Petroleum Development Oman L.L.C.

MANUAL MATERIAL HANDLING (MMH)

Document ID PR-2111

Document Type Procedure

Security Unrestricted

Discipline Occupational Health

Document Owner Nasser AL Yaqoubi, MCOH

Month and Year of

March, 2022
Issue

Version 3.0

Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene, Health hazards,

Keywords
Ergonomics, Manual Material Handling

Copyright: This document is the property of Petroleum Development Oman, LLC. Neither the
whole nor any part of this document may be disclosed to others or reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, mechanical, reprographic
recording or otherwise) without prior written consent of the owner.

Manual Material handling Page 1

Document Authorisation
Document Owner Document Custodian

Dr Nasser Al Yaqoubi Mitul Desai

Ref. Ind: MCOH Ref. Ind: MCOH1

Revision History
The following is a summary of the four most recent revisions to this document. Details of all
revisions prior to these are held on file by the Document Custodian.

Version No. Month & Year Author’s Name and Title Scope / Remarks

Jose F. Petrizzo M. Procedure that describe how to perform safety manual

1.0 23 March
Ref. Ind: MCOH1 material handling.
2014
Linked with Sp-1231
24/02/2019 Jose F. Petrizzo M. No changes in content
2.0
Ref. Ind: MCOH1

Mitul Desai Updated responsibilities & information about

3.0 01 March
Ref. Ind: MCOH1 ergonomic tools, added picture of ergonomic
2022
Shiboun Jassasi engineering controls used in PDO
Ref. Ind: MCOH2

User Notes:

1. The requirements of this document are mandatory. Non-compliance shall only be authorized by a designated
authority through STEP-OUT approval as described in this document.
2. A controlled copy of the current version of this document is on PDO's live link. Before referring to this document,
it is the user's responsibility to ensure that any hard copy, or electronic copy, is current. For assistance, contact the
Document Custodian.
3. Users are encouraged to participate in the ongoing improvement of this document by providing constructive
feedback.

Manual Material handling Page 2

Related Business Processes & CMF Documents
Related Business Processes

Code Business Process (EPBM 4.0)

Parent Document(s)

Doc. No. Document Title

Other Related CMF Document(s)

Doc. No. Document Title

SP 1230 Medical Examination, Treatment and Facilities

SP-1234 Personal Protective Equipment

SP-1231 Occupational Health

Manual Material handling Page 3

TABLE OF CONTENT

DOCUMENT AUTHORISATION .........................................................................................2

REVISION HISTORY ...............................................................................................................2

RELATED BUSINESS PROCESSES & CMF DOCUMENTS .......................................3

1. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................5

2. RESPONSIBILITIES .........................................................................................................5
2.1 Department Manager/Contractor area Manager .................................................................................... 5
2.2 IH/HSE supervisor/field supervisor and HSE Manager ........................................................................ 5
2.3 All employees ........................................................................................................................................ 6

3. HAZARDS ............................................................................................................................6

4. CONTROLS .........................................................................................................................6
4.1 Work Planning ....................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Worker Awareness Training.................................................................................................................. 7
4.3 Precautions for Safely Lifting and Handling Materials ......................................................................... 8
4.4 Safe MMH Practices............................................................................................................................ 10
4.5 MMH Inspections and Considerations ............................................................................................ 11
4.6 Techniques for Manually Moving and Lifting Material ................................................................. 11
4.7 Assisted One-Hand Lift................................................................................................................... 13
4.8 Team Lifts ....................................................................................................................................... 13
4.9 Maintenance ........................................................................................................................................ 14

5. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 14

6. APPENDIX – PHOTOS OF ENGINEERING CONTROLS FOR

ERGONOMICS ........................................................................................................................ 15

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1. Introduction

Manual Material handling (MMH) is a task that almost every worker performs, either as a one-time
or infrequent duty or as part of regular work. Material handling encompasses a wide range of work
activities from occasional movement of very large loads with cranes and powered industrial trucks
to routine, repetitive lifting of relatively light objects and tasks that are incidental to a worker's
regular, daily activities, such as an office move.

