Topic 4 of AVELING's Manual Handling Course. By the end of this topic, learners will be able to: Assess a load and identify potential hazards involved in moving it (is it a solid, liquid, gas. Dangerous material? Does the MSDS have to be consulted? Size, shape, difficulty to grab, unstable/unwieldy); Describe different ways in which a load can be moved and recognise their level of risk (i.e. use of mechanical aids most preferred, moving a load alone is usually riskiest) ; Plan the route that they'll take when moving a load and identify/remove potential hazards.