Handling materials

• Pages: 325-328

35. Handling materials

35.1. Manual lifting and carrying

35.1.1. Where reasonable and practicable, mechanical ap-

pliances should be provided and used for lifting and carrying loads.

35.1.2. Workers required to handle loads should be iii-

structed how to lift and carry safely.

35.1.3. In particular, the strain of lifting should be taken by

the legs and not by the back.

35.1.4. No person should be employed to, lift, carry or move

any load which, by reason of its weight, is likely to jeopardise his

health or safety.

35.1.5. No adult male worker should lift or carry a load

exceeding 50 kg (110 ib) in weight.

35.1.6. No male young person should lift or carry a load

exceeding 20 kg (44 ib) in weight.

35.1.7. No female young person should lift or carry a reason-

ably compact load exceeding 15 kg (33 lb) in weight.

35.1.8. No adult woman should lift or carry a load exceeding

20 kg (44 ib) in weight.

35.1.9. No pregnant woman, and no young person under tle

age of 16, should lift or carry loads.

35.1.10. When long objects such as poles are being carried by

a number of workers;

the last worker should give the signals for lifting and dropping;

all the workers should lift and drop the object simultaneously

on being given the appropriate signals;

all the workers should be on the same side of the object;

when crossing slopes the workers should be on the uphill side

of the object; and

the object should not be thrown down over the head.

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