Table of Contents
Hazardous Manual Tasks Policy
Objective: To eliminate or reduce the number and severity of injuries caused by hazardous manual tasks.
Scope: This policy applies to all workers, including contractors of A2Z Services exposed to the risk from hazardous manual handling tasks.
Policy: Some hazardous manual handling tasks can lead to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) or other injuries for workers, such as sprains and strains, back, joint or bone injuries, nerve injuries or compression, muscular and vascular disorders, hernias or chronic pain. MSD can occur suddenly or over an extended period.
A2Z Services is committed to preventing injuries caused by manual tasks through the identification of hazardous manual tasks and implementation of suitable risk controls.
Some manual handling tasks can be considered hazardous, such as tasks involving any of the following characteristics:
- Repetitive or sustained application of force, awkward positions or movement;
- Use of high force;
- Exposure to continued vibration;
- The handling of people or animals;
- The handling of unstable or unbalanced loads or loads which are difficult to grasp or hold.
A2Z Services has implemented strategies to minimise the risk of worker injury from hazardous manual tasks including:
- Identifying manual tasks that are hazardous;
- Eliminating hazardous manual tasks at the workplace whenever possible to do so;
- Assessing the risks of MSD and other injuries associated with hazardous manual tasks;
- Implementing suitable risk control measures to lower the potential for worker injuries in respect of manual handling tasks;
- Monitoring and reviewing risk control measures when appropriate;
- Providing training and resources to increase worker knowledge about manual handling;
- Developing and implementing work procedures designed to lower risk from hazardous manual handling tasks;
- Providing manual handling equipment appropriate for performing the job tasks;
- Consult with workers concerning hazardous manual handling issues.
Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure
Responsibilities:
At A2Z Services the PCBU is responsible for ensuring:
- The identification and assessing of any task requiring manual handling;
- Risk assessments (OF0005) are carried out for all hazardous manual handling tasks;
- Safe work procedures are in place to eliminate or reduce and control the risk of injury to workers due to manual handling;
- Provision of adequate and appropriate training to workers in respect of manual handling;
- Hazardous manual handling tasks and related procedures are monitored and reviewed as required.
Workers are responsible to:
- Assist and cooperate with the identification of hazardous manual handling tasks in the workplace;
- Attend manual handling training when required;
- Use correct manual handling procedures when needed and follow safe working procedures.
Hazardous manual handling tasks will be identified by:
- Discomfort surveys (OF0029);
- Observing tasks;
- Breaking tasks down where required;
- Hazard reports;
- Seeking worker input;
- Consulting with an ergonomic assessor or others with specialised knowledge and skills if needed.
Risk Assessment:
If a risk assessment is undertaken, it will be documented and take the following risk factors into account:
- Duration and frequency;
- Forces exerted;
- Sources of risk (such as layout of workplace, loads, tools, systems of work, environment).
Controls will be implemented using a hierarchy of controls. E.g.:
- Eliminate task;
- Substitute for less hazardous options;
- Isolate people from risk;
- Use engineering controls;
- Develop procedures and administrative controls;
- Provide Information, training and instruction.
Risk controls will be reviewed whenever:
- Control is no longer effective;
- Any change is likely to introduce new or different hazards that current controls will not adequately address;
- Identification of a further hazard or risk;
- Results of consultation indicate a review is needed.
The Risk Register (OR0017) and Hazardous Manual Task Risk Assessments (OF0005) will be reviewed (insert period for review) by (Insert name of responsible person) and updated with newly identified tasks as needed.
Forms and Registers
| Document Number | Document Name |
| OF0029 | Discomfort Survey |
| OR0017 | Risk Register |
| OF0005 | Risk Assessment |
Amendment Record
Issue#: 1 Issue Date: 13/7/2022
| Rev# | Date | Section# | Para.# | Description of Change | Prepared By | Approved By |
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 3 |
Click here to download OM00034 – Hazardous Manual Task Policy in PDF Format
Disclaimer: This documentcontains material to assist in meeting environmental management, Work Health and Safety and Quality obligations under the International Standard ISO AS/NZS ISO 9001:2016,14001:2016 and other legislative bodies. This document contains material sourced from Safe Work Australia. Any such material remains subject to copyright © Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/copyright. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information at the time of publication, it is provided as guidance only and does not provide legal advice on meeting your obligations. This document and its contents are © A2Z services 2018 and or the originating source authors and no permission is given for its duplication or copying, in part or in its entirety, for use outside its original purposes as stated within the company.