This document contains specific requirements and general guidance to protect workers from
injuries and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) when performing manual and mechanical material-
handling activities.

These requirements apply to all material-handling activities performed by PDO or any contractor.
Additional information can be requested from PDO Occupational Health Department (MCOH).

2. Responsibilities
2.1 Department Manager/Contractor area Manager
It is the PDO / Contractor’s responsibility to provide a safe procedure and a safe working
environment, which includes:
• To ensure that the manual handling of loads and/or awkward posture are kept to a
minimum and that all persons carrying out manual handling duties are trained in the
correct techniques and take a consideration to own and their subcontractors to do these
techniques.
• Safe plant and equipment, Safe protective equipment; materials handling aids
(Engineering control) if necessary.
• Rest or exercise breaks during tiring or repetitive tasks.
• Task planning before work begins.
• Clearing the way to avoid bumping into or tripping over things,
• Implement controls as recommended by IH/HSE to minimize ergonomic risk levels

2.2 IH/HSE supervisor/field supervisor and HSE Manager

 To identify tasks involving manual material handling & awkward posture/s
 To monitor / observe & conduct Ergonomic assessments/survey for those identified
tasks.
 To implement tools for ergonomics MMH assessment / survey (details given ahead in
this procedure) for manual tasks observed with high &/or medium risk & implement
controls, where necessary to make overall risk level as low.
 To arrange awareness training on Ergo MMH & Awkward postures for all concerned
persons.
 Ergonomic assessment/survey & awareness training to be repeated at least once in
every 3 years or as & when necessary (e.g. change in work area, tool, worker, project
scope etc.)
 To ensure that the manual handling of loads is kept to a minimum and that all persons
carrying out manual handling duties are trained in the correct techniques.

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 2.3 All employees
All employees have a responsibility and duty to:
• Work safely; participate in hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control when
requested by their supervisor/HSE advisor/IH.
• Follow any information, training and instruction received and use the risk controls that
have been provided to minimize ergonomic exposure & risks.

3. Hazards

The hazards associated with improper material handling and/or manual material handling include
being struck by a load, losing control of a load, physically overexerting oneself, awkward posture,
and exceeding equipment capacities. Such incidents can lead to injuries or illness (e.g., MSD,
abrasions, bruises, broken bones, etc.) and even loss of life. Material-handling and/or MMH
incidents account for a sizable percentage of all occupational injuries/illnesses that occur in every
work area. The risk of injury/illness is not confined to manual lifting of heavy objects. Some lost-
time injuries/illnesses have occurred in office situations where lifting is infrequent and involves
only small items. Table 1 shows a summary of ergonomic hazards.

TABLE 1.

Ergonomic Hazards

Over-exertion arising from lifting or lowering objects.

Manual Handling - Lifting, Lowering
Pushing or pulling any object, handle, or device.
Manual Handling - Pushing, Pulling
Over-exertion arising from carrying objects.
Manual Handling - Carrying
Risk to the hand/wrist or elbow from a forceful exertion and/or repetitive
Manual handling –Hand / Wrist
movements (grasping, holding, repetitive use, hand tool usage).
/Grasping/Holding/Repetitive Use
Posture - Unavoidable, sustained, long- Unavoidable, sustained, long-term awkward posture when associated
term awkward posture of the shoulder, with either static loading or repetition.
neck and back

4. Controls
4.1 Work Planning

The likelihood of injuries/illnesses significantly increase when lifting or moving bulky, heavy
objects that cannot be held close to the body. Injuries/illnesses can also occur when conducting
repetitive lifts of lighter objects over long periods of time. Injuries/illnesses related to manual
material handling may occur when a worker performs a task without the required assistance or
mechanical aid or because of inadequate training, poor judgment or poor selection or improper
use or maintenance of equipment.

