How to prevent injury from manual tasks
Employers should undertake a risk management process in order to prevent or minimise the risk of injuries caused by manual tasks.
The process involves conducting a risk assessment on manual tasks carried out in the workplace, working out how to address any problems, choosing and implementing appropriate solutions, and following up to check that the solutions work.
The following is a systems approach to managing the risks associated with manual handling:
Develop a risk management strategy
- Know your legal obligations by reading the Manual Tasks Advisory Standard 2000 (now known as a Code of Practice).
- Decide what measures will ensure that everyone in the workplace fulfils their legal obligations.
- Make someone responsible for implementing the control measures.
- Monitor the measures to determine if the problem has been solved.
- Make a record of assessments and solutions.
Design and purchase
- Design workplaces and workstations to ensure safe, efficient movement and to promote correct postures.
- Ensure that work processes and work items (such as tools and equipment) do not pose risks to workers.
- Specify to suppliers that equipment, products, packaging and delivery methods must reduce the risk of injury to workers.
- Brief designers and engineers involved in tasks and equipment about reducing or eliminating risks.
- Purchase mechanical devices to reduce the need for manual tasks.
Consult
- Consult with workers and workplace health and safety representatives:
- about the risk management strategy
- when purchasing new equipment or products
- when identifying tasks for assessment
- when evaluating control measures
- when checking that planned actions have occurred.
Train
- Train workers in manual tasks in relation to the tasks that they are required to do.
- Train workers in the safe use of tools/equipment.
- Train workers responsible for risk assessment and implementing risk controls.
- Train managers and supervisors in competencies relating to manual tasks.
More on Training for manual handling
Protect contractors
- Inform contractors of manual tasks requirements and check they have conducted risk assessments before carrying out tasks at your site.
- Check that contractors' work does not increase the risks associated with tasks conducted by your workers (or vice versa).
Identify problems
- Look for problems when you introduce workplace changes or new machines.
- Critically examine tasks if there are indications there may be a problem (for example, workers complain of discomfort).
- Investigate and analyse the factors contributing to manual tasks incidents or near misses - check for patterns such as repeated injuries with one task.
Assess problems
- Examine the task during normal work conditions.
- Consider seasonal variations and peak work periods.
- Talk to workers doing the task.
- Use checklists to analyse risk factors.
- Consider risk factors such as forceful exertions, awkward postures, repetition and vibration and decide which require solutions.
- Decide which tasks need the most urgent attention.
Control the risks
- Decide what changes can be made to reduce the risks of injury. If possible, select permanent changes (such as workplace layout, tools and equipment).
- Avoid double handling of items.
- Provide mechanical aids.
- Redesign the task (such as rotating workers and reducing shifts).
- Identify changes that are possible immediately, and those that may take time to implement.
- Document your risk control decisions for each task assessed, and set timelines for changes.
- Trial the changes in consultation with workers before making them permanent.
- Provide training if new equipment is introduced.
Check effectiveness
- Investigate if risks have been reduced - do workers have fewer complaints of discomfort?
- Monitor worker feedback to see if other risks have arisen.
Review
- Check that the various control measures have been put in place at the agreed times.
- Review incident reports.
- Consult with workers and workplace health and safety representatives.
- Decide what can be changed or added to make manual tasks less risky.
Keep records
- Keep records of specifications of plant and work processes, incident reports and action taken, maintenance records for equipment and tools, and employee training.
More information on preventing injury from manual tasks is provided in the Manual Tasks Advisory Standard 2000 (now known as a Code of Practice).
More information on preventing injury from people handling is provided in the Manual Tasks Involving the Handling of People Code of Practice 2001 .
Other languages