Manual Handling – Managing the
Risks.
Manual handling injuries have the greatest cost impact on workers
compensation in the meat industry. Employers and employees need to
rethink how work is done if we are to reduce costs and premiums.
Manual Handling – the definition
Many AMIC members and the community at large associate manual handling
with the lifting of an item. The definition of manual handling covers a wider
range of activities than lifting. Manual handling includes such activities as:
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Lifting
Pushing
Holding
Throwing
Carrying
The types of tasks that can incorporate manual handling includes:
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Using hand tools, such as knives
Using machinery, such as a bandsaw
Repetitive tasks, such as packing and wrapping
Cleaning
Loading and unloading of vehicles
Most jobs within the meat industry involve some form of manual handling
activity.
The Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001 defines manual handling
as “any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower,
push, pull, carry, or otherwise move, hold or restrain any animate or inanimate
object.”
Inanimate: Macquarie dictionary meaning - lifeless, spiritless, dull.
Animate: Macquarie dictionary meaning – to give life to, to move to action, to
cause to appear or move as if alive.
Manual Handling – the law
The Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001 at section 80 states that
an employer must ensure that
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a)
b)
c)
all objects are, where appropriate and as far as reasonably
practicable, designed, constructed and maintained so as to
eliminate risks arising from the manual handling of the objects, and
work practices used in a place of work are designed so as to
eliminate risks arising from manual handling, and
the working environment is designed to be, as far as reasonably
practicable and to the extent that it is within the employer’s control,
consistent with the safe handling of objects.
If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate a risk arising from manual
handling, an employer must design the work activity involving manual
handling to control the risk and, if necessary, must:
a)
modify the design of the objects to be handled or the work
environment (to the extent that it is under the employer’s control),
taking into account work design and work practices, and
b)
provide mechanical aides or, subject to subclause (3), make
arrangements for team lifting, or both, and
c)
ensure that the persons carrying out the activity are trained in
manual handling techniques, correct use of mechanical aids and
team lifting procedures appropriate to the activity.
Subclause (3) states that an employer must, as far as reasonable practicable,
achieve risk control by means other than team lifting.
Manual Handling – identifying the hazard and assessing the
risk
So the Regulations require employers to assess manual handling functions
that occur in the workplace with a view to minimizing the risk associated with
doing that work.
Section 81 of the Regulation states that, in carrying out manual handling risk
management obligations, an employer must take into consideration (where
relevant) the following factors:
 actions and movements (including repetitive ones)
 workplace and workstation layout
 working posture and position
 duration and frequency of manual handling
 locations or loads and distances moved
 weights and forces
 characteristics or loads and equipment
 work organisation
 work environment
 skills and experience
 age
 clothing
 special needs (tempory or permanent)
 any other factors considered relevant by the employer, the employee/s
or their representatives on health and safety issues.
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3 Steps to Managing Manual Handling
Step One –
Identify hazardous manual handling
tasks that could cause injury.
Step Two -
Assess the Risk : postures, movements
forces, duration & frequency,environment factors.
Step Three –
Control the Risk:
Eliminate or reduce risk by:
Alter-the workplace or environmental conditions
-systems of work
Change the objects used
Use mechanical aides
Provide information & training
(if above option not practicable)
Step One - Identify hazardous manual handling tasks that
could cause injury.
Hazardous Manual Handling
 Look for manual handling tasks that involve
 repetitive or sustained application of force
 repetitive or sustained awkward posture
 repetitive or sustained movement
 application of high force
 exposure to sustained vibration
 Look for manual handling of loads that are unstable, unbalanced or
difficult to hold.
Step Two - Assess the Risk
Key questions in assessing the risk
Question 1a
Does the task involve repetitive (twice in a minute) or sustained (held for more
than 30 seconds) postures, movements or forces?
If the task involves such postures as: Bending the back forwards or sideways more than 20 degrees
 Twisting the back more than 20 degrees
 Backward bending of back more than 5 degrees
 Bending head forwards or sideways more than 20 degrees
 Twisting neck more than 20 degrees
 Bending the head backwards more than 5 degrees
If the task involves movements or forces associated with: Lifting or lowering
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 Carrying with one hand or one side of the body
 Exerting force with one hand or one side of the body
 Pushing, pulling or dragging
 Gripping with fingers pinched or held wide apart
 Exerting force in an awkward posture
 Holding, supporting or restraining any object
Question 1b
Does the task involves long duration?
For those tasks that have repetitive or sustained postures, movements and
forces therein assess the duration. As a guide there is likely to be issues if the
task is done continually for more than 30 minutes at a time or if the task is
performed for more than 2 hours over a whole shift
If you answer yes to both questions - 1a and 1b above, then most likely there
is a risk.
Question 2
Does the task involve high force?
Understanding the Forces Impacting of Manual Handling.
Forces, postures, movements and vibration usually affect each other.
More force has to be exerted to pick up a load from the floor while
bending over compared to picking up that load from a bench that is
waist high.
A vibrating hand tool generally requires more force than one that does
not vibrate.
More effort is required to handle an object with finger wide open than
when they are close together.
