Home › In-Company Courses › NEBOSH HSE Manual Handling (MHR)
NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment
Practical expertise. Real impact.
A focused, one-day qualification built by NEBOSH and the HSE to help your team spot, assess and control manual handling risk, the single biggest cause of workplace musculoskeletal injury.
In short: the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment is a one-day qualification developed jointly by NEBOSH and the HSE, based on published HSE guidance. It teaches you to identify manual handling hazards and assess them properly using HSE's own MAC and RAPP tools. The assessment is practical, you review a filmed manual handling activity and produce an assessment against real HSE templates, marked as a straight pass or refer.
Practical expertise. Measurable impact.
Built for anyone who needs this on their team
No formal entry requirements. NEBOSH recommends a good working standard of English, roughly IELTS 5.0 or equivalent, since the assessment involves written analysis.
You'll fit right in if you're a…
- Manager or supervisor overseeing manual handling tasks
- Health & safety advisor or professional needing a focused, practical tool
- Employee or union safety representative
- Anyone responsible for assessing or reducing manual handling risk
- Someone building on a broader qualification like IOSH Managing Safely or the NEBOSH NGC
You'll walk away able to…
- Explain why manual handling risk should be avoided or reduced wherever possible
- Identify the key risk factors in a manual handling task
- Apply HSE's MAC and RAPP tools to assess real handling activities
- Judge what makes a manual handling risk assessment suitable and sufficient
- Prioritise practical controls that actually protect your team
What training actually looks like
Swipe or scroll — this is real Safety Nation training, not stock photography.
What you'll learn — tap to open a section
One unit, MHR1: Assessing Manual Handling Risk, built entirely around HSE's own tools and guidance.
What the course coversCore content+
- Why manual handling risk should be avoided or reduced - the moral, legal and financial reasons
- The most common types of manual handling injury, including musculoskeletal disorders
- How to identify the key risk factors in a manual handling task
- How to apply HSE's MAC (Manual handling Assessment Charts) and RAPP (Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling) tools
- What makes a manual handling risk assessment suitable and sufficient
- How to prioritise practical controls that actually reduce risk
How it's assessedPractical+
You'll watch a video of a real manual handling activity and be asked to assess it using HSE's own assessment tools and templates. The assessment is marked as a straight pass or refer - there's no tiered grading. NEBOSH recommends around 1 hour for the assessment itself.
Course length & study time+
- Delivered as a single day face-to-face, or two part-days live online
- NEBOSH recommends a minimum of 6 hours' study, plus around 1 hour for the assessment
- No pre-course study required - everything is covered on the day
Where this fits in your training+
This is a focused, single-hazard award rather than a broad management qualification - it complements courses like IOSH Managing Safely or the NEBOSH National General Certificate rather than replacing them. It also pairs naturally with the NEBOSH RAW course if you want broader in-house risk assessment capability.
Delivered where your team is
This course is delivered exclusively face-to-face at your site (B2B) or live online to your team — we don't run a public open-enrolment version. This course works especially well as face-to-face training at your site for a whole team, since manual handling risks are usually specific to your own sites and tasks.
Face-to-Face (B2B, at your site)
Virtual (live online)
Prices above are suggested starting points based on current UK market rates for this course, not yet confirmed by Safety Nation — see this file's header comment for the benchmarking behind them.
Taught by Tom Kappler
After 12 years as an Army Officer, Tom moved into health and safety training and has spent the past decade helping organisations of every size keep their people safe. Expect real workplace examples and genuine discussion — not a day of reading slides aloud.
Based in East Anglia, training companies across the UK and overseas — in person and online.
More about Safety Nation"Tom is an articulate individual with a deep passion for safety... his responses were thorough and thoughtful, and I deeply respect the time and effort he invested in our interactions."
— Daniel Johnston, Safety Nation delegateNEBOSH Manual Handling vs. the alternatives
NEBOSH HSE Manual Handling (MHR)
Focused, one-day award built entirely around HSE's own MAC and RAPP assessment tools.
