Why should we be concerned about manual handling?
Manual handling accounts for one-third of all workplace injuries in Australia, but two thirds of costs from injuries. The majority of these injuries are back injuries, but injuries to hands, arms and feet are also significant. Compensation cases related to body stressing accounted for approximaletly 40% of cases reported. Body stressing covers 'muscular stress while lifting, carrying or putting down objects, muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying or putting down, muscular stress with not objects being handled, and repetitive movement, low muscle loading'.
What is the cost to an employer of manual handling injuries?
The costs to an employer of injuries caused by manual handling are significant. A review of occupational injury and disease statistics for 1994-1995 (although now dated) calculated that the estimated direct costs of disorders related to manual handling averaged around $6,500 per case (Straker, M. 'An overview of occupational injury/disease statistics in Australia'. Curtin University of Technology, Perth, 1997). The average duration of injuries and diseases related to manual handling was around 10.5 working weeks.
While on-going income support and medical expenses will be covered by workers compensation payments, your workers compensation premiums can increase as a result of any injuries to your workforce.
The indirect costs of a manual handling injury have been estimated at around five to 10 times the direct costs. Indirect costs include such things:
q down-time and loss of productivity
q replacement labour and training costs
q penalties/prosecution costs
q rehabilitation/retraining costs for the injured employee
q damage to plant/replacement costs
q inspection/investigation and report writing costs
q damage to customer relations/delivery contracts/corporate image.
How do I manage manual handling in my workplace?
One of the simplest and most useful approaches to managing manual handling is designed by the South Australian WorkCover Corporation. This advocates the use of simple approach - called the SAFER approach - to reduce manual handling risks in the workplace, ie:
See it
Assess it
Fix it
Evaluate it
Review it
See it
The first step is to identify any potential risks relating to manual handling in your workplace. You can do this by:
q Inspecting your workplace;
q Consulting with workers performing manual handling tasks;
q Auditing your workers compensation data, such as records of injuries; and
q Checking records such as injury and near-miss reports, and first-aid registers.
Assess it
Once you have identified a risk, the next step is to assess the level of that risk.
How do I assess a manual handling risk?
The use of 13-point checklist for assessing any manual handling task as set out by the NOHSC, now the Australian Safety and Compensation Council sets out the following:
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The actions and movements required to do the task;
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The layout of the workplace, or the workstation;
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The posture and position of the person doing the activity;
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The duration of manual handling and how often it is done;
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The location of the load and the distance required to move;
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The weights and forces involved.
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The characteristics of the load (eg. sharp edges);
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How the work is organised.
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The work environment (eg. hot, cold);
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The skills and experience of the person doing the manual handling;
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The age of the person;
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Is the clothing of the person suitable to the task?;
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Are there any special needs? (eg. has the person a pre-existing injury? or are they sick?).
Fix it
Once the assessment has been made then you must fix the problem (or potential problem). Control measures which could be put in place to minimise the risk of injury include job redesign, mechanical handling equipment, training and other administrative controls.
NSW WorkCover advises that there is a 'hierarchy of control'. This means that instead of choosing the simplest or cheapest method, you should start with the most effective way of fixing hazards. Remember, the aim is to make the workplace as hazard-free as possible. The qualification to the above advice is when implementing a temporary solution while you are setting in place a permanent one - although don't fall into the trap of turning a temporary solution into a permanent one.
The hierarchy of control is set out below:
- Design the hazard away;
- Eliminate or substitute a less hazardous material/equipment, for example;
- Change the work process, for example mechanise the job, team lifting;
- Enclose or isolate the work process, for example by fitting machine guards;
- Provide other controls, such as effective ventilation;
- Provide training on hazards and safe working procedures;
- Establish suitable administrative procedures such as job rotation to reduce exposure; and
- Provide suitable and properly maintained personal protective equipment (PPE) and training in its use. (Note: PPE does not get rid of the hazard.).
Evaluate it
This step is one which is often overlooked. However, it is vital that the means which you have taken to fix the risk is evaluated. Observe and measure the change(s) which you have implemented. Does it work? Is the risk eliminated/reduced/managed?
If yes, then you have controlled the risk. If no, then you must work through all the above steps again until the desired result is achieved.
Review it
Make a diary entry to review at a later date the steps which you took to fix the problem. The process of continuous review is vital to ensuring a safe workplace.
What is the heaviest load a person should lift?
In NSW, there is no longer a prescribed weight limit for women or men over which it is illegal for persons to lift. Instead, the risk of lifting the load should be assessed. This risk assessment must consider a number of factors, such as:
q The number of times the load is lifted;
q The person's posture when lifting;
q The distance the load is to be moved; and
q The features of the load.
The weight of the load will increase the risk, but a light load may still pose a risk when combined with the above factors. For example, a light load which is carried away from the body poses a risk, as does a light but bulky load which is carried for some distance.
What documentation can I follow?
The Australian Safety & Compensation Council (www.ascc.gov.au) has released the National Standard for Manual Tasks (2007)
The Australian Safety & Compensation Council recommends that for practical guidance on tasks involving transfer of loads and non-repetitive actions, the National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders from Performing Manual Tasks at Work (2007) should be consulted:
For practical guidance about tasks involving repetitive or forceful movement, and maintenance of constrained or awkward postures, NOHSC recommends consulting the National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Over-Use Injuries (NOHSC: 2013 (1994)].
Employee
What is the cost to an employee of manual handling injuries?
The cost to an employee - you - may be very significant. The average amount of time a person who suffers a manual handling injury spends away from work is 10.5 weeks.
You could be injured permanently and find your future work prospects seriously curtailed or even terminated.
You must take the prospect of manual handling injuries very seriously.
What are my responsibilities in relation to manual handling?
Your primary responsibility is to accept instruction and training from your employer in the correct manual handling techniques and to put this into practice at all times. You must also accept instruction and training in the use of mechanical aids, personal protective equipment or team lifting techniques, where appropriate, and also use this training whenever possible.
You must comply with any instructions given by your supervisor.
Remember also that consultation with your employer is mandatory.
Do I have to lift something which is too heavy for me?
No. You should be able to discuss the load with your employer. Consultation is also mandatory in NSW.
