Manual handling injuries are common and permanent. The test checks that you assess a load before lifting, use good technique, and reach for a mechanical aid or help rather than struggling.
What manual handling covers in the HS&E test
- Assessing the load, the task, the environment and your own capability first
- Good lifting technique: stable base, bend the knees, keep the load close, avoid twisting
- Splitting a load or getting help when it is too heavy or awkward
- Mechanical aids — wheelbarrow, trolley, hoist, telehandler — as the better option
- Team lifting and one person directing
- Reporting an injury or strain rather than working through it
Where people lose marks
Lifting a load just because you can manage it once. Repetition and awkward posture cause the damage.
Twisting to place a load down instead of moving the feet.
Choosing to carry something by hand when an aid is available.
Both free mocks draw from this area in the same proportion as the real paper — 50 questions in 45 minutes, with an explanation for every answer and a per-topic breakdown at the end.
Start a free mock testThe other thirteen areas
Independent study material, not affiliated with or endorsed by CSCS or CITB. Always check the official CITB and CSCS websites for the current test and card requirements.