Exam Pass Notes

Use these notes for a final review before the assessment. They summarise the course's essential points but do not replace local moving and handling policy, practical training, supervised competency checks, the person's care plan, or manufacturers' instructions for equipment.

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Core principles to remember

• Manual handling covers lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving or supporting a load by hand or bodily force.
• In care settings the load may be a person or an object such as stock, laundry, equipment or a trolley.
• Poor moving and handling can injure staff and the person being moved, and can cause discomfort, fear and loss of dignity.
• Hierarchy: avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess tasks that cannot be avoided, and reduce remaining risk as far as reasonably practicable.
• Training is necessary but not sufficient; the task, equipment, environment and staffing must also be appropriate.

Person-centred moving and handling

• Follow the person's current moving and handling plan rather than relying on memory or guesswork.
• The plan should state what the person can do, the help required, the equipment needed, the number of staff, and any risks to address.
• Review the plan after falls, hospital discharge, increased pain, deterioration, new distress, repeated near misses, or equipment changes.
• Moving and handling should support autonomy, privacy and dignity where possible and avoid unnecessary restriction.
• Obtain consent before and during the move. If the person becomes distressed or withdraws cooperation, pause and reassess.

Equipment essentials

• Use equipment only after assessment and in line with the plan and the manufacturer's instructions.
• Examples include hoists, slings, slide sheets, transfer boards, standing aids, shower chairs, wheelchairs, profiling beds and bariatric equipment.
• Incorrect sling size or type, or poor compatibility, can create serious risk.
• Some hoists can be used by one person, but many hoisting tasks require two staff depending on the person's plan and the environment.
• Handling belts may help a person stand or steady themselves, but they are not lifting devices.
• Do not leave a person unattended in a hoist and do not use equipment with visible defects.

Practical task reminders

• Prepare the space before a transfer: clear obstacles, apply brakes, adjust heights and plan the route.
• If the planned method does not fit the room or staffing, stop and escalate rather than improvising.
• Do not pull a falling person up under the arms or attempt unplanned manual lifts from the floor because staff are in a hurry.
• Follow local falls or emergency procedures and approved lifting methods after a slide or fall.
• There is no single legal safe weight limit for inanimate loads; weight is only one factor in risk.
• Pushing and pulling can cause injury, especially with heavy wheeled loads, poor surfaces, awkward routes and tight corners.

Reporting and speaking up

• Report pain, strain, near misses, damaged equipment, missing slings, unsafe workarounds and changes in a resident's condition promptly.
• Near misses are important because they reveal patterns before serious harm occurs.
• Managers may need to review trends, update plans, improve equipment systems and consider statutory reporting for serious injuries.
• Stopping an unsafe move is part of safe care, not a failure to cope.

For the exam, remember the shape of safe practice: avoid, assess, reduce, prepare, communicate, use the right equipment, and report concerns early.