Mechanical and manual handling: what do the regulations say?

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Whether manual or mechanical, material handling operations require specific preventive measures. In this article, find everything you need to know about the regulations regarding the prevention of risks associated with load handling.

What is load handling?

There are two types of load handling: manual handling and mechanical handling.

Manual handling is defined as the transport or support of a load requiring the physical effort of one or more workers (Article R4541-2 of the French Labor Code).

ℹ Please note : Since October 1^st , 2017, manual load handling no longer qualifies for the benefits of the professional prevention account (C2P) (Article L4163-1 of the French Labor Code).

Similarly, mechanical handling is defined as load handling operations performed using work equipment (lifting accessories or lifting machinery).

Examples of work equipment for lifting loads: pallet truck, forklift, electric hoist, mechanical stacker, crane, etc.

What are the challenges of mechanical and manual handling?

Whether in construction, agriculture, or the industrial sector, the use of manual and mechanical handling is essential for many business sectors.

| According to the Directorate for Research, Studies and Statistics (DARES), 29.3% of employees perform at least two hours of manual handling per week.

Whether mechanical or manual in nature, these handling operations often present risks to workers.

For manual handling, workers are particularly at risk of occupational diseases such as tendonitis or lower back pain.

| In practice, lower back pain accounts for 20% of workplace accidents, half of which are caused by the manual handling of loads (Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) 2019, Assurance maladie 2017).

For mechanical handling, workers are primarily exposed to risks associated with the use of lifting accessories and machinery. Indeed, the use of such equipment can lead to workplace accidents such as collisions, crushing, impacts, etc.

What are the regulatory requirements for mechanical and manual handling?

When workers perform manual handling operations that involve risks, particularly to the lower back, the employer must implement a prevention strategy (Article R4541-1 of the French Labor Code).

This approach is based on the general principles of risk prevention (Article L4121-2 of the French Labor Code).

Avoiding risks

To limit or avoid the need for manual handling of loads, employers must prioritize providing mechanical equipment for lifting loads (Article R4541-3 of the French Labor Code).

However, using such equipment also requires implementing a specific prevention strategy.

| This approach is based on general risk prevention principles and primarily concerns workplace layout and the compliance of equipment and its usage.

Assessing occupational risks

To assess the risks that workers are exposed to during manual handling operations, employers must precisely define (Article R4541-6 of the French Labor Code) :

• load characteristics (weight, dimensions, gripping point, etc.);
• physical effort characteristics required (nature of movement, posture, etc.);
• work environment characteristics (distance to be covered, type of floor, presence of obstacles, temperature, etc.);
• activity requirements (duration of handling, work pace, etc.);
• individual worker risk factors (age, gender, physical condition, etc.).

In the case of using a lifting accessory or machine, the employer must also conduct a risk assessment for surrounding workers as well as for the operator.

Therefore, they must primarily analyze the work environment where the equipment is used , particularly regarding the risk of falling loads and the impact on traffic within the company:

• workplaces must be wide enough for the use of work equipment and particularly with regard to the movement of the equipment (Article R4323-8 of the French Labour Code);
• when using mobile lifting equipment, appropriate traffic rules must be established and followed (Article R4323-51 of the French Labour Code).

🔎 Spotlight : Traffic routes for mobile work equipment must be wide enough for safe use at the speed specified in the instruction manual and must be kept clear of any obstacles (Article R4323-50 of the French Labour Code).

Implement risk prevention measures

Manual handling

As we have seen, using a mechanical aid or a lifting machine helps limit or avoid manual handling (Article R4541-5 of the French Labor Code). It is therefore a priority preventive measure in this area.

However, when manual handling cannot be avoided, the employer must take action regarding work organization in order to limit physical exertion and reduce the risk incurred during these operations (Article R4541-4 of the French Labor Code).

Examples of preventive measures :

• reduce the weight and dimensions of the loads to be carried ;
• carry out manual handling operations with two workers;
• reduce the duration of manual handling (rotation, task switching, etc.);
• sort loads according to their weight and size;
• decrease the distances to be traveled ;
• …

🔎 Focus : Whenever possible, the employer must ensure that workers are informed of the load's weight and the position of its center of gravity (Article R4541-7 of the French Labor Code).

