How Can I Prevent Manual Handling Injuries?

To control manual handling injuries many employers fall into the trap of simply buying a product or aid such as a trolley, back brace, gloves, etc in order to control the manual handling risk. Although manual handling aids and products can definitely alleviate the risk, it's important to take a systematic approach. Worksafe Australia's National Standard for Manual Handling and National Code of Practice requires employers to identify, assess and control the risks arising from manual handling.

Step 1 - Identify Risks

Manual handling tasks that are  likely to be hazardous to an employee's health should be identified. Some of the most effective ways to identify these risks are;

•  Check Workplace Injury Records - Injury records are a great way to spot problem areas within a work area.  
• Talk To employees and their health and safety representatives - The employee actually carrying out the task may have a better idea then management about the issues and problems they face on a day to day basis.  
• Look at the workplace - A simple walk through the area is a god way to identify risks. A checklist may be a simple way to make your walk through more effective. Download a manual handling risk checklist now.

Step 2 - Assess Risks

Once risky manual handling tasks have been identified, employers should drill down and try and find the root cause of the risk. The following areas/factors are a great starting point.

• Workplace and Workstation Layout - Try and reduce bending, reaching or twisting. Arrange workstation so that manual handling tasks can be eliminated or carried out at waist level.
• Working Position and Posture - Try and reduce the amount of time that a worker spends in the same position or posture.  
• Duration and Frequency of Manual Handling - Injury increases as a manual handling task is done more often or for longer periods of time.  
• Where the load is and how far it has to be moved - Statistics show that there is an increased risk whenever a load is below mid-thigh height or above shoulder level. In addition if a load has to be carried long distances or placed accurately there is increased risk of injury.  
• Weight - weight like all these factors play a role in risk assessment, usually the heavier the object the greater risk of injury during manual handling.  
• Force - The greater the force required to push, pull, restrain increases the risk of injury.  
• Characteristics of loads and equipment - Bulky loads or faulty equipment may force a worker to carry out awkward movements.  
• Work Organization - staff shortages, unrealistic deadlines increase the risk of injury.  
• Work Environment - Poor lighting, extremes of climate, limited space, can all contribute to risk of injury. 
• Skills and experience, Age - Employee attributes such as skills, training and age play a role. Workers under 18 are at greatest risk because they are still developing.  
• Clothing - Inappropriate clothing (ties, long sleeves in some cases) for manual handling tasks can get caught on objects and in machinery.  
• Special Needs - For example employees returning from an illness may need time to rebuild their skills and abilities.

Step 3 - Control The Risks

As previously mentioned it is important to go through the previous two steps for the long-term safety of your workplace. Many employers find it easy to identify the risk but don't realize the best way to make manual handling safer is to redesign the task or workplace using the following methods.

• Modify The Object - One example may be to change the shape of bulky objects so that they are easier to hold, pack or move.  
• Modify Workplace and Workstation Layout - reduce reaching and stooping, provide work surfaces at the correct height.  
• Change the Way Things are Moved - Eliminate unnecessary handling. Lifting aids or devices may help with this.  See Seton's range of Manual Handling aids. 
• Use Different actions, Movements and Forces - Reduce bending, lifting, twisting, reaching and holding. 
• Modify The Task - Modify the task by using tools such as levers, hooks or crowbars for example. See Seton's range of Manual Handling aids. 
• Ongoing Evaluation - Ongoing evaluation is an important part of the risk control process.

 DISCLAIMER: All the information or advice on this page aims to be as accurate as we can reasonably make it. However, the information and advice is general and may not necessarily applicable to your specific business or workplace. If a topic relates to your business or workplace, you should make sure you do your own research on how applicable and relevant the information or advice is to your particular situation. In creating these pages the document "Manual Handling" was used as a reference point and can be accessed via this link; http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/A11DF9CB-3AFC-4998-B19D-A26BF8D6AC80/0/ManualHandlingInformationBooklet.pdf