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Hazardous Manual Tasks Cop 2021
Hazardous Manual Tasks Cop 2021
Code of Practice
2021
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PN12652
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A PCBU must eliminate risks arising from hazardous manual tasks, or if that is not
reasonably practicable, minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
The WHS Regulation includes more specific requirements for PCBUs to manage the risks of
a musculoskeletal disorder associated with a hazardous manual task.
PCBUs have a duty to consult workers about work health and safety and may also have
duties to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders.
Designers, manufacturers, importers, installers and suppliers of plant, substances
and structures
Officers, e.g. company directors, have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure the PCBU
complies with the WHS Act and WHS Regulation. This includes taking reasonable steps to
ensure that the business or undertaking has and uses appropriate resources and processes
to eliminate or minimise risks from hazardous manual tasks.
Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to not
adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with any
reasonable instructions, as far as they are reasonably able, and cooperate with any
reasonable health and safety policies or procedures that have been notified to workers.
If personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided by the business or undertaking, the
worker must, so far as they are reasonably able, use or wear it in accordance with the
information and instruction and training provided.
Other persons at the workplace
Other persons at the workplace, like visitors, must take reasonable care for their own health
and safety and must take care not to adversely affect other people’s health and safety. They
must comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with reasonable instructions given by the
PCBU to allow that person to comply with the WHS Act.
1.4. What is involved in managing the risk of musculoskeletal
disorders?
A PCBU must manage risks to health and safety relating to a musculoskeletal disorder
associated with a hazardous manual task.
In order to manage risk under the WHS Regulation, a duty holder must:
• identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to the risk
• eliminate the risk, so far as is reasonably practicable
• if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk – minimise the risk so far as is
reasonably practicable by implementing control measures in accordance with the
hierarchy of control measures
• maintain the implemented control measure so it remains effective
• review, and if necessary revise, risk control measures so as to maintain, so far as is
reasonably practicable, a work environment that is without risks to health and safety.
This Code provides guidance on how to manage the risks associated with hazardous
manual tasks that have the potential to cause an MSD in the workplace using the following
systematic process:
• identify hazardous manual tasks—find out what could cause harm
• assess risks, if necessary—understand the nature of the harm that could be caused
by the hazard, how serious the harm could be and the likelihood of it happening.
This step may not be necessary if you are dealing with a known risk with known
controls.
• eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable
A PCBU must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable, with workers who carry out work
for the business or undertaking and who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a work
health and safety matter.
This duty to consult is based on the recognition that worker input and participation improves
decision-making about health and safety matters and assists in reducing work-related
injuries and disease.
The broad definition of a ‘worker’ under the WHS Act means a PCBU must consult, so far as
is reasonably practicable, with contractors and subcontractors and their employees, on-hire
workers, outworkers, apprentices, trainees, work experience students, volunteers and other
people who are working for the PCBU and who are, or are likely to be, directly affected by a
health and safety matter.
Workers are entitled to take part in consultations and to be represented by a health and
safety representative who has been elected to represent their work group.
Consultation involves sharing of information, giving workers a reasonable opportunity to
express views and contribute to the decision-making process, taking those views into
account before making decisions on health and safety matters, and advising workers of the
outcome.
Consultation with workers and their health and safety representatives is necessary at each
step of the risk management process. Your workers know which tools and activities
contribute to their discomfort and may have practical suggestions or potential solutions.
It is important to consult your workers as early as possible when planning to:
• introduce new tasks or change existing tasks
• select new equipment
• refurbish, renovate or redesign existing workplaces
• carry out work in new environments.
Consultation should include encouraging workers to share their knowledge and experience
of techniques and technologies which may better manage risks.
You should also encourage your workers to report problems with manual tasks and signs of
discomfort immediately so that risks can be managed before an injury occurs.
The WHS Act requires a PCBU to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with all other
persons who have a work health or safety duty in relation to the same matter, so far as is
reasonably practicable.
Sometimes you may share responsibility for a health and safety matter with other business
operators who may be involved in the same activities or who share the same workplace. In
these situations, each duty holder must, so far as is reasonably practicable, exchange
information to find out who is doing what and work together in a cooperative and coordinated
way so that risks are eliminated or minimised.
