Lifting Safely – 5. Moving the Load

Care must be taken when moving the load, to reduce the risk of injury follow the below points:

• Do not twist or turn without moving your feet.
• Keep your shoulders and hips facing in the same direction.
• Keep your head elevated and look ahead.
• Do not carry more than you are capable of.
• Keep the load as close as possible to your body. The further away the load is from your person the heavier it becomes. At full arm’s length a load is up to four times heavier.

Lifting Safely – 6. Lowering the Load

A safe lift is not complete until the load is safely put down:

• To put down the load – reverse the lifting action. Again, make sure you keep your back in its natural posture and your body is relaxed.
• If putting the load down in a specific location, where appropriate put it down first and then slide into position.
• After making sure the load is safely positioned you can then safely stand back up and assess the position of the object. Then make any necessary adjustments.