Therefore, supervisors and workers should perform an appropriate ergonomic assessment

/survey to determine the proper technique or lifting device required for all manual material-

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 handling activities and consider whether a worker is able to carry out the materials-handling
task in question, even with assistance. In addition, consider the following other factors:

• loads/objects characteristics
— Weight, length, width, height, and depth.
— Center of gravity (i.e., weight distribution within container).
— Handles, texture, and grasp point.
— Stability (particularly in the case of liquids and bulky items).

• Workplace/task characteristics
— Carrying/pulling/pushing/lowering/reaching distance and direction changes.
— Obstacles (e.g., stairs and slopes).
— Traction/lighting level on working/walking surfaces (i.e., observe whether
surfaces are
— slippery, smooth, or rough).
— Duration, frequency, and pace.
— Temperature, lighting, and humidity.
— Work organization (e.g., teamwork, time pressure, and the availability of help).

• Mechanical lifting devices

— Weight demand and equipment limitations (i.e., load limit).
— Accessibility requirements.
— Worker experience.
— Maintenance status.

Managers and Supervisors are encouraged to use a team approach by rotating people who
constantly perform manual material-handling tasks to a lighter job after 1–2 hr. of continuous
efforts.

4.2 Worker Awareness Training

 PDO requires workers to be properly officially trained (HSE passport or training

attendance) and physically capable for any work assignment that involves the handling
of heavy objects (more than 10 kg.) or the repetitive lifting of lighter objects over long
periods.

 Even for incidental manual material-handling activities, consideration should be given

to a worker's ability to perform a task. Therefore, a work supervisor shall determine if
there are potential issues (e.g., physical ability or training or engineering control) that
need to be evaluated before assigning workers to perform manual material-handling
tasks.

 Manual Material Handling training must contain back care using proper safe
techniques for lifting and handling heavy objects, as well as an exercise program to
strengthen the back.

 Workers shall be properly trained in use of powered and mechanical material-handling

equipment, such as lifts, hoists, powered industrial trucks, trolleys, stacker. (for

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 information on the safe operation of power-operated cranes/hoists and powered
industrial trucks please refer to PDO SP 1708, 1709 and 1710)

NOTE: PDO Occupational Health Department (MCOH) does not recommend neither support the use
of Back Belts. This criterion is based in well sustained scientific data.

4.3 Precautions for Safely Lifting and Handling Materials

• Whenever possible, push rather than pull loads: Pushing uses the strong leg muscles,
whereas pulling uses the easily strained back muscles. Moving objects by sliding, rather
than lifting, is recommended for repetitive handling tasks. For ease of manipulation during
subsequent moves, heavy items should be stored on racks, shelves, or the like at elbow
level. Lighter items may be stored at either higher or lower levels.

• Never attempt to lift objects that are too heavy or bulky to handle safely.

• Never overestimate your ability to perform MMH task.

• When occasional lifts of compact loads [<50 kg] are required, observe the following
precautions:

o Loads should be handled no more than 18 cm in front of the body as measured from
the ankles. The heavier a load, the more closely to the body the load should be held.

o Very low lifts of (25 cm) or less from the floor are not desirable because of the
difficulty of maintaining balance when squatting to lift.

o Medium lifts (75–135 cm) from the floor are more desirable because more strength is
available in the lower part of this height range.

o High lifts (135–188 cm) from the floor are not recommended, except when the item to
lift weighs less than 5 kg.

Based on data related to the manual materials handling in PDO and taking into account the
requirements as set out in Graph 1 and considering the number of lifts, the frequency of them,
the location of the hands with respect to load and the horizontal distance of the body with
respect to the extended load and the duration of the day, establishing that any MMH situation
will be in position in accordance with the occupational exposure limits and a rate of acceptable
exposure, i.e. ALARP, provided, do not exceed 360 lifts per person per workday (for days of
8 hours). If it is necessary to raise or lift an object more than 6 times per minute, the task should
be limited to 20 minutes or less, to allow the muscles to recover.

