Principles of Manual Handling is a stand-alone level 1 qualification, which complements the CIEH Basic Health and Safety programme. It is aimed at those who carry out manual handling activities at work and introduces students to the hazards of manual handling, the risks involved and controls available and what to expect from a manual handling assessment. Successful completion will prepare students to look carefully at their own work activities and contribute to the development of safer methods and tasks, in co-operation with their managers and supervisors.

The qualification is not intended to train students to carry out manual handling assessments nor to provide detailed training on handling techniques. While this unit of study can be delivered as a stand-alone qualification and there are no specific pre-requisites, it is strongly recommended that students should already hold the CIEH Basic Health and Safety Certificate.