For example, if a supplier visits your workplace to deliver goods, you must consult so far as
is reasonably practicable with the supplier about health and safety issues for both your
workers and the supplier’s workers. For example, you may need to discuss how the goods
will be handled at your workplace, whether there are any environmental or other factors that
may increase the risk, like using a flight of stairs while handling large boxes, and what you
will each do to control any risk of injury.
Further guidance is available in the Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and
coordination Code of Practice.
Information, training, instruction and supervision
The WHS Act requires that a PCBU ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the provision
of any information, training, instruction or supervision that is necessary to protect all persons
from risks to their health and safety arising from work carried out as part of the conduct of
the business or undertaking.
The PCBU must ensure that information, training or instruction provided to a worker is
suitable and adequate having regard to:
• the nature of the work carried out by the worker
• the nature of the risks associated with the work at the time of the information,
training and instruction
• the control measures implemented.
The PCBU must also ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the information,
training and instruction are provided in a way that is readily understandable for the person to
whom it is provided.
Workers must be trained and have the appropriate skills to carry out a particular task safely.
Training should be provided to workers by a competent person. Information, training and
instruction provided to workers who carry out hazardous manual tasks must include the
proper use, wearing, storage and maintenance of PPE.
In addition to the PCBU’s general duty to provide any supervision necessary to protect all
persons from work health and safety risks, the WHS Regulation also impose specific duties
to provide supervision necessary to protect a worker from risks to health and safety in
certain circumstances.
Figure 1
Figure 2
High force—occurs when increased muscle effort is required in response to a task. It may
be from the back, arm or leg muscles or by the hands and fingers.
High force occurs in any task that:
• a worker describes as very demanding physically
• a worker needs help to complete because a greater force is required
• requires a stronger person or two people to complete.
Examples of high force include:
• lifting, lowering or carrying a heavy object
• lifting, lowering or carrying an object that cannot be positioned close to the body
• pushing or pulling an object that is hard to move or stop (Figure 3)
• applying uneven, fast or jerky forces during lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling
• applying sudden or unexpected forces
• restraining a person or animal.
Figure 3
Figure 5
Movement
Repetitive movement—using the same parts of the body to repeat similar movements over
a period of time.
Examples of repetitive movement include:
• painting
• lifting goods from a conveyor belt and packing them in a carton
• typing and other keyboard tasks (Figure 6)
• repeatedly reaching for and assembling components in electronics manufacturing
• using a socket and ratchet or spanner to unscrew long bolts.
Posture
An ideal posture is one where the body is in a neutral position (Figure 7) with the:
• trunk and head upright and forward-facing
• arms by the side of the body
• forearms either hanging straight or at right angles to the upper arm
• hands in the handshake position.
Postures that are both awkward and sustained are particularly hazardous.
Note: no one posture is suitable for all tasks or positions.
Figure 7
Sustained posture—where part of or the whole body is kept in the same position for a
prolonged period.
Examples of sustained posture include:
• supporting plasterboard sheeting while it is nailed into place (Figure 8)
• continually standing with weight mainly on one leg while operating a power press with
foot pedal controls
• prolonged sitting at a workstation.
Figure 9
Vibration
Whole body vibration occurs when vibration is transmitted through the whole body, usually
via a supporting surface, such as a seat or the floor in heavy vehicles or machinery. This
may result in lower back pain, degeneration of the lumbar vertebrae and disc herniation.
Examples of whole-body vibration include:
• operating mobile plant such as heavy earthmoving machinery
• driving a vehicle over rough terrain (Figure 10).
Hand–arm vibration occurs when vibration is transferred through a vibrating tool, steering
wheel or controls in heavy machinery to the hand and arm. This can disrupt blood circulation
in the hand and forearm and damage nerves and tendons.
Localised vibration contributes to ‘vibration-induced white finger’ and ‘carpal tunnel
syndrome’ through the gripping force needed to hold the vibrating tools (the tighter the grip,
the more vibration is absorbed) and the repetitive shock loads of some tools.
Examples of hand–arm vibration include:
• using impact wrenches, chainsaws, jackhammers, grinders, drills or vibrating
compacting plates (Figures 11 and 12)
• using needle guns in de-rusting metal.
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
Bending the back or head backwards more than 5 degrees or looking up.
Figure 15
Figure 16
Figure 17
Figure 18
Figure 19
Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22
Twisting, turning, grabbing, picking or wringing actions with the fingers, hands or arms that
include excessive bending of the wrist
Figure 23
Figure 24
Figure 25
Very fast movements, e.g. packing tins from a fast-moving process line
Is there a risk?