If loads (Weight of objects to be handled) are above 10 kg. Weight, supervisor shall perform
the Manual material handling screening using Graph 1.

Graph 1 shows the reference levels for Manual Material Handling: Lifting/Lowering;
Pushing/Pulling; Carrying.

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 Graph 1: Screening of Manual Material Handling Tasks

RAP line
23

21

19
Weight/Force (kg)

17 Pushing/Pulling
Lifting and Lowering
15
Carrying

13

11
0
0.125 10 20 30 40 50 60
X per hour

Use of Graph 1.
1. Determine if the activity involves lifting/lowering, pushing/pulling, or carrying.
2. Select appropriate line graph on the chart.
3. The vertical axis (y-axis) depicts the weight of the object or push/pull force.
4. The horizontal axis (x-axis) depicts the frequency of the activity (x times/hour).
5. Using the weight/force (kg) and frequency of your activity plot the position on the chart.
(Note: if frequency is “out of range” of the chart, go directly to using Tools (Appendix 1) to
further assess
6. Use appropriate actions according to Graph 1.
Note: The limits for lifting and lowering should be reduced if the handler twists to the side during the
operation. As a guide, reduce the limits by about 10% where the handler twists through 45 degrees and
by about 20% where the handler twists through 90 degrees.

Table 2 shows the risk according to Graph 1 position.

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 Table 2: Chart interpretation for Manual Handling - Lifting/Lowering;
Pushing/Pulling; Carrying
Position of Plot Point Action required
Plot point falls on or Low risk and NO further action required.
below the specific
curve
Plot point falls above Utilize the tools (Appendix 1) made available for Lift/lower, Push/Pull
specific curve but and Carrying, and review and determine how the risk profile can be
below RAP (Red) line. decreased (MCOH advise)
Review whether standard controls and recovery measures are in place
and check their effectiveness.
Consider whether any further controls are feasible or whether remedial
actions are required.
Plot point falls on or Contact Occupational Health Department (MCOH) or you company IH
above RAP (Red) line for detailed assessment. Additional controls or other remedial actions
required

4.4 Safe MMH Practices

The following are recommended safe practices for MMH:

• Provide good handholds on an object to be carried.

• Firmly grip an object to be carried.

• Use carts and mechanical handling aids to support an object's weight. Prefer to use three
wheels trolleys instead of two wheels trolleys

• Try to minimize the distance that an object is moved.

• Carry a load close to your body and at a proper height from the floor. When standing,
avoid lifting an item to a height greater than 50 cm or lowering an item to a height less than
20 cm.

• Push or pull objects whenever possible, rather than lifting or lowering objects.

• Position storage materials on racks or shelves in ways that make handling easier (e.g.,
place the heaviest objects at elbow height).

• Keep your torso in a neutral, upright position whenever possible when lifting a heavy
load. The neutral position is 0-15°. An angle greater than 15° is considered high risk.

• Do not twist or bend while lifting or handling a heavy load.

Minimize awkward postures including long duration of standing or pending.
Use sitting stools (appropriate height) whenever possible

• Do not using jerking motions to move a load.

• Provide elbow/knee support for long reaches.

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 • Warm up before starting a strenuous task after a less-strenuous task (e.g., changing from
sitting to performing a rapid, dynamic task).

• Avoid lowering materials that need to be later lifted.

• Plan movements of material in direct paths (i.e., do not zigzag or backtrack).

• Avoid using stairs when handling heavy objects. Generally, if the use of stairs is
unavoidable, keep one hand free to grasp the rail quickly to prevent falling.

• Use height adjustable/tiltable table or a reach extender to reduce forward bending or

extended reaches.

• Use a step stool or low platform to reduce back hyperextension.

• Use roller bearings or roller conveyors to reduce twisting.

