Think lifting a box is as simple as bending your knees and picking it up? Not quite. A load that’s heavy, awkwardly shaped or difficult to grip can turn a routine task into a manual handling risk, especially when it’s repeated throughout the day.
A safe lifting technique training video can make these decisions easier to understand by showing employees what to check before lifting, how to handle different types of loads and when to get help or use mechanical equipment.
This guide covers the key elements of an effective safe lifting training video, from assessing the task and choosing the right approach to demonstrating safe movement and recognising when conditions require a different solution. Read more to see how these elements can be brought together in a workplace training video.
What Should a Safe Lifting Technique Training Video Cover?
A clear manual handling video should take employees through the task in a logical order, from assessing the load and deciding whether manual lifting is appropriate to controlling the movement and knowing when to stop.
A typical sequence may include:
- Assess the load and surrounding area.
- Decide whether you should lift it manually.
- Plan where the load needs to go.
- Position yourself securely.
- Establish a firm grip.
- Keep the load close where practical.
- Lift with controlled movement.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting.
- Place the load down with control.
- Stop and reassess if conditions change.
The exact method should always reflect your organisation’s risk assessment, equipment and safe work procedures. There is no single lifting technique that is appropriate for every task or workplace.
Step 1: Assess the Task Before the Lift
A strong training video should begin before the employee picks anything up.
Show the worker assessing factors such as:
- The approximate weight and stability of the load
- Its size, shape and available grip
- Where it needs to be moved
- Obstacles along the route
- Floor or ground conditions
- The height at which the load starts and finishes
This is an important distinction. Safe manual handling is not simply about body position. Employees first need to decide whether a manual lift is appropriate at all.
Your video can make this assessment visible by having the worker pause, inspect the object and check the route before taking action.
Step 2: Decide Whether Manual Lifting Is Appropriate
Some loads should not be lifted manually just because an employee is physically capable of moving them. Where practical, the safer approach may involve changing the task or using suitable equipment.
Depending on the workplace, this could include:
- Trolleys
- Hoists
- Pallet jacks
- Lift tables
- Other mechanical aids
- Assistance from another person where your procedure allows it
Avoid presenting a universal ‘safe weight’ that employees can lift. Manual handling risk depends on several factors, not weight alone.
A useful video can show one task completed manually and another where the employee correctly decides to use an available aid.
Step 3: Plan the Route and Destination
Employees should know where the load is going before they lift it.
Imagine someone picks up a large carton, walks several metres and only then discovers that another object blocks the destination. They may have to hold the load for longer, change direction suddenly or place it somewhere unsuitable.
Your training video should demonstrate a quick route check.
The employee can:
- Confirm the destination.
- Remove obvious obstacles where appropriate.
- Check that there is enough room to move.
- Make sure the destination is ready to receive the load.
This simple sequence reinforces that preparation is part of the task, not an optional extra.
Step 4: Establish a Stable Position
Once the employee has determined that the task can be completed manually under the relevant procedure, show how they position themselves for the lift.
The exact stance will depend on the object and environment, so avoid presenting a rigid pose that supposedly applies everywhere.
Instead, demonstrate principles such as:
- Maintain stable footing.
- Position yourself close enough to control the load.
- Avoid unnecessary reaching.
- Make sure you can move without losing balance.
This section benefits from more than one camera angle. A wide shot can show overall body position, while a closer view can highlight foot placement.
Step 5: Get a Secure Grip
A poor grip can make a manageable object harder to control. Show employees where and how to establish a secure hold before they begin the lift. If the load has handles or designated grip points, these should appear clearly on screen.
Your video should also demonstrate what to do if an object is unstable, slippery, damaged or difficult to grasp. The correct response may be to stop and reconsider the task rather than improvise a risky grip.
This is where workplace-specific production adds value. Employees see the cartons, tools, containers or materials they actually handle rather than an unrelated generic prop.
Step 6: Keep the Load Close Where Practical
Holding a load away from the body can increase the physical demands of the task. Where the task and load allow, demonstrate how the employee keeps the object close and maintains control during the lift and movement.
A side-by-side visual can work well here. One example might show an awkward reach, followed by the preferred approach under your organisation’s procedure.
