Hazardous manual tasks training module What to look

Hazardous manual tasks training module What to look for How to control the risk Resources to help you

Did you know? Sprains and strains make up nearly 50 per cent of workers’ compensation claims. Hazardous manual tasks are the primary cause of sprains and strains. 15 per cent of workers with sprain or strain injury do not return to work.

Who plays a role in preventing sprains and strains? workers supervisors / managers directors / executives designers

The legislation WHS Regulation 2011 Part 4. 2 Hazardous manual tasks (HMT) (section 60) “A person conducting a business or undertaking must manage risks to health and safety relating to a musculoskeletal disorder associated with a hazardous manual task, under part 3. 1” Code of practice Hazardous manual tasks Code of Practice 2021 Workplace operating procedures Provides a minimum standard of how to comply

Examples of musculoskeletal disorders (sprains and strains) • • • rotator cuff injury muscle strains and sprains prolapsed disc tendonitis of the shoulder and elbows ligament or tendon rupture.

Identify tasks with a risk of sprain and strain Force Very tiring work that takes a lot of effort. Can be applied for a period of time, repeated over and over, or occur suddenly. Awkward or sustained postures Postures that are uncomfortable or require significant bending, twisting or over-reaching that workers hold over a period of time. Vibration Sitting/standing on or holding vibrating equipment over a period of time. Duration Doing a task continuously for more than 30 minutes, or more than a total of two hours over a whole shift Repetition Using the same parts of the body to repeat similar movements over and over. Mental stress / work pressure Mental stress and work pressure can increase the risk of physical injury when not managed.

Force • Very tiring work, that takes a lot of effort. • Can be applied for a period of time, repeated over and over, or occur suddenly. Insert a photo of a task in your workplace with force here

Awkward or sustained postures Postures that are uncomfortable or require: • significant bending or twisting • over-reaching Held over a period of time Insert a photo of a task in your workplace with awkward or sustained postures here

Vibration Sitting/standing on or holding vibrating equipment. Insert a photo of a task in your workplace with vibration here

Duration Doing a task continuously for more than 30 minutes, or more than a total of two hours over a whole shift. Insert a photo of a task in your workplace which has duration here

Repetition • Use of the same body parts to repeat similar movements. • Same movement performed more than twice a minute. Insert a photo of a task in your workplace with repetitive movement here

Mental stress / work pressure Mental stress and work pressure can increase the risk of physical injuries when not managed as part of hazardous manual tasks.

Combination of risk factors

What causes the risk factors? • work areas • what is being handled and how • environmental factors • work organisation.

How to control the risk • Can you eliminate the task? • Find and identify how to fix what is causing the risk factors. • Develop controls. • Provide training on implementation of the controls and review the work procedure. • Review and monitor the controls.

Follow the hierarchy of control Most effective Prevent the pain of sprains and strains Design out the risk for everyone and every time Aim for the green zone Least effective

Controls for HMTs at this workplace Hazardous manual task Risk factors in the task Controls Example: moving steel plate Example: high force, awkward postures Example: use overhead crane to do this task, discussed the safe work procedure for moving steel plate with workers

Controls for HMTs at this workplace Hazardous manual task Risk factors in the task Controls

Our hazard reporting process Hazards Procedure Faulty equipment <Insert your workplace procedure here Example: • Talk to your supervisor • Take 5 • Raise it in a toolbox talk • Talk to H&S committee or HSR or WHSO > Maintenance <Insert your workplace procedure here> Work-related symptoms <Insert your workplace procedure here>

How to start? WHSQ has a worksheet to get you started Complete the worksheet for manual tasks risk management

Activity Complete the manual tasks risk management worksheet for a hazardous manual task in your job <Trainer to insert one or more examples with photos of hazardous manual tasks at your workplace >

Manual tasks risk register –control examples • For more information on controls, go to Work. Safe. qld. gov. au. • The manual tasks risk register has examples of controls for core hazardous manual tasks across the construction life cycle. • Other resources including the MSD factsheet are available at Work. Safe. qld. gov. au.