Mechanical handling

When workers use work equipment for lifting loads, specific rules and preventive measures must be implemented.

For instance, the operator of a lifting device must be able to see and visually monitor the device's maneuvers (Article R4323-41 of the French Labor Code). When this is not possible, a signal person must guide the operator by communicating with them.

Furthermore, lifting accessories and equipment must be suitable for the work to be performed (Article R4321-1 of the French Labour Code).

With this in mind, they must be chosen based on (Article R4323-47 of the French Labour Code) :

• the nature of the loads (weight, dimensions, etc.);
• the attachment device and gripping points;
• the slinging methods;
• …

⚠️ Warning : Dismountable or mobile work equipment used for lifting loads must be properly stabilized during use (Article R4323-29 of the French Labour Code).

When using lifting equipment, the employer must, in particular, take the necessary measures to prevent risks:

• of power failure (Article R4323-44 C.Trav.) ;
• of tipping, overturning, shifting, or sliding of work equipment (Article R4323-39 C.Trav.) ;
• of falling loads (Article R4323-34 C.Trav.) ;
• …

⚠️Warning : Work equipment must be maintained in a compliant state (Article R4322-1 of the French Labor Code). Consequently, lifting equipment must undergo periodic inspections (Article 23, Order of March 1^st , 2004):

●     every 12 months;

●     every 6 months (lifting equipment listed in sections II and III of Article 20 of the Order of March 1^st , 2004 (e.g., forklifts) and lifting equipment powered by energy other than direct human effort, used for transporting people or for elevating a workstation);

●     every 3 months (lifting equipment powered by direct human effort, used for elevating a workstation).

Worker training

Workers who perform manual load handling operations at their workstations must receive specific training that includes, in particular (Article R4541-8 of the French Labor Code):

• the movements and postures to adopt, as well as a practical exercise;
• information on the risks they incur when these operations are not performed correctly.

ℹ Note : This training must be renewed in the event of the creation or modification of a workstation that exposes them to new risks (Article R4141-15 of the French Labor Code).

In the case of the use of work equipment for lifting loads, workers must also receive adequate training (Article R4323-55 of the French Labour Code).

| They must also have received instructions and conditions for the use of work equipment (Article R4323-1 of the French Labour Code).

🔎 Focus : Certain types of lifting equipment (e.g., ride-on industrial trucks) may only be operated by workers who have received a driving permit issued by the employer (Article R4323-56 of the French Labour Code).

Medical monitoring

Manual handling of loads and the operation of work equipment used for lifting loads are subject to the worker's medical fitness.

| This medical fitness is assessed during the information and prevention visit (VIP) with a healthcare professional. This visit must be completed within three months of starting the job (Article R4624-10 of the French Labor Code).

| For positions requiring a driving permit, a fitness examination must be conducted before assignment to the position as part of individual health monitoring.

What are the main prohibitions regarding handling?

Regulations prohibit certain practices for manual and mechanical handling in order to avoid situations that could be dangerous for workers.

Manual handling

The maximum weight for manual handling is 105 kilograms (kg). Furthermore, a worker should not be required to habitually carry loads exceeding 55 kg unless they have been cleared to do so by an occupational physician (Article R4541-9 C.Trav.).

Additionally, certain categories of workers are entitled to more favorable working conditions due to their personal characteristics:

• women must not carry loads exceeding 25 kg or transport loads using a wheelbarrow exceeding 40 kg, including the weight of the wheelbarrow (Article R4541-9 C.Trav.);
• the use of a hand truck for transporting loads is prohibited for pregnant women (Article D4152-12 of the French Labor Code) ;
• young workers may not carry loads exceeding 20% of their body weight unless they have been cleared by an occupational physician (Article R4153-52 of the French Labor Code).

Mechanical handling

The following are the main prohibitions regarding mechanical handling:

• except for testing or trials, it is prohibited to lift a load weighing more than the capacity marked on the device or the load plate (Article R4323-33 of the French Labor Code) ;
• it is prohibited to leave loads suspended unattended unless access to the danger zone is restricted and the load has been secured and is held safely (Article R4323-44 of the French Labor Code) ;
• no load must be left suspended from the hook of lifting equipment when it is not in use (Article R4323-35 of the French Labour Code).
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Photo credit: 189209432 @Halfpoint