How does one avoid damaging the top bricks when leaning down into a kiln to load it?

Trace the top rim of your kiln onto newspaper or cardboard. Use this template to make a plywood loading support. The plywood should be about 2 feet long and fit over the top rim of your kiln's firing chamber. Lean over the plywood during loading and unloading. This will transfer the weight over a wide area and reduce brick damage.