Manual Handling Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 ...

Health and Safety
Executive
Appendix 5
Manual handling assessment chart (MAC)
1 The MAC, which is described below, is a new assessment tool that has been
developed by HSE. It is principally designed to help health and safety inspectors
assess the most common risk factors in lifting, carrying and team handling
operations. Employers, safety officers, safety representatives and others may also
find the MAC useful to identify high-risk manual handling operations and help them
as part of their risk assessments.
2 Copies of the MAC are available as a free leaflet (INDG383) for single copies
and priced for multiple copies, from HSE books. The MAC can also be printed
from the following website: www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac. However the MAC is not
appropriate for all manual handling operations, and so may not comprise a fully
‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessment if relied on alone. A risk assessment will
normally need to take account of additional factors, for example an individual’s
health problems or the need for special information and training. The rest of this
document sets out in detail the requirements of an assessment.
3 The MAC is based on a set of numerical guidelines developed from data in
published scientific literature and on practical experience of assessing risks from
manual handling. They are pragmatic, tried and tested and are not based on any
precise scientific formulae. The intention is to guide users through a logical process
to identify any high-risk manual handling.
4 The MAC comprises a series of manual handling assessment charts designed
for quickly assessing the following:
(a) lifting operations;
(b) carrying operations; and
(c) team-handling operations.
5 The MAC is not suitable for tasks which involve pushing and pulling and for
assessing the risk involved in patient handling.
6 The MAC uses a ‘traffic light’ approach for indicating the level of risk. A
numerical indication is also provided. The risk levels are based on published
ergonomic data and are the same as those used within the rest of this guidance.
7 Each chart in the MAC requires the user to work through a sequence of risk
factors, beginning with load and lifting/carrying frequency. For the lifting
chart, the following factors are then considered in turn:
(a) the position of the hands horizontally in relation to the lower back;
(b) the vertical lift distance;
(c) the degree of twisting:
(d) postural constraints;
(e) the quality of the grip;
(f) floor conditions; and
(g) other environmental factors.
8 Similar considerations apply in the carrying and team handling charts.
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