Carrying Loads Toolbox Talk: Carrying Safely Over Distance

A lift takes a second. A carry can last a minute, through doors, round corners and down steps, with your view half-blocked by the box in your arms. This carrying loads toolbox talk is for anyone who moves items on foot, from stores and kitchens to sites and delivery rounds. The crew will leave knowing when to stop carrying and start wheeling, and how to keep the route safe.

Why does carrying safely matter?

Carrying combines two risks: strain from holding a load over time, and slips or trips from walking while you can't see your feet. HSE's manual handling brief guide lists long carrying distances as a task risk and "reduce carrying distances" as a control. It also lists loads too large to see over and obstructed or slippery floors.

HSE's carrying guideline only applies when the load:

• is held against the body,
• is carried no further than about 10 m without resting,
• doesn't stop the person walking normally,
• doesn't block their view,
• doesn't need the hands below knuckle height or much above elbow height.

Outside these conditions, more assessment is needed. CCOHS recommends shortening carrying distances, storing materials close to where they're needed and using conveyors or rollers to link areas. For short moves, it suggests carts, dollies, hand trucks and trolleys, and powered carts for stairs.

Talking points for your carrying loads toolbox talk

• Wheel it if it's far. If the carry is more than a short walk, or you'll make several trips, get a trolley, sack truck or cart. Your arms and back shouldn't be the transport system.
• See where you're going. If the load blocks your view of the floor ahead, it's too big to carry that way. Split it, get a partner or use wheels.
• Clear the route first. Look for boxes, cables, wet floors, uneven ground and closed doors. Prop doors open only where it's safe and allowed, and never fire doors.
• Keep it close and balanced. Hold the load against your body with both hands. CCOHS advises against carrying loads with only one hand.
• Split heavy loads. Two lighter trips are safer than one heavy one. Ask suppliers for smaller packs if a load is always too heavy.
• Stairs and slopes need extra care. Keep one hand free for the rail if possible, take it slow and use a lift or powered stair climber for anything heavy or bulky.
• Rest before you have to. Put the load down on a bench or shelf partway if the carry is long. Don't push on until your grip fails.

Example to share with the crew

For example, imagine a kitchen porter who carries crates of vegetables from the delivery door to the cold room. It's 30 m away, round two corners and through a swing door. Stacking two crates saves a trip, but now he can't see the floor. One morning a dropped lettuce leaf near the door is enough to make him slip.

A flat-bed trolley parked at the delivery door would have made the trip quicker and safer. One crate at a time would have been better than two stacked high.

Carrying safely checklist

• Long or frequent carries have been identified and given a trolley or cart
• Loads carried by hand don't block the carrier's view
• Carry routes are clear, dry, well lit and free of trip hazards
• Doors on carry routes can be opened safely without putting the load down awkwardly
• Heavy loads are split or shared rather than carried in one go
• Loads on stairs are minimised, with handrails usable or a lift available
• Rest points such as benches or shelves exist on long routes

Questions to ask the crew

1. Which carry route on site is longest or most awkward?
2. Where do you end up carrying something you can't see over?
3. Which carry could we replace with a trolley, a shorter route or storage closer to where it's used?

For more on reducing carry distance, see the warehouse ergonomics guide. The sibling talk on pushing and pulling carts covers using wheels well.

How to close the talk

The one-line summary of today's carrying loads toolbox talk: if it's far, heavy or blocks your view, don't carry it by hand. Wheel it, split it or share it. Report blocked routes, missing trolleys or awkward carries to your supervisor or through the site's hazard report. There are more safety topics for toolbox talks in the library.