Question 1 The task involves:
• repetitive movement
• sustained or awkward posture, or
• repetitive or sustained force.
Question 2 The task involves high force or sudden force.
Question 3 The task involves vibration.
It is important to note that a task may involve more than one risk factor. Where a number of
risk factors are present and interact, the risk of an MSD developing increases significantly.
3.4. What are the sources of the risk?
When conducting a risk assessment, think about the sources of any risks present in the task.
These will be the things you may be able to change to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of
an MSD. For example:
• poor postures and movements may be due to the layout of the workplace
• high mental strain may be due to high job demands
• high forces may be due to the loads being handled
• the frequency and duration of the task may be due to the work organisation, limited
staff numbers or increased work pace to meet tight deadlines.
For each risk factor identified, you should ask:
• where in the task is it occurring
• why is this action occurring—what is the source of the risk?
The answers to these questions will provide the information required to fix the source of the
risk and control the risk of an MSD.
Some sources of risk to consider are:
• work area design and layout
• the nature, size, weight or number of things handled in performing the manual task
• systems of work
• the environment in which the manual task is performed.
Each of these sources of risk is considered in more detail below.
To determine whether a weight is safe for workers in your workplace to lift, you should
assess all the risks present. There is no safe weight set for all workers in all circumstances
because there are too many factors contributing to the risk, not just the weight of the item.
Consider the work area design and layout
A work area may include workbenches, conveyors, furniture, fittings and the equipment used
by workers. The positioning of elements of a work area to each other and to the worker is
important because of its effect on working posture.
A work area designed without consideration of the risks arising from hazardous manual
tasks may require workers undertaking manual tasks to take on awkward postures. For
example, bent and twisted positions with shoulders raised, reaching for items or carrying
loads over long distances.
When managing risks from hazardous manual tasks you must have regard to all relevant
matters that may contribute to an MSD, including:
• postures, movements, forces and vibration
• the duration and frequency of the task
• workplace environmental conditions
• design of the work area
• layout of the workplace
• systems of work used
• nature, size, weight or number of persons, animals or things handled.
4.1. The hierarchy of control measures
The WHS Regulation requires duty holders to work through the hierarchy of control
measures when managing certain risks, including risks from hazardous manual tasks;
however, the hierarchy can be applied to any risk. The hierarchy ranks control measures
from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest.
Further guidance on the risk management process and the hierarchy of control measures is
in the: How to manage work health and safety risks Code of Practice.
Eliminating the risk
You must always aim to eliminate the risk. If eliminating the hazards and associated risks is
not reasonably practicable, you must minimise the risk by one or more of the following:
• Substitution—minimise the risk by substituting or replacing a hazard or hazardous
work practice with something that gives rise to a lesser risk.
• Isolation—minimise the risk by isolating or separating the hazard or hazardous work
practice from any person exposed to it.
• Engineering controls—engineering controls are physical control measures to
minimise risk. Control measures should be aimed at eliminating or minimising the
frequency, magnitude and duration of movements, forces and postures by changing:
- the work area
- tool
- load
- environment
- method of handling
- the way work is organised.
If risk remains, it must be minimised by implementing administrative controls, so far as is
reasonably practicable.
Any remaining risk must be minimised with suitable (PPE).
Administrative control measures and PPE do not control the hazard at the source. They rely
on human behaviour and supervision and used on their own tend to be the least effective in
minimising risks.
Figure 27 Use handing grip devices adapted to the particular object to be carried
Figure 28 Select tools that can be held with a neutral wrist or in a handshake position with the hand adopting a
comfortable, not too open or too closed, grip. Orient jigs and fixtures holding the work piece, so the wrist does not
have to bend.
You can minimise the level of muscular effort, particularly of the shoulder and wrist, needed
to use hand tools by:
• selecting tools suited to the task (Figure 31)
• using power tools where possible
• suspending or supporting heavy tools where they are used repetitively and in the same
place (Figures 32–33)
• counterbalancing heavy tools that are used repetitively and need to be kept away from
the body
• using trigger locks where the grip has to be sustained for more than 30 seconds
• holding the work piece in place with either jigs or fixtures
• selecting tools that produce minimal vibration
• reducing impact shocks
• limiting torque or ‘kick back’ reactions.