• Use sheet supporters hand trucks, and small overhead lift to improve posture

4.5 MMH Inspections and Considerations

Contact MCOH Department or your company IH / HSE for assistance with, or information on, the
following:
• Manual Material-handling task hazard assessment/survey
• MMH techniques.
• Engineering controls.
• Methods for determining general weight-limit guidelines.

Tools for ergonomics MMH assessment/ survey

• Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA),
• Rapid Upper Limbs Assessment (RULA),
• NIOSH Lifting Index (LI),
• Workstation Self-assessment checklist

4.6 Techniques for Manually Moving and Lifting Material

Two-Hand Squat Lift

Lifting is a part of many everyday jobs but is often done improperly, resulting in pulled muscles,
disc lesions, and other injuries. the following demonstrates a two-hand squat lift using six good
dynamic lifting techniques:
Proper techniques for manually lifting materials.

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Step 1. Make sure your feet are firmly placed about 24–40 cm apart. Place one-foot long side the
object being lifted and the other behind it.

Step 2. Grasp the object using the palmer grip— the fingers and the hand should be extended around
the object to be lifted using the full palm

Step 3. Using the knee-bend or squatting position, keep the back straight. Tuck in the chin so the
neck and head continue the straight back line.

Step 4. Tuck arms and elbows into the side of the body and position the body so that your weight
is centered.
.

Step 5. Start lifting with a thrust of the rear foot, keeping the object close to your body as
you lift with your legs—not with your back

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Step 6. Carry the load close to your body— not on extended arms. To turn or change
your position shifts your feet. Do not twist your back.

4.7 Assisted One-Hand Lift

The assisted one-hand lift) is a safe method for lifting objects from containers
and is also a viable lifting alternative when the two-handed squat lift cannot be used.

For a good assisted one-hand lift, follow the three steps below:
1. Place the no lifting hand on top of the container, bend over the container, and
assume the lift position.
2. Reach and grasp the object to be lifted.
3. With the no lifting hand, push down on the container top, raising the upper body
to a vertical position. Be sure to let the no lifting hand, not your back, do the work.

Figure 3. Assisted one-hand lift.

Assisted one-hand lifts assume that the object to be lifted can be grasped with one hand and that
the duration of the lift is not so long that the object becomes awkward to handle. In general, loads
weighing 7–9 kg would not be excessive for most workers.

4.8 Team Lifts

Two or more workers transporting a large load should adjust the load to ride level and
so that each person carries equal weight. Long objects (e.g., pipe or lumber) should be
carried on the same shoulder, and the workers should walk in step. Shoulder pads should be used
to prevent shoulder injuries (e.g., cuts) and to help reduce fatigue.

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When team lifting is required, make sure that the individuals involved are similar in size and
physique. One person should act as the leader and give commands on when to lift or lower the
object.

4.9 Maintenance

All mechanical lifting and moving devices shall be inspected periodically and repaired as necessary
by the concern department. Under no circumstances shall defective equipment be used. All MMH
equipment shall list its rated load capacity, which shall not be exceeded. As a safety precaution,
check for faulty or defective parts before handling a load that is near the load capacity of the
equipment.

5. References

Refer to PDO Sp-1231.

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6. Appendix – Photos of Engineering Controls for Ergonomics

Floor crane Floor crane

Height adjustable Stacker Heavy vehicle Tyre change machine

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 Tyre trolley Tyre trolley

A-frame lifter Drum lifter using Forklift

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 Material loader for concrete mixing
Concrete blocks lifter

Loading material platform Gas cylinders – 3-wheels trolley

trolley

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 Trolley for toolboxes

Battery / heavy items handling trolley

Sleeper trolley

Height adjustable trolley

Pipe handling
trolley

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 Laptop stand, keyboard & mouse Welding machine & cylinder
trolley

Seating stool / chair for fabricators Vibrator trolley

Sheet Carry
handle

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