High Force Actions Can Include: Lifting, lowering or carrying of heavy loads
 Applying uneven, fast or jerky forces during lifting, carrying,
pushing or pulling
 Applying sudden or unexpected forces (this might occur in a
load that moves or is unstable)
 Pushing or pulling objects that are hard to move or to stop (this
might occur when moving a vehicle that is unable to be driven)
 Using a finger, pinch or open handed grip to handle a heavy or
large load
 Exerting force at the limit of the grip span
 Need to use two hands to operate a tool designed for one hand
 During the application of high force, the body is in a bent,
twisted or otherwise awkward posture
Ask your employees about the task at hand and whether it is difficult. If they
report that: There is pain and significant discomfort during or after the task;
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 The task can only be done for short periods;
 Employees think that the task should be done by more than one person
or if they seek help to do the task;
 Employees say the task is physically very strenuous or difficult to do; or
 Stronger employees are always assigned to do the task;
If from your investigations above, if high force is inherent within the task you
are assessing or employees report that a task is difficult then it is likely that
there is a risk.
Step Three - Control the Risk
Having identified a manual handling hazard remember to utilise the hierarchy
of control strategies. Move to eliminate or control the risk in the first instance.
These actions (as discussed below) will include: Alteration of your workplace, or the environmental conditions, where a
manual handling task is carried out
 Alter the systems of work used to carry out the manual handling task
 Change the objects used in the manual handling task
 Use mechanical aids
Such actions should be supplemented by information, training and instruction
on the task.
If none of the above actions is practicable you use information, training or
instruction in manual handling techniques as required by the Regulation.
Alteration of the Workplace
This includes changing the height, placement of plant, equipment, furniture
and objects used in the task to eliminate or reduce the risk.
To eliminate or reduce bending movements and postures:
 Change the work height by installing lifts, hoists, etc;
 Make sure that there is enough space to do task in upright position;
 Provide adjustable work levels;
 Lower the position of the employee
 Keep objects used in the task at work level – don’t lower an object that
will need to be lifted later;
To eliminate or reduce twisting movements and postures:
 Position all frequently used tools, equipment in front of employee in
easy reach;
 Provide sufficient work space for employee’s whole body to move;
 Provide adjustable swivel chairs, for seated tasks;
 Provide sufficient work space generally
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To eliminate or reduce reaching movements and postures:
 Place the objects, tools used in the task closer to the person;
 Ensure storage levels are at appropriate height;
 Remove barriers that prevent object being handled close to body;
 Raise/lower object/person to allow to facilitate person working at
comfortable level
To eliminate or reduce pushing, pulling, holding or carrying movements and
forces:
 Relocate items, stock, stores closer to where they are used;
 Locate parts of the process together;
 Use powered conveyors, rollers, trolleys to move objects
 Keep work area free of obstacles;
 Provide clear direct pathways;
 Ensure objects do not need to be pushed, pulled, carried up steps or
ramps,
 Provide clean smooth floor surfaces
Also consider reviewing workstation and workshop design and the working
position of the individual.
Alteration of Environmental Conditions
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Eliminate or reduce exposure to vibration
Eliminate or reduce exposure to heat and cold
Review lighting standards
Maintain good housekeeping
Review systems of work including job redesign
 Set realistic work rates and times. Incentive and bonus schemes have
the potential to create risks by increasing the duration and frequency of
manual handling tasks including through the taking of short cuts.
 Plan work flow to avoid overflow at peak periods.
 Implement job rotation or provide person with several tasks to be done
over a period of time and encourage diversification to facilitate capacity
for person to undertake long difficult tasks across several periods
rather than doing the task all in one go.
 Consider length of shifts and the impact that prolonged shifts will have
on those doing physically demanding manual handling tasks.
Review the objects used in the task.
These may include
 The load being handled – packages, containers
 The tools and equipment used to do the task (including hand tools)
 The plant used to carry the load – mechanical aides such as fork lifts,
trolleys, etc.
Review the load being handled to reduce forces and awkward postures by:
 Reducing the weight of the object/load (by making two trips)
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Change surface or texture of object
Provide handles
Purchase smaller objects for easier handling ( tell your supplier what
you require in relation to size and means/method of handling)
 Increase the weight of the object so that it must be handled by
mechanical aides.
Modify tools/equipment used.
To eliminate or reduce forces required to grip and operate hand tools make
sure that tools:
 Are as light as possible
 Minimize vibration to hand and other parts of body
 Grips that are suitable for the type of force and precision required
Mechanical aides can control the risk of injury by reducing the forces needed
to perform the manual handling task.
Types of mechanical aides vary greatly and include levers, trolleys, winches,
hoists, powered pallet lifters, cranes, forklifts through to tool boxes on wheels
and tool belts which reduce the need to be bending and reaching for tool.
There effectiveness varies greatly – mechanical aides must:
 Be easy to use and not obstruct employees work
 Be designed to suit the load of the task
 Be able to be adequately stored when not in use
 Be readily available when required
 Used by those who have been trained on how to use them
 Used as per manufacturers instructions
 Be well maintained and serviced regularly
REMEMBER the OHS requirement  Consult with your employees through each of these steps.
REMEMBER the risk management principle
 Review what you have done to confirm that the solution is
working.
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