LANDSCAPE ONTARIO – WORKPLACE SAFETY TAILGATE TALKS
© 2026, WSPS.CA 71
MATERIAL HANDLING – MANUAL
Personal Protective Equipment
Equipment Hazards
?
What do you foresee being the most common type of
injury related to manual material handling and how can
it be prevented?
!
Using safe lifting techniques can help prevent permanent
damage to your back and make the work easier.
Prevention Points
Sore and strained backs are the number one cause of lost time
injuries in our industry. Many can be avoided with proper lifting
habits, procedures and techniques. Never lift more than can be
comfortably handled. Consider these proper lifting procedures:
Review the General Health & Safety Best Practices section on
page 11 before performing any task.
Centre yourself over the load with your feet shoulder-distance
apart with one foot beside the object to be lifted and the
other behind.
Bend at the knees. With knees bent, cradle the load as close to
the body as possible. Keep your back straight, (never bend or
twist over to pick up a load).
