What is L23?
L23 is the HSE's Approved Code of Practice and guidance for the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended). Manual handling operations means transporting or supporting a load by hand or bodily force, including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying, or moving loads.
These operations are among the most common causes of workplace injury. Over a third of all workplace injuries reported to the HSE are caused by manual handling, resulting in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that can cause pain, time off work, and in serious cases, permanent disability.
Who Needs This Document?
L23 applies to a very wide range of workplaces and activities:
- Warehousing and logistics companies with regular lifting and carrying
- Retail businesses stocking shelves and handling deliveries
- Healthcare providers moving and handling patients
- Construction companies handling building materials
- Manufacturing businesses with manual material handling
- Offices where staff move files, equipment, or furniture
- Property managers overseeing maintenance and cleaning staff
- Care homes and domiciliary care providers
- Any workplace where people lift, carry, push, or pull loads
Key Topics Covered
Hierarchy of Control Measures
The regulations establish a clear hierarchy that employers must follow:
- Avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as is reasonably practicable
- Assess any hazardous operations that cannot be avoided
- Reduce the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable
Risk Assessment
L23 provides detailed guidance on assessing manual handling risks using the TILE approach:
- Task - what does the activity involve?
- Individual - who is doing the handling?
- Load - what is being handled?
- Environment - where is the handling taking place?
Numerical Guidelines
The guidance includes filter guidelines for lifting and lowering, which can be used to identify operations that need more detailed assessment. These are not safe limits but screening tools.
Reducing Risk
Practical measures to reduce manual handling risks include:
- Mechanical aids (trolleys, hoists, conveyors)
- Redesigning tasks to reduce handling
- Team handling where individual handling is too risky
- Improving workplace layout and storage
- Reducing load weights and improving grip
- Providing training and information
Individual Capability
Assessment must take account of individuals' physical capabilities, and employers must consider factors such as pregnancy, health conditions, or previous injuries that might affect someone's ability to handle loads safely.
Legal Status
As an Approved Code of Practice, L23 has special legal weight. If prosecuted for a breach of the Manual Handling Regulations, failure to follow the ACOP would be taken as proof of contravention unless you can demonstrate compliance by other means.
The HSE takes manual handling seriously, particularly in sectors with high injury rates. Prosecution can follow where employers have failed to properly assess and control risks.
Why It Matters
Musculoskeletal disorders from manual handling are a massive burden on UK workers and businesses:
- Over 470,000 workers suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders annually
- 6.6 million working days are lost each year to MSD
- Average absence of 14 days per case affects business operations
- Long-term conditions can develop from repeated poor handling
Proper implementation of the Manual Handling Regulations:
- Reduces injury rates and associated sickness absence
- Improves productivity through better work design
- Lowers insurance costs from fewer claims
- Demonstrates duty of care to employees
- Protects against enforcement action and civil claims
For SMEs, manual handling injuries can have a disproportionate impact. Losing even one key worker to a back injury can significantly affect operations. L23 helps you take proportionate action to protect your workforce and your business.