Tools and equipment should be well maintained by carrying out regular inspections and
servicing in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. Poorly maintained or
irregularly serviced tools and equipment may increase the effort needed to use them. For
example, an unsharpened knife will increase the force required to bone and slice meat.
Figure 31 Select tools suited to the task: using a long-handled saw when pruning trees
Figure 36 Using mechanical equipment, such as overhead cranes to lift and move very heavy objects eliminates
the need to apply high force.
Figure 38 Self-adjusting base in laundry tubs reduces the need for bending, twisting and reaching during
unloading.
A trolley can eliminate many of the risks involved in manual handling (Figure 39).
However, the load still needs to be manoeuvred onto the trolley and through the
workplace.
Figure 40 The work rate for high volume production and processing should not extend workers to their physical
limits.
You can provide transition arrangements for workers undertaking unaccustomed work by:
• reducing the pace of work or workloads
• providing more frequent breaks
• job rotation.
Providing workers with resources and support
When introducing risk control measures involving plant, tools or equipment, you should
ensure:
• the equipment is suitable for the task
• there is sufficient, available equipment, and
• plant, tools and equipment are checked and maintained on a regular basis.
To allow for adequate recovery time and to reduce exposure to risks of an MSD, you should
arrange to have the right staffing levels, skill mix and shift arrangements, considering:
• shift lengths
• the levels of overtime
Control measures must be maintained so they remain fit for purpose, suitable for the nature
and duration of work and be installed, set up and used correctly.
The control measures put in place to protect health and safety should be regularly reviewed
to make sure they are effective. If the control measure is not working effectively it must be
revised to ensure it is effective in controlling the risk.
As a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you must review and as
necessary revise control measures implemented to manage risks to health and safety
related to MSDs associated with hazardous manual tasks so as to maintain, so far as is
reasonably practicable, a work environment without health and safety risks. For example:
• when the control measure does not minimise the risk so far as is reasonably
practicable
• before a change at the workplace that is likely to give rise to a new or different risk to
health and safety that the measure may not effectively control
• when a new or relevant hazard or risk is identified
• when the results of consultation indicate that a review is necessary
• when a health and safety representative requests a review if that person reasonably
believes that:
- a circumstance in any of the above points affects, or may affect, the health and
safety of a member of the work group represented by the health and safety
representative
- the control measure has not been adequately reviewed in response to the
circumstance.
Common review methods include workplace inspection, consultation, testing and analysing
records and data.
You can use the same methods as in the initial hazard identification step to check control
measures. You must also consult your workers and their health and safety representatives
and consider the following questions:
• Are the control measures working effectively in both their design and operation,
without creating new risks?
• Have the control measures introduced new problems?
• Have all hazards been identified?
• Are workers actively involved in the risk management process?
• Are they openly raising health and safety concerns and reporting problems promptly?
• Have new work methods or new equipment reduced physical strain or difficulty?
• Are safety procedures being followed?
• Have instruction and training provided to workers on hazardous manual tasks and the
implemented control measures been successful?
• Is the frequency and severity of MSDs reducing over time?
• Is an alteration planned to any structure, plant or process that is likely to result in a
worker being exposed to a hazardous manual task?
• Has an incident occurred as a result of a worker being exposed to a hazardous manual
task?
• If new information becomes available, does it indicate current controls may no longer
be the most effective?
If problems are found, go back through the risk management steps, review your information
and make further decisions about risk control.
As a designer of plant or structures used for work, under this regulation you must:
• ensure the plant or structure is designed to eliminate the need to carry out a
hazardous manual task in connection with the plant or structure
• where this is not reasonably practicable, minimise the need to carry out a hazardous
manual task in connection with the plant or structure so far as is reasonably
practicable
• give each person who is provided with the design for the purpose of giving effect to it
adequate information about the features of the plant or structure that eliminate or
minimise the need for any hazardous manual task to be carried out.
Ergonomic principles should be applied in the design stage. This means that a manual task
should be designed to fit the people doing the task, not the opposite where the worker has to
make adjustments to fit the task. Ergonomics involves consideration of the variability in
human capability and an understanding of how people interact with the work environment,
tools and equipment.
If you provide your design to another person for the purpose of giving effect to it e.g. a
manufacturer, you should also provide information, about:
• the purpose for which the plant or structure was designed
• how your design has dealt with hazards that may affect manual tasks, and whether
there are any residual risks
• how to handle the plant or structure safely, including during its transportation,
installation, operation, maintenance and disposal.
