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Why this course matters

We are all exposed at times to some form of manual handling — lifting, carrying, pulling and pushing — often compounded by simultaneous movements such as climbing or pivoting. Personal injuries from incorrect manual handling account for over one million working days lost each year, alongside the pain and suffering experienced by those affected. Correct technique makes a huge difference.

The Health and Safety Executive requires employers to provide health & safety information and training — supplemented, where necessary, with more specific training on manual handling injury risks and prevention. This qualification helps you meet that duty.

Learning outcomes

1. 01Understand the reasons for safe manual handling
   • Outline the potential injuries and ill health associated with incorrect manual handling
   • Outline employer's and employee's duties relating to manual handling at work
   • Outline the consequences of non-compliance with health & safety requirements
2. 02Understand how risk assessments improve health & safety
   • Explain the terms 'hazard' and 'risk' in the context of manual handling work
   • Outline the process for carrying out a manual handling risk assessment
   • Describe the principle of the risk control hierarchy applied to manual handling
3. 03Understand the principles, equipment and testing requirements
   • Describe safe movement principles associated with manual handling
   • Outline the types of equipment designed for manual handling tasks
   • Outline the testing, servicing and examination requirements for handling and lifting equipment
4. 04Be able to apply safe manual handling principles
   • Move a load or object manually on their own, applying effort safely
   • Use manual handling aids and equipment correctly
   • Undertake a manual handling task safely as part of a team

How it's delivered

Classroom-based — 6 guided learning hours (7 hours total qualification time), delivered in 1 day or spread over a maximum of 3 weeks with each session at least two hours. Up to 16 learners per trainer.

Live virtual / distance learning — available by video conferencing, either as continuous-contact classroom delivery (6 hours) or a blend of self-study and webinars (3 contact hours), completed within 3 weeks. Up to 20 learners per trainer.

Assessment & certification

Assessment is ongoing throughout the day, with a written test and a practical demonstration of efficient and safe manual handling principles — learners must pass both. There is no grading: learners pass or are referred. Successful learners receive the nationally recognised FAA Level 2 Award (RQF) / SCQF Level 5 Award.

Who should attend

Anyone who carries out manual handling at work, and the managers responsible for them — across construction, logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, care, retail and office environments. Learners should be aged 14 or over; a minimum of Level 1 literacy is recommended. There are physical demands within the practical assessment.

Why this course matters

All aspects of health and safety are important to a business — whether you're an employee, contractor or supplier. This half-day course benefits both the learner and the organisation, ensuring the working environment is a safe and healthy one and helping employers meet their statutory duties.

It provides a basic knowledge and understanding of health and safety in the workplace under UK health & safety legislation, and forms an ideal part of an induction programme or a foundation for those wishing to progress to higher levels of training. Successful candidates are awarded a national Level 1 qualification (Level 4 in Scotland).

What's covered

• The importance of health, safety and welfare standards in the workplace
• How hazards and risks are controlled in the workplace
• The main causes and effects of poor health and safety at work
• How health and safety information is communicated in the workplace

Learning outcomes

1. 01Understand the importance of health, safety and welfare standards in the workplace
   • Outline why good health & safety standards matter to employees and the business
   • Identify the welfare standards expected in the workplace
2. 02Know how hazards and risks are controlled in the workplace
   • Identify common workplace hazards and risks
   • Outline how those hazards and risks are controlled
3. 03Be aware of the main causes and effects of poor health and safety at work
   • Outline the common causes of poor health and safety
   • Describe the effects of poor health and safety on people and the business
4. 04Understand how health and safety information is communicated in the workplace
   • Identify the ways health and safety information is shared at work
   • Recognise common safety signs and their meanings

How it's delivered

Classroom-based — a half-day course with no previous experience necessary. Up to 16 learners per trainer.

Live virtual / distance learning — available by video conferencing as a blend of self-study and webinars (2 guided learning hours, 5 hours total qualification time), guided by a qualified trainer/assessor with all distance-learning resources included.

Assessment & certification

Classroom delivery is assessed on an ongoing basis by the instructor, culminating in a multiple-choice question paper; distance learning is assessed by a professional discussion with the trainer/assessor (max 60 minutes), evidenced by a recorded video call. There is no grading: learners pass or are referred. Successful learners receive the nationally recognised FAA Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace (RQF) / SCQF Level 4 Award.

Who should attend

Any worker in any industry or sector — especially new employees as part of an induction, and those returning to work after a long absence who need their health & safety knowledge updated. Classroom learners should be aged 14 or over (18+ for distance learning); a minimum of Level 1 literacy is recommended. A learner cannot assume a health & safety responsibility in the workplace until age 16.

Why this course matters

All aspects of health and safety matter to a business — to its people and to its bottom line. This one-day course goes a step beyond awareness, giving learners a working understanding of the duties, risk assessments and controls that keep a workplace safe, and equipping those taking on a safety responsibility to do it well.