The comparison should remain instructional rather than dramatic. The objective is to make the difference easy to see.
Step 7: Use a Smooth, Controlled Lift
The lifting sequence itself should be shown clearly and at a pace employees can follow.
Rather than using broad instructions such as ‘lift with your legs’, demonstrate a stable, controlled movement that reflects the task and your approved manual handling guidance.
The video should discourage sudden jerking or rushed movements.
For more complex tasks, consider:
- A normal-speed demonstration
- A second angle for important details
- Brief on-screen prompts for key actions
Employees should be able to see the complete movement, not just hear a narrator describe it.
Step 8: Avoid Twisting Under Load
Changing direction while carrying an object is another point worth demonstrating carefully. Instead of twisting the torso while the feet remain fixed, show the approved way to reposition the body and feet so the employee can change direction with greater control.
For example, the video could show an employee moving a carton from a storage area to a nearby bench. The sequence can show:
- Secure control of the load.
- A deliberate change of direction.
- Clear foot movement.
- Continued awareness of the route.
This gives employees a recognisable example rather than an isolated instruction.
Step 9: Place the Load Down Carefully
Manual handling training should not stop once the employee reaches the destination. Show how the load is placed down with control and how the employee avoids awkward reaches or trapped fingers where those risks are relevant to the task.
The destination height also matters. A load placed on a bench presents a different task from one positioned near floor level or onto shelving.
If employees regularly work across several heights, your video can demonstrate each relevant situation separately rather than implying that one movement suits all of them.
Step 10: Know When to Stop and Reassess
One of the most useful lessons in a lifting video is that employees can stop when the task no longer feels manageable or conditions have changed.
For example:
- The load is heavier than expected.
- The contents shift.
- The route becomes obstructed.
- The employee cannot maintain control.
- Suitable equipment is required.
Training should reinforce that completing the task quickly is not more important than following the workplace’s safe procedure.
Knowing when to stop also reinforces an important part of manual handling risk management: employees should respond to changing conditions rather than simply continue with the original plan.
How to Make the Training Relevant to the Workplace
Generic demonstrations can explain basic principles, but workplace-specific footage makes the content easier to apply.
Before production, identify the manual tasks that matter most to your workforce. A warehouse employee moving cartons, a technician handling equipment and a hospitality worker moving supplies may face very different conditions.
The relevant WHS personnel or subject matter experts should also be involved when scripts and demonstrations are prepared. They can help confirm that the methods shown align with your risk assessments and current procedures before filming begins.
This helps ensure the training reflects the equipment, loads, workspaces and procedures employees actually encounter.
A safe lifting technique training video should also stay focused on what employees need to recognise and do rather than becoming a long lecture about anatomy or manual handling theory, unless that information is genuinely required.
Keep the focus on key decisions:
- Assess the task.
- Plan the movement.
- Choose the appropriate method.
- Control the load.
- Stop when conditions are unsuitable.
For workplaces with several manual handling tasks, separate short modules may also be more useful than one video that attempts to cover every possible scenario. Short, task-specific videos can give employees guidance that is easier to connect with the work they perform while allowing different manual handling risks to be addressed separately.
Final Thoughts
A useful safe lifting technique training video starts well before the actual lift. Employees need to understand how to assess the task, decide whether manual handling is appropriate, plan the route and recognise when equipment or assistance is required.
From there, clear demonstrations can show stable positioning, secure grip, controlled movement, sensible load placement and how to respond when circumstances change.
Most importantly, the content should reflect your actual workplace and approved manual handling procedures. There is no single lifting technique that removes risk from every task, so effective training needs to combine practical technique with good judgement and appropriate risk controls.
Need a Safe Lifting Training Video for Your Workplace?
At Channel 1 Creative Media, we help Australian organisations turn workplace procedures into clear, professional training videos. We can work with your WHS team and subject matter experts to develop the script, demonstrate relevant manual handling tasks and film content within your actual work environment.
Call us on 0387430488 or visit our Contact Us page to discuss your training video project. We can help you create practical visual training that reflects the loads, equipment and procedures your employees encounter at work.