Manual Handling for Cleaners — Module 2: Risk Assessment & the TILE Framework

Manual Handling for Cleaners

Module 2: Risk Assessment & the TILE Framework

How to identify, assess, and reduce manual handling risks in cleaning environments using the HSE’s TILE framework.

What you’ll learn in this module

  • When a manual handling risk assessment is legally required
  • The four elements of the TILE framework: Task, Individual, Load, Environment
  • How to apply TILE to real cleaning tasks
  • How to record and review a manual handling risk assessment
  • The numerical guidelines for lifting and lowering
  • How to identify and implement risk reduction measures

When Is a Risk Assessment Required?

Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, employers must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of any manual handling operation that cannot be avoided and that involves a risk of injury. In practice, this means assessing any task where:

  • Loads are heavy, bulky, or difficult to grip
  • Tasks are repetitive or prolonged
  • The working environment is confined, uneven, or poorly lit
  • The individual carrying out the task has a known health condition or physical limitation
  • There is a history of injury associated with the task
Practical guidance: The HSE does not set a specific weight limit above which a risk assessment is automatically required. Instead, it provides numerical guidelines as a starting point — covered later in this module. The key question is always: does this task involve a risk of injury?

The TILE Framework

The HSE’s TILE framework provides a structured approach to assessing manual handling risk. TILE stands for Task, Individual, Load, and Environment. Each element must be considered when assessing any manual handling operation.

T — Task

What does the task require the person to do? Consider:

  • Does the task involve holding the load away from the body?
  • Does it involve twisting, stooping, or reaching upwards?
  • Does it involve large vertical movement of the load?
  • Does it involve long carrying distances?
  • Is the task repetitive or sustained over a long period?
  • Does it involve pushing or pulling rather than lifting?

Cleaning examples: Carrying a full mop bucket across a large floor area; repeatedly lifting a vacuum cleaner up and down stairs; pushing a heavy trolley along a corridor.

I — Individual

Who is carrying out the task? Consider:

  • Does the task require unusual strength or height?
  • Does the individual have a known health condition or injury that affects their ability to handle loads safely?
  • Is the individual pregnant?
  • Is the individual new to the job, young, or inexperienced?
  • Has the individual received adequate training for this task?

Cleaning examples: A cleaner returning from a back injury being assigned to move heavy equipment; a new starter unfamiliar with correct lifting technique; a pregnant employee being asked to carry laundry bags.

L — Load

What is being handled? Consider:

  • Is the load heavy?
  • Is it bulky, unwieldy, or difficult to grip?
  • Is it unstable or likely to shift during handling?
  • Is it sharp, hot, or otherwise hazardous to handle?
  • Is the weight clearly marked or known?

Cleaning examples: A 25-litre drum of cleaning chemical; a commercial vacuum cleaner with no carrying handle; a wet mop head that is heavier than expected; a box of consumables with no weight marking.

E — Environment

What are the conditions in which the task takes place? Consider:

  • Are there space constraints that prevent good posture?
  • Are floors uneven, slippery, or sloped?
  • Are there steps or changes in level?
  • Is lighting adequate?
  • Is the temperature extreme — very hot or very cold?
  • Is there adequate ventilation?

Cleaning examples: Carrying equipment up a narrow staircase; working in a cramped utility room; moving furniture on a wet floor; cleaning in a cold storage area where grip and dexterity are reduced.

Remember: TILE is not a checklist to be completed and filed away. It is a thinking tool. The goal is to identify which factors are increasing the risk of injury — and then take action to reduce them.

HSE Numerical Guidelines for Lifting & Lowering

The HSE publishes numerical guidelines for lifting and lowering to help identify when a more detailed risk assessment is needed. These are not legal weight limits — they are guideline figures that indicate when the risk of injury is likely to be significant for most people under ideal conditions.

The guidelines vary depending on where in the body’s range of movement the lift takes place:

Lift Zone Guideline Weight (Men) Guideline Weight (Women)
Shoulder height 10 kg 7 kg
Elbow height (optimal zone) 25 kg 16 kg
Knuckle height 20 kg 13 kg
Mid-lower leg height 10 kg 7 kg
Important: These figures assume ideal conditions — a stable load, good grip, upright posture, and infrequent lifting. If the task involves twisting, reaching, repetition, or any of the TILE risk factors identified above, the guideline weights should be reduced significantly. If loads exceed these guidelines, a full risk assessment is required.

For pushing and pulling tasks, the HSE guideline is that the initial force to move a load should not exceed 20 kg for men and 15 kg for women, with sustained force not exceeding 10 kg for men and 7 kg for women. Again, these are guidelines, not limits.

Reducing Manual Handling Risk

Once risks have been identified using TILE, the next step is to reduce them. Risk reduction measures should be considered in order of effectiveness:

Risk Factor Possible Risk Reduction Measures
Heavy or bulky load Split the load into smaller quantities; use a trolley or sack truck; use mechanical lifting aids; ensure loads are clearly weight-marked.
Repetitive task Rotate tasks between workers; introduce rest breaks; redesign the task to reduce repetition; use equipment to reduce effort (e.g. self-wringing mop).
Awkward posture Adjust working height where possible; use long-handled tools to avoid bending; reorganise storage to avoid overhead or floor-level reaching.
Poor environment Improve lighting; clear obstructions; use non-slip matting; ensure adequate space for the task; plan routes before carrying loads.
Individual factors Provide task-specific training; adjust duties for workers with health conditions or pregnancy; ensure new starters are supervised until competent.

Recording and Reviewing the Assessment

If you employ five or more people, you are legally required to record the significant findings of your manual handling risk assessment in writing. Regardless of the size of your business, a written record is strongly recommended as evidence of compliance.

A manual handling risk assessment record should include:

  • A description of the manual handling operation being assessed
  • The TILE factors identified as presenting a risk
  • The risk reduction measures put in place
  • The name of the person who carried out the assessment and the date
  • The date for review

Assessments must be reviewed when there is reason to believe they are no longer valid — for example, when a new task is introduced, when equipment changes, when a worker’s health status changes, or following an injury or near-miss.

Free resource: The HSE provides a free manual handling assessment chart (MAC tool) at hse.gov.uk/msd/mac — a practical tool for assessing lifting, carrying, and team handling tasks.

Course Progress

Module 2 of 4 — Risk Assessment & the TILE Framework

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Version 1.0 — Reviewed April 2026

Disclaimer: This module is part of an awareness-level training programme. It does not constitute a formally accredited qualification and should not replace employer-led risk assessments or site-specific training. Content is based on the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and HSE guidance. Learners are responsible for verifying current legislation applicable to their workplace. Read our full Course Terms & Conditions.