It helps employers meet their statutory duties under UK health & safety legislation while building a genuinely safer culture on the ground. The benefits are practical and measurable:

• Helps the business comply with the employer's statutory requirements
• Creates a safer, healthier working environment for everyone
• Reduces the risk of injury and the disruption that follows
• Delivers potential cost-savings for the business

What's covered

• The roles and responsibilities for health, safety and welfare in the workplace
• The value and process of risk assessments
• The identification and control of workplace hazards
• How to respond to workplace incidents and accidents

Learning outcomes

1. 01Understand roles and responsibilities for health, safety and welfare
   • Outline the duties placed on employers and employees under health & safety law
   • Describe how health & safety is enforced — including improvement notices and the HSE safety law poster
   • Identify the welfare facilities an employer is required to provide
2. 02Understand the value and process of risk assessment
   • Explain the terms 'hazard' and 'risk' in a workplace context
   • Outline the purpose and the steps of carrying out a risk assessment
   • Describe control measures and the hierarchy of control used to reduce risk
3. 03Understand the identification and control of workplace hazards
   • Identify common hazards — slips, trips and falls, fire, manual handling, hazardous substances and electricity
   • Describe engineering controls, safe systems of work and the correct use of PPE
   • Recognise safety signs and how health & safety information is communicated at work
4. 04Know how to respond to workplace incidents and accidents
   • Outline the actions to take following a workplace accident
   • Explain why incidents and accidents must be recorded and reported
   • Describe how effective reporting helps prevent the same thing happening again

How it's delivered

Classroom-based — a one-day course covering a broad range of subjects. Depending on the learner's prior experience there may be some pre-course or post-course reading. Up to 16 learners per trainer.

Live virtual / distance learning — also available by video conferencing, guided throughout by a qualified trainer/assessor with all learning resources included.

Assessment & certification

Assessment is ongoing throughout the day by the instructor, culminating in a multiple-choice question paper. Learners have a maximum of 30 minutes and must score at least 14 out of 20 to pass. There is no grading: learners pass or are referred. Successful learners receive the nationally recognised FAA Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace (RQF) / SCQF Level 5 Award.

Who should attend

All employees in any industry or sector, and particularly anyone accepting a health & safety role such as a safety representative. It is also an ideal next step for those who have completed Level 1 and want to progress to higher-level training or career development. Learners must be a minimum of 16 years of age; a minimum of Level 1 literacy is recommended.

Why this course matters

Ensuring health and safety in the workplace is vital for every business — it safeguards employees and the public while reducing the risk of costly legal issues and reputational damage in the event of incidents. This qualification gives learners a thorough understanding of health & safety principles and the effective management strategies that put them into practice.

For the organisation, the benefits are clear:

• Ensures compliance with the employer's statutory obligations
• Promotes a safer and more secure working environment
• Helps minimise the risk of workplace injuries and illnesses
• Contributes to potential cost savings for the organisation

What's covered

• Legislation and the legal framework for health & safety
• The costs of poor health and safety
• Enforcement agencies and their role
• Health, safety and welfare provisions
• Communicating health and safety
• Managing health and safety & safety management systems
• Workplace hazards and their control
• Risk assessments
• Reporting and investigating accidents
• Mental health in the workplace
• Manual handling, fire safety and hazardous substances
• Electrical safety and the safe use of work equipment

Learning outcomes

1. 01Understand the requirements for health, safety and welfare in the workplace
   • Outline the main legal framework and laws relating to health & safety at work
   • Outline the employer's welfare provisions and the ways health & safety information is communicated
   • Define 'incident', 'accident' and 'occupational ill health', and describe the main causes of injury and ill health at work
2. 02Understand the benefits of using a safety management system
   • Outline the costs associated with accidents and ill health
   • Summarise the typical elements of a safety management system
   • Outline the benefits of using a safety management system
3. 03Understand the principles of risk assessment
   • Outline the benefits of assessing and controlling risks at work
   • Describe the different types of risk assessment and where specific assessments may be required
   • State the steps to be taken to complete a simple risk assessment
4. 04Understand the risks and control methods for common workplace hazards
   • Explain how the risks from hazards are affected by occupational, environmental, human and organisational factors
   • Explain how injury, ill health and other damage may result from exposure to common workplace hazards
   • Identify suitable risk control measures using the hierarchy of control
5. 05Understand how to manage the effects of accidents and incidents
   • Describe the actions to take following an accident or incident in the workplace
   • Describe how simple accident-investigation techniques reveal immediate and root causes

How it's delivered

Classroom-based — a minimum of 18 guided learning hours (25 hours total qualification time), delivered over a minimum of three days or spread across a maximum of 10 weeks, with each session at least two hours. Depending on the learner's experience there may be some pre-course or post-course reading. Up to 16 learners per trainer.

Assessment & certification

Assessment is ongoing throughout the course by the instructor, culminating in a written question paper. There is no grading: learners pass or are referred. Successful learners receive the nationally recognised FAA Level 3 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace (RQF) — a qualification that does not expire, though annual refresher training and ongoing CPD are strongly recommended.

Who should attend

Supervisors, managers and anyone preparing to take on a health & safety role, as well as anyone wanting to advance their health & safety knowledge. It is relevant to every employment sector. Learners must be a minimum of 16 years of age; a minimum of Level 1 literacy is recommended.