Most people think of manual handling as lifting. But the Manual Handling Operations Regulations also apply to pushing and pulling, and that covers trolleys, roll cages, pallet trucks and anything else your team moves by hand. This guide sets out what HSE expects and how to reduce the risk.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Always read HSE’s own guidance and carry out a risk assessment for your site.
What the law says
Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations, employers must:
- avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable;
- assess the risk of any manual handling that can’t be avoided;
- reduce that risk as far as reasonably practicable.
HSE says plainly that the regulations “also apply to pushing and pulling”. Moving a loaded trolley along a corridor is manual handling, just as lifting a box is.
HSE’s guideline figures
HSE gives guideline figures for the force needed to push or pull a load:
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting or stopping a load | about 20 kg (200 N) | about 15 kg (150 N) |
| Keeping a load moving | about 10 kg (100 N) | about 7 kg (70 N) |
These are not weight limits and they are not “safe” values. HSE says that if forces are higher, you should look for ways to reduce the effort, and that using the figures doesn’t remove the duty to reduce risk as far as reasonably practicable.
What makes pushing and pulling harder
- Floors. Soft, uneven or damaged surfaces, joints and debris.
- Slopes and ramps. More force going up, and a runaway risk coming down.
- Wheels. Small, poorly positioned or badly maintained wheels and castors.
- The load. Heavy, tall or unstable loads, and loads the operator can’t see over.
- The task. Long distances, tight turns, frequent starts and stops, and too few breaks.
How to assess it: the RAPP tool
HSE’s free Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling (RAPP) tool helps you spot high-risk tasks and check whether changes work. It covers wheeled equipment such as hand trolleys, pump trucks and carts, and moving loads without wheels by dragging, rolling or pivoting. It uses a colour-coded score, like the MAC tool for lifting. HSE notes that it may underestimate the risk for pump trucks on uneven floors. For varied or outdoor conditions, it recommends a full site-specific assessment.
Ways to reduce the risk
- Take the force out of the task. A powered electric tug supplies the force to start, move and stop the load. The operator walks upright and steers.
- Fix the route. Repair floors, remove thresholds, and avoid slopes where you can.
- Look after the wheels. Larger, well-maintained castors make a real difference.
- Reduce the load or the distance. Smaller loads, shorter runs and more breaks.
- Train people in good technique, and in any equipment you bring in.
Where electric tugs fit
An electric tug removes most of the pushing and pulling force from the job. Our TT50 moves roll cages and hospital trolleys up to 1,000 kg on castors. At the heavy end, the TP3000 moves trams and rolling stock up to 300,000 kg on rails. Each machine is matched to your load with the right coupling.
Want a second opinion?
Tell us about the loads your team pushes and pulls today. We’ll look at the job and tell you whether a tug would help. Contact us or call 01538 360372.
Source: HSE, Doing a push/pull risk assessment and RAPP tool overview.
