A lifting operation is an operation concerned with the lifting and lowering of a load. A load is the item or items being lifted which could include a person or people. A lifting operation may be performed manually or using lifting equipment. Manual lifting, holding, putting down, carrying or moving is often referred to as ‘manual handling of loads’.
Lifting operations in construction occur during transportation of material from the storage place to the place where it is being processed, and during the processing of materials. A load includes any material or people that are lifted or lowered by lifting equipment.
Lifting operations are inherent to many occupations in the construction industry. They can be performed manually or using lifting equipment. Both manual lifting and mechanical lifting operations can put construction workers at great risk of injury or health symptoms causing sick leave or disability. The costs of accidents and ill health related to lifting operations, are immense.
The load includes any material and people (or any combination of these) that is lifted by the lifting equipment. Loads are often provided with permanent or semi-permanent fixed or attached points for lifting. In most cases, these are considered to be part of the load. Examples of loads include:
- Loose bulk materials
- Sacks, bags, pallets and stillage’s
- Discrete items (such as a large concrete block)
- Machinery and any permanently attached lifting eyes
- Skip and the lugs fixed to its side.