Code of Practice

Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985

Code of Practice for

Manual
Handling

No. 25, 20 April 2000

This code of practice is approved under section 55
of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985

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 Code of Practice

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 Code of Practice

Contents
The Legislative Framework 4
Part 1 Introduction
1 What is manual handling? 5
2 What kinds of injuries can result from manual handling? 5
3 Who should read this code? 5
Part 2 Duties of Designers, Manufacturers, Importers and Suppliers of Plant
4 Introduction 6
5 Who is a designer, manufacturer, importer or supplier? 6
6 What is plant? 6
7 What must designers, manufacturers, importers or suppliers of plant do? 7
8 How to control the risk 7
8.1 Design solutions for plant 7
8.2 What information do I need to provide? 7

Part 3 Duties of Employers

9 Introduction 9
10 Consulting your employees 9
11 Hazard identification 10
11.1 What is hazard identification? 10
11.2 What is hazardous manual handling? 10
11.3 In what circumstances must I identify hazardous manual handling? 14
11.4 Hazard identification for similar tasks 15
12 Risk assessment 16
12.1 What is risk assessment? 16
12.2 How do I carry out a risk assessment? 16
12.3 Why are there no weight limits in this code? 26
12.4 Additional risk assessment methods 27
12.5 Risk assessment for similar tasks 27
12.6 When to review a risk assessment 27
12.7 Keeping records of risk assessments 27
12.8 What if I have already done a risk assessment under the 1988 Regulations? 28
13 Risk control 29
13.1 What is risk control? 30
13.2 What does practicable mean? 30
13.3 Sources of risk 30
13.4 Can the manual handling task be eliminated? 30
13.5 How to control the risk 31
13.6 Putting risk controls in place 42
13.7 Reviewing risk controls 42

Part 4 Duties of Employees 45

Appendices
Appendix 1 What is a code of practice? 46
Appendix 2 Information, instruction and training 47
Appendix 3 Further advice on risk assessment and risk control 48
Appendix 4 Worked examples 50
Appendix 5 Worksheets 58
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 Code of Practice

The Legislative Framework

The Act sets out general duties of care for employers,

Occupational Health and employees, designers, manufacturers, importers and
Safety Act 1985 suppliers. The Act also enables regulations to be made
about the safety, health and welfare of people at work.

The aim of the Regulations is to protect people at work

Occupational Health and against musculoskeletal disorders caused by manual
Safety (Manual Handling) handling. The Regulations set out specific duties for
employers and employees, and for designers,
Regulations 1999 manufacturers, importers and suppliers of plant.
Section 47(1) of the Act states that failure to comply with
regulations made under the Act is an offence.

The code provides practical guidance on how to comply

with the Regulations.
Code of Practice for
The provisions in a code are not mandatory. That is, a
Manual Handling person may choose to comply with the Regulations in
some other way, as long as that method also fulfils the
requirements of the Regulations.
However, in legal proceedings, failure to follow an
approved code of practice can be used as evidence
that a person or company has not complied with
provisions of the Act or Regulations.
Appendix 1 explains more about the code’s legal status.

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 Code of Practice

PART 1 Introduction
1. What is manual handling? 3. Who should read this code?
Manual handling covers a wide range of activities including You should read this code if you are:
lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, throwing and carrying. It • an employer, because it will help you work out which
includes repetitive tasks such as packing, typing, assembling, manual handling tasks in your workplace could cause
cleaning and sorting, using hand-tools, and operating MSD, and show you how to control the risk
machinery and equipment.
• a designer, manufacturer, importer or supplier of plant for
Because most jobs involve some form of manual handling, use in workplaces, because it will help you ensure that
most workers are at risk of manual handling injury. Of course, users of your product are not exposed to the risk of MSD
not all manual handling tasks are hazardous. But it is significant • a health and safety representative, an employee or anyone
that around a quarter of all workplace injuries are caused by else interested in reducing MSD caused by manual
manual handling. handling in workplaces

2. What kinds of injuries can result

from manual handling?
Unsafe manual handling may cause a variety of injuries and
conditions including:
• muscle sprains and strains
• injuries to muscles, ligaments, intervertebral discs and other
structures in the back
• injuries to soft tissues such as nerves, ligaments and tendons
in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or legs
• abdominal hernias
• chronic pain
Some of these conditions are known as repetitive strain injury
(RSI), occupational overuse syndrome (OOS), cumulative
trauma disorder (CTD) and work-related musculoskeletal
disorder (WRMSD).
In the Manual Handling Regulations, all of these conditions
are referred to as musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). The
Regulations define MSD as an injury, illness or disease that
arises in whole or in part from manual handling in the
workplace, whether occurring suddenly or over a prolonged
period of time.1

1 This does not include any injury, illness or disease caused by crushing, entrapment or laceration resulting primarily from the mechanical operation of plant.
Such injuries, illnesses and diseases are covered by the Occupational Health and Safety (Plant) Regulations 1995.

