What type of assessment should be conducted alongside every manual handling task?

A dynamic risk assessment is essential for manual handling tasks because it involves evaluating the risks associated with the task in real-time, considering the specific circumstances and environment in which the task is performed. Manual handling often includes variable factors such as the weight of the load, the physical capabilities of the worker, the layout of the work area, and any potential hazards that may not be immediately obvious.

Conducting a dynamic risk assessment enables workers to identify any immediate risks before they undertook handling a load, and it allows for adjustments to be made based on the situation at hand. This assessment is crucial in preventing injuries and ensuring that all safety measures are adhered to as conditions change.

Other types of assessments, while useful in certain contexts, do not provide the same level of immediate relevance. For instance, standard operational assessments typically review established procedures and protocols over a longer period rather than the specificities of a single task. Static safety assessments usually focus on fixed hazards and do not account for the dynamic nature of manual handling. Preliminary hazard assessments might identify potential risks before a task begins but do not consider the changing conditions during the execution of manual tasks, thus making the dynamic approach more effective for on-the-spot evaluations.