NEBOSH HSE Managing Risks (RAW)
Same format, but covers general workplace risk assessment rather than manual handling specifically.
IOSH Managing Safely
General risk management for managers and supervisors. ~3 days.
NEBOSH National General Certificate
Level 3 (RQF) general qualification for a dedicated H&S role. ~10 days.
Not sure which is right for your team? Ask Tom directly — he'll point you at the right course, not the most expensive one.
Everything people ask us about this course
Covering the course itself, delivery to your team, and the qualification once you've got it.
What is the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment?+
A one-day qualification developed jointly by NEBOSH and the HSE, based on published HSE guidance, teaching you to identify and assess manual handling risk and prioritise the right controls to protect workers.
Do I need any experience or qualifications to start?+
No, there are no formal entry requirements. NEBOSH recommends a good working standard of English, roughly IELTS 5.0 or equivalent, since the assessment involves written analysis.
What does MHR stand for?+
MHR is short for the course's single assessed unit, formally MHR1: Assessing Manual Handling Risk.
What level is this qualification?+
It's rated RQF Level 2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (SCQF Level 5 in Scotland), the same introductory level as the NEBOSH RAW course.
What are the MAC and RAPP tools?+
They're HSE's own assessment tools. MAC (Manual handling Assessment Charts) covers lifting, lowering, carrying and team handling, while RAPP (Risk Assessment of Pushing and Pulling) covers pushing and pulling tasks. This course teaches you to apply both properly.
How long does the course take?+
It's a one-day qualification, delivered as a single day face-to-face or two part-days live online, with a recommended minimum of 6 hours' study plus around 1 hour for the assessment.
How is it assessed?+
Practically. You'll watch a video of a manual handling activity and assess it using HSE's tools and templates. It's marked as a straight pass or refer, there's no distinction or credit grading.
What happens if I don't pass?+
You'll be marked as referred rather than fail, and can resit the assessment, we'll talk you through what to focus on before you try again.
Who should attend this course?+
Managers, supervisors, health and safety advisors, employee representatives, and anyone responsible for assessing or reducing manual handling risk in their organisation.
Does the certificate expire?+
NEBOSH doesn't set a formal expiry date, but because it's based on current HSE guidance and tools, it's good practice to refresh your knowledge periodically, especially if your tasks or equipment change significantly.
What's the difference between this and the NEBOSH RAW course?+
Both are the same format and level, developed with HSE. This course focuses specifically on manual handling risk using the MAC and RAPP tools; RAW covers workplace risk assessment more generally.
What's the difference between this and IOSH Managing Safely?+
This course is a focused, single-hazard award purely about manual handling risk. IOSH Managing Safely is a broader, longer course (around 3 days) covering general risk management for managers across all hazard types.
What's the difference between this and the NEBOSH National General Certificate?+
The NEBOSH National General Certificate is a full Level 3 (RQF) generalist qualification covering the whole breadth of workplace health and safety over around 10 days. This course is a one-day, single-topic award purely on manual handling.
Do you deliver this course as an open, individual booking?+
No, we deliver this exclusively face-to-face at your site (B2B) or live online direct to your team. It's not run as a public classroom course with individual seats.
Is the certificate the same whether delivered face-to-face or virtually?+
Yes, it's exactly the same NEBOSH-issued certificate either way.
How much does it cost?+
See the pricing above, get in touch to confirm a quote for your team size and preferred format.
Can I book this for a whole team at once?+
Yes, and it's often the best way to take it, manual handling risks are usually specific to your own sites and tasks, so face-to-face delivery at your site lets us tailor examples to your actual workplace.
Is manual handling training a legal requirement?+
UK law requires employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, and to assess and reduce the risk where it can't be avoided. This course gives your team a recognised, HSE-aligned way to meet that responsibility properly.
Ready to book for your team, or still have questions?
Speak to Tom directly — no call centre, no script. We'll help you pick the right format and dates.