Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026

About this notice

Online CPD Academy trading as Manual Handling Training (“we”, “us”, “our”) values your privacy and takes its obligations under data protection law seriously. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use and protect your personal data, whether you are browsing our website or completing our online manual handling course through our learning platform.

Please read this notice carefully. By purchasing or using our course, you agree to the terms set out here and in our Terms & Conditions. We act as:

• Data controller — when handling the personal data of individual customers and learners.
• Data processor — when corporate clients provide us with learner information. Corporate customers should refer to the data processing section of our Terms.

We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 16 years old, nor do we process special category data unless identity verification is required. If you believe a child has provided us with their data, please contact us so that we can remove it.

Who we are

This website is operated by Online CPD Academy, trading as Manual Handling Training. We are the controller responsible for the personal data described in this notice. If you have any questions, wish to exercise your rights or want to make a data request, you can contact us at info@onlinecpdacademy.co.uk or by phone on 0808 164 2780.

What this notice covers

This notice explains how we collect and use your personal data when you:

• visit our website;
• purchase or access our online manual handling course;
• contact us by phone, email or social media;
• subscribe to marketing communications; or
• provide information during course enrolment or certification.

Our website may contain links to third-party sites. Please consult their privacy policies, as we are not responsible for how they handle your data.

What is personal data?

Personal data is any information that identifies you as an individual. This includes:

• obvious identifiers (for example name, address and phone number); and
• less obvious identifiers (for example IP address, cookie data and learning platform login information).

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law you have the right to:

• be informed about how your data is used;
• access the personal data we hold about you;
• have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected;
• request deletion of your data (the “right to be forgotten”);
• restrict or object to processing, including direct marketing;
• withdraw your consent at any time;
• request portability, to receive your data in a usable format; and
• lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@onlinecpdacademy.co.uk or write to our registered address. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you can complain to the ICO at ico.org.uk. We would ask that you contact us first so that we have the opportunity to put things right.

What data we collect & how

We collect only what is necessary to deliver our service effectively:

• Learners — name, email address, password, IP address, course progress, postal address and an optional phone number. Identity verification documents may be required for accredited certification.
• Buyers and administrators — name, email address, phone number, and order and payment information. Card details are processed securely by our third-party payment processor (Stripe) and are never stored by us.
• Marketing subscribers — name and email address, with a clear opt-in.
• Website visitors — usage data via cookies and analytics. See our Cookie Policy for details.
• Social media users — your username and any content you share with us for service-related interactions.

How we use your data

We only process your data where there is a lawful basis:

• Contractual necessity — to provide the course you have requested, manage your account and learning record, and issue your certificate.
• Legal obligation — for tax, invoicing and record-keeping.
• Consent — for newsletters and promotions, which you can opt out of at any time.
• Legitimate interests — to enhance our service, gather feedback and send course reminders, provided your rights do not override those interests.

Use of artificial intelligence (AI)

We do not use your personal data to train AI models. If we implement any automated or generative AI tools (for example to support customer service), we ensure they meet data protection standards and are approved for use only after assessment. No AI system will access or use your identifiable personal data without consent.

Data security measures

We maintain strong physical, digital and procedural safeguards, including:

• password-protected user accounts with minimum complexity standards;
• encrypted data transfers (SSL/TLS);
• role-based access to internal systems;
• secure storage and destruction protocols for paper records;
• firewall and malware protection with real-time alerts;
• ongoing staff training on data protection and confidentiality; and
• encrypted offsite backups with disaster recovery in place.

While no online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we keep our safeguards under regular review.

Who we share your data with

We share your personal data only where it is necessary, including with:

• trusted third-party service providers under contract (for example email platforms and learning platform software providers);
• our payment processor, Stripe, to take and process payments;
• accrediting organisations (for example RoSPA and CPD) for certificate validation;
• IT, hosting and infrastructure providers who support our systems; and
• legal, regulatory and law enforcement bodies where we are required to disclose information.

We do not sell your data. If personal data is transferred outside the UK, appropriate safeguards will be in place.

Social media interactions

Any personal data you share with us via social platforms (for example LinkedIn and Facebook) stays within those platforms unless you explicitly request contact outside of them. We may use tools such as the Meta Pixel or the LinkedIn Insight Tag to tailor our website experience and deliver relevant ads, governed by our Cookie Policy and your social media privacy settings.

Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary:

• Learner records — up to 20 years, so that certificates can be validated long after a course is completed.
• Marketing contacts — until you unsubscribe or ask us to stop contacting you.
• Call recordings — deleted automatically after 12 months.
• Backups — retained for up to 4 years, accessible only in emergencies.

Refunds and your data

Our manual handling course costs £14 per learner. Refunds are available before the course has been started; once you have begun the course, it is treated as used. Where you request a refund, we retain the limited order and payment records we are legally required to keep for accounting and tax purposes.

Accessing your data

You can request a copy of your personal data, or ask us to update or delete it, by emailing info@onlinecpdacademy.co.uk. We will respond within one month, although this may be extended by up to a further two months (three months in total) where a request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests.

Contact details

Data Protection Lead
Email: info@onlinecpdacademy.co.uk
Phone: 0808 164 2780

Updates to this notice

We may update this notice from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any changes will be published on this page and take effect immediately, so please check back periodically for the latest version.