuries in the store involve the lower back.
- manual handling risk assessment
- You need a manual handling risk assessment for each task.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lifting
- Lifting focuses only on raising something, while manual handling covers lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling.
- materials handling
- This is a broader technical term for moving materials, often with machines, not only by hand.
Word family
Commonly confused: manual handling or manhandle?
manual handling vs manhandle
Manhandle is a verb meaning to move something roughly or by force, and it can also mean to push a person roughly. Manual handling is simply the work of moving things by hand.
Practice
The nurse attended a course on ______ to reduce back strain.
Choose one answer.
Manual handling is the uncountable noun for moving things by hand, which fits after 'on'. 'Manual handle' and 'manual handler' are not the standard phrase, and 'manually handling' would need a different sentence structure, such as 'handling patients manually'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “manual handling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.