Quality assurance processes can be used to check that the plant or structure effectively
minimises the risk of an MSD. When modifying a design, take into account feedback from
purchasers and users of your plant or structure.
Design of workplaces
Designers of buildings used as workplaces should consider the manual tasks that may be
performed throughout the lifecycle of the building, from construction through to use,
maintenance, refurbishment and potential demolition. For example:
• using building materials that are strong yet lightweight
• equipping large structural components with suitable lifting points to enable lifting by
crane
• designing spaces large enough to accommodate or incorporate mechanical devices
• incorporating minimal distances for pushing, pulling, lifting or carrying loads
• designing materials handling devices into the building, such as lifts and chutes
CONSULT
IDENTIFY
CONSULT
ASSESS
CONSULT
− Can the source of risk (work area layout, environment etc.) be changed?
− Can mechanical aids be used to perform the task?
− What training is needed to support the control measures?
different health and safety risk that the control measure may not
effectively control
− If the new hazard or risk is identified
− If the results of consultation indicate that a review is necessary, or
− If a health and safety representative at the workplace requests a review.
Does the task have any of the characteristics of a hazardous manual task? (tick any of the following that apply).
Task Repetitive or High or sudden Sustained or Repetitive Exposure to
sustained force force awkward movement vibration
postures
Click or tap here to enter text. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Click or tap here to enter text. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Click or tap here to enter text. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Click or tap here to enter text. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Click or tap here to enter text. ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
If you ticked any boxes for any particular task, you should do a risk assessment of that task.
As a guide:
• repetitive means the movement or force is performed more than twice a minute, and
• sustained means the posture or force is held for more than 30 seconds at a time.
Tick ‘yes’ each time you observe repetitive movement or sustained posture:
If any boxes are
Yes This action happens because ... ticked, what are
Postures and movements when … (describe why) possible controls
to reduce the risk?
Back
Bending or twisting more Forwards ☐
than 20 degrees Sideways ☐
Twisting ☐
Bending more than
Backwards ☐
5 degrees
Neck or head
Bending or twisting more Forwards ☐
than 20 degrees Sideways ☐
Twisting ☐
Bending more than Backwards
5 degrees ☐
Arms/hands
Working with one or both hands above shoulder height ☐
Reaching f orwards or sideways more than 30 cm f rom the body ☐
Reaching behind the body ☐
Excessive bending of the wrist ☐
Twisting, turning, grabbing, picking or wringing actions with the
f ingers, hands or arms ☐
Legs
Squatting, kneeling, crawling, lying, semi-lying or jumping ☐
Standing with most of the body’s weight on one leg ☐
Very fast movements
Tick ‘yes’ if the task involves any of the following high or sudden forces, even if the force is applied only once:
If any boxes are ticked, what
Yes This action happens because ...
Forces are possible controls to
when … (describe why)
reduce the risk?
Lif ting, lowering or carrying heavy loads ☐
Throwing or catching ☐
Hitting or kicking or jumping ☐
Applying a sudden or unexpected f orce including:
• handling a live person or animal or
• applying uneven, f ast or jerky f orces during lif ting, carrying, pushing or ☐
pulling, or
• pushing or pulling objects that are hard to move or stop e.g. a trolley.
Exerting f orce while in a bent, twisted or awkward posture including:
• supporting items with hands above shoulder height or
• moving items when legs are in an awkward posture, working with ☐
fingers pinched together or held wide apart, or
• using a f inger grip or pinch grip or an open-handed grip.
Tick ‘yes’ if any of the following environmental factors are present in the task:
Did you answer yes in step 1? The task is a risk. Risk control is required.
Did you answer yes in step 2? The task is a risk. Risk control is required.
Did you answer yes in step 3? This task requires further investigation
To aid prioritisation of timing and resourcing risk controls you may also need to consider:
• Number of ticks or risk factors.
• Additional factors such as injuries associated with the task.
These items capture degree and likelihood of harm. You will also need to consider the availability and suitability of risk controls for the task.
Risk control
What needs to be fixed to control the risk? (Refer to Chapter 4 of this Code.)
You may need to use a combination of risk controls to eliminate or minimise the risk as far as reasonably practicable.
Use the following flowchart to help you carry out your risk assessment
No