Manual Handling Course Online

A Manual Handling Course teaches workers and employers what manual handling is, how to carry it out safely and how to reduce the risk of injury. Incorrect manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work, and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 were introduced to tackle it. See the HSE manual handling guidance for detailed advice.

This online course takes around 75 minutes, can be completed at your own pace from anywhere in the UK and is part of our wider range of health and safety courses and online training courses.

Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and moving loads can cause back pain, sprains, strains and long-term musculoskeletal problems, which means pain for the individual, sickness absence and cost for the business. The Regulations place duties on both employers and employees, including a general requirement that employees are trained to handle loads correctly and to use any equipment the employer provides. Training helps people to:

• Understand what counts as manual handling and the risks involved
• Know the legal duties of employers and employees
• Use safe handling techniques and build good handling habits
• Assess each task and recognise when to use mechanical aids
• Understand the effects of incorrect handling on the body

Online training is a cost-effective way to raise awareness across a whole team. Related courses include Workplace Health and Safety and Working Safely.

The course is aimed at HR managers and administrators who manage an organisation’s employees, and anyone whose job involves lifting, carrying or moving loads or supervising people who do. It may suit:

• HR managers, administrators and office managers: people who arrange training and manage staff, see also Managing Occupational Health and Display Screen Equipment Awareness
• Warehouse, logistics and retail staff: operatives, drivers, stock handlers and shop-floor teams
• Construction and maintenance workers: labourers and tradespeople, who may also need Working Safely or Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment
• Hospitality and catering teams: staff moving stock, kegs and equipment, see our hospitality courses
• Supervisors and employers: people responsible for risk assessments and safe systems of work

Care workers: this course covers the handling of loads. If you move people, see our Moving and Handling course and health and social care courses.

Learn exactly what constitutes manual handling and why incorrect handling is so often a cause of injury.

Understand the regulations and legislation that apply to manual handling tasks, and the duties of employers and employees. The Regulations are built around avoiding hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assessing the risk of what cannot be avoided, and reducing that risk. Our Introduction to Risk Assessment course builds on this.

Recognise safe handling techniques and learn how to develop good habits, so safe handling becomes second nature rather than something you only think about after an injury.

Discover practical solutions to manual handling problems and when to use mechanical aids such as trolleys and lifting equipment. For related hazards, see Slips, Trips and Falls and Personal Protective Equipment.

Understand the consequences of incorrect handling on the body, the dangers associated with it and the professionals most at risk.

• Raises awareness: helps employees understand the dangers of poor manual handling
• Practical: safe handling techniques, practical solutions and mechanical aids
• Flexible: progress through the modules at your own pace, in around 75 minutes
• No travel: study on a phone, tablet or computer wherever you are
• Try first: use the free trial before you book

The course is fully online, so it is available to learners and teams in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh and across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you are looking for manual handling training near you or for your staff, there is no need to travel or close the workplace: employees can complete the course whenever it suits them.

This is an awareness course. If your duties include manual handling you will also need practical training, and you can contact our team to arrange this. GRUPO Training also offers classroom courses such as first aid and SIA security courses. Learn more about GRUPO Training.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define manual handling and state the correct technique and application of effective manual handling
• Understand the relevant legislation and comply with the regulations
• Recognise safe handling techniques and develop good habits
• Evaluate every manual handling situation you encounter, recognising risks and when to use mechanical aids
• Understand the consequences on the body of incorrect handling and the dangers associated
• State the professionals most at risk from incorrect handling techniques

The course has seven modules. Tap a module to see what it covers.

The course explains these in detail. As a quick overview, HSE guidance encourages you to think about the task, the individual, the load and the environment:

Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, employers must avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as is reasonably practicable, assess those that cannot be avoided and reduce the risk of injury as far as reasonably practicable, providing information and training. Employees must follow safe systems of work, use equipment provided correctly and report hazards. This is a general summary, not legal advice. Read the HSE manual handling guidance to confirm what applies to you.

Learn → Review → Final test. The course concludes with Module 7, a final test that checks your understanding. The test is the provider’s course assessment and is not an externally regulated examination.

On successful completion, learners receive a course completion certificate as evidence that they have completed Manual Handling awareness training. The certificate is not a formal occupational qualification and does not replace practical manual handling training.

• Flexible access, so you can fit training around work and personal commitments
• Self-paced learning with no classroom attendance
• A 75-minute course, easy to complete in one or two sittings

Check with your employer that online training meets their own training policy.

Last reviewed: 8 October 2026 by the GRUPO Training team. Health and safety information is based on HSE and GOV.UK guidance and may change, so check the official sources for current requirements.