NEBOSH National General Certificate Musculoskeletal and Equipment Hazards Syllabus

Musculoskeletal and Equipment Hazards syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Musculoskeletal and Equipment Hazards in NEBOSH National General Certificate, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Manual and Mechanical Handling

   3 topics

   • Manual Handling Injuries and Assessment
     • Types of musculoskeletal injury
     • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
     • The TILE/LITE assessment factors
   • Controlling Manual Handling Risk
     • Avoiding, assessing and reducing risk
     • Good handling technique and training
   • Mechanical Handling and Lifting Equipment
     • Cranes, hoists and lift trucks
     • Conveyors and their hazards
     • LOLER 2013 examination requirements
2. 2

   Display Screen Equipment and Ergonomics

   3 topics

   • Ergonomic Principles and Work-Related Upper Limb Disorders
   • DSE Workstation Risks
     • Posture, screen, keyboard and environment
     • DSE Regulations 1992 assessment
   • Controls for DSE Users
     • Workstation adjustment and breaks
     • Eye and eyesight tests
3. 3

   Work Equipment and Machinery

   4 topics

   • General Requirements for Work Equipment
     • PUWER 1998 duties
     • Suitability, maintenance and information
   • Mechanical and Non-Mechanical Hazards
     • Entanglement, crushing, shearing and cutting
     • Electrical, noise and temperature hazards
   • Machinery Guarding and Protection Devices
     • Fixed and interlocked guards
     • Trip devices and two-hand controls
     • Hierarchy of guarding measures
   • Hand-Held Tools
     • Hand tools and portable power tools
     • Inspection and maintenance

Musculoskeletal and Equipment Hazards flashcards for NEBOSH National General Certificate

23 of 50 cards from the Musculoskeletal and Equipment Hazards deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What does the acronym MSD stand for, and what does it describe?

   MSD = Musculoskeletal Disorder. It describes injury or damage affecting the body's movement or musculoskeletal system (muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, bones) — including back injuries and upper limb disorders, often caused or worsened by work.

2. Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR), what is the hierarchy of control an employer must follow?

   1) Avoid hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable; 2) Assess any hazardous handling that cannot be avoided; 3) Reduce the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable (ideally to the lowest level).

3. What is the legal definition of 'manual handling' under MHOR 1992?

   Any transporting or supporting of a load (including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving) by hand or by bodily force.

4. What four factors form the basis of a manual handling assessment? (Acronym)

   TILE (or LITE): Task, Individual, Load, Environment. (Some add 'O' for Other factors such as PPE.)

5. Under the 'Task' element of a manual handling assessment, list typical risk factors to consider.

   Holding loads away from the body; twisting, stooping or reaching upwards; large vertical movements; long carrying distances; strenuous pushing/pulling; repetitive handling; insufficient rest/recovery; a work rate imposed by a process.

6. Under the 'Individual' element of a manual handling assessment, list typical risk factors.

   Requires unusual capability; hazardous to those with a health problem or who are pregnant; calls for special information/training; age, body weight and physical capability; existing injury/disability.

7. Under the 'Load' element of a manual handling assessment, list typical risk factors.

   Too heavy, too bulky/large, difficult to grasp, unstable or unpredictable contents, sharp/hot/otherwise harmful (intrinsically dangerous).

8. Under the 'Environment' element of a manual handling assessment, list typical risk factors.

   Space constraints preventing good posture; uneven, slippery or unstable floors; variations in floor levels; extremes of temperature or humidity; poor lighting; strong air movements/ventilation.

9. Name the four main types of injury associated with manual handling.

   Muscular/ligament strains and sprains; back injuries (e.g. prolapsed/'slipped' disc); hernias; cuts, bruises, abrasions and crush injuries (to hands/feet); work-related upper limb disorders from repetitive handling.

10. Describe the correct kinetic (good) lifting technique for a manual handling task.

    Plan the lift; adopt a stable position with feet apart; bend the knees not the back; get a secure grip; keep the load close to the body (near the waist); keep the back's natural curve; lift smoothly using the leg muscles; avoid twisting — move the feet to turn; put down then adjust.

11. According to HSE guideline filter figures, what is the approximate maximum weight for a man and for a woman lifting at the ideal position (close to the body, around elbow height)?

    Approximately $25\ \text{kg}$ for a man and $16\ \text{kg}$ for a woman at the 'knuckle-to-elbow, close to body' zone. These are guideline filter values, not safe limits.

12. Why do HSE manual handling guideline weights reduce as the load is held further from the body or above shoulder/below knee height?

    Because the load on the spine increases as the lever arm (horizontal distance) grows and as posture becomes less favourable; the body's mechanical advantage falls, so the same weight imposes far higher forces on the lower back.

13. List the main categories of control measures for reducing manual handling risk (after avoidance is not possible).

    Task/process redesign; mechanical aids (trolleys, hoists, conveyors, sack trucks); reducing load weight/size or splitting loads; team handling; improving the environment (floors, lighting, space); training in technique; job rotation and rest breaks; good handholds/packaging.

14. What is the difference between manual handling and mechanical handling?

    Manual handling moves loads by hand or bodily force. Mechanical handling uses powered or mechanical equipment (forklifts, cranes, hoists, conveyors) to move loads, reducing direct human muscular effort.

15. Name the four main categories of mechanical handling equipment and give an example of each.

    Conveyors (belt, roller, screw); elevators/hoists (lifts, goods hoists); cranes & lifting devices (mobile, tower, gantry); industrial trucks (forklift trucks, pallet trucks, sack trucks).

16. List the principal hazards associated with conveyors.

    In-running nips/trap points at rollers and drive points; entanglement; being struck by falling materials; contact with moving parts; manual handling at loading/unloading points; noise.

17. What are the main hazards associated with fork-lift trucks (FLTs)?

    Overturning (instability); loss of load/falling loads; collision with people, structures or other vehicles; people being struck or crushed; falls of passengers; overloading; battery charging hazards (hydrogen, acid); poor maintenance; carbon monoxide from engine types.

18. Under LOLER 1998, what does the acronym SWL stand for, and what does it mean?

    SWL = Safe Working Load: the maximum load that lifting equipment is designed/certified to lift safely under specified conditions. It must not be exceeded and should be clearly marked on the equipment.

19. What is the difference between SWL and WLL for lifting equipment?

    WLL (Working Load Limit) is the maximum load a piece of equipment is designed to lift, set by the manufacturer. SWL (Safe Working Load) is the maximum load permitted in service, which may equal or be less than the WLL after assessment/derating for conditions.

20. Under LOLER 1998, how often must lifting equipment be thoroughly examined by a competent person?

    Lifting equipment for lifting persons or lifting accessories: at least every $6$ months. Other lifting equipment: at least every $12$ months. Or in accordance with an examination scheme; also after exceptional circumstances.

21. List the key principles required for safe lifting operations under LOLER 1998.

    Lifting operations must be: properly planned by a competent person; appropriately supervised; carried out in a safe manner. Equipment must be strong/stable, suitably marked with SWL, and thoroughly examined.

22. What is ergonomics, and what is its core aim?

    Ergonomics is the study of the interaction between people, their work/equipment and the environment ('fitting the task to the person'). Its aim is to design tasks, equipment and workplaces to match human capabilities and limitations, reducing ill-health, error and improving efficiency.

23. What does WRULD stand for, and what does it mean?

    WRULD = Work-Related Upper Limb Disorder: a group of conditions affecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves of the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists and hands, caused or aggravated by work activities. Often called RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury).

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