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PART 2 Duties of Designers, Manufacturers, Importers and Suppliers of Plant

4. Introduction 6. What is plant?
If you design, manufacture, import or supply plant for use in a Your duties under the Regulations extend to all plant defined
workplace, you have duties under the Regulations to protect by the Act. Such plant includes any machinery, equipment,
users of your plant from MSD risks. appliance, implement or tool. It also includes any component
These duties cover plant that is designed, altered or of the plant and anything fitted or connected to the plant.
manufactured on or after 1 July 2000.2 Examples of plant include:
Users include anyone who: • hand-operated plant – for example, a trolley or a pair of
• commissions, services, cleans or maintains the plant pliers

• uses or operates the plant • powered plant designed to be hand-held or hand-

supported – for example, electric drills, chainsaws, floor
• moves portable plant in and out of storage
polishers, vacuum cleaners, scrubbers, street-sweepers,
mowers, nailguns, circular saws, concrete saws,
5. Who is a designer, manufacturer, jackhammers, trenchers, augers, nut runners, grinders,
importer or supplier? chippers or explosive hand-tools
You are a designer if you design or alter the design of plant • plant that processes material by:
for use in a Victorian workplace. This includes designing plant - cutting, drilling, punching or grinding
that is put together from previously manufactured components.
- pressing, forming, hammering, joining or moulding
You are a manufacturer if you manufacture plant for use in a - combining, mixing, sorting, packaging, assembling,
Victorian workplace. This includes assembling plant from knitting or weaving
prepared components.
• plant designed for lifting or moving people or materials –
You are an importer if you import plant into Victoria for use in for example, wheelchairs, patient trolleys in hospitals,
a workplace, including your own workplace. This includes stretchers, vacuum lifters, pallet lifters, patient handling
importing plant from other states and territories in Australia, as equipment in hospitals and nursing homes, standing frames
well as from outside Australia. or conveyors
You are a supplier if you supply plant for use in a Victorian • other plant and equipment used in workplaces – for
workplace, whether you sell, hire, lease or exchange the plant. example, furniture, scaffolding, mobile plant, forklifts, steps
and ladders

2 These duties do not cover plant that is manufactured or ordered before 1 July 2000.

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7. What must designers, manufacturers, To control the risk:

importers or suppliers of plant do? • eliminate or reduce the number of repetitive actions,
postures and movements required to operate the plant
Your primary duty as a designer, manufacturer, importer or
supplier of plant is to eliminate any risk of MSD occurring • reduce the forces required to operate the plant
when the plant is used properly. If it’s not practicable to • provide instructions, signs or symbols to help people use
eliminate the risk, you must reduce it as far as practicable.3 the plant properly
Your duties apply to the extent that you have control over the • take into account the range of physical characteristics,
plant. Your ability to control the risk of MSD will differ, such as size and strength, of those who use the plant
depending on whether you are a designer, manufacturer, • ensure that the plant operates at a speed or rate that would
importer or supplier. But you must fulfil your duties under the suit most users
Regulations, regardless of whether someone else is also • ensure that regular maintenance points are easily accessible
responsible for the same duties.
It’s a good idea to re-evaluate the design of your plant from
If someone else is carrying out tasks on your behalf, you have time to time. When modifying a design, take into account
a responsibility to ensure that the person has the appropriate feedback from purchasers and users of your plant about injuries
training, education or experience to carry them out correctly. or any other problems with using the plant.
It’s likely that you also have employees, whose health and You need to make sure that any control you put in place does
safety will need to be protected. If you are an employer, you not create another risk or introduce new hazards.
should also read part 3 of this code.
The table on the next page presents some examples of design-
related MSD risks for plant, and shows how to control the
8. How to control the risk risks through safe design.
There are many ways of eliminating or reducing the risk of
MSD associated with the use of plant.
8.2 What information do I need to provide?
Some manual handling risks will be easy to control – a simple You must give purchasers and other users of your plant the
change might be all that’s needed to fix the problem. In other information they need to use the plant safely.
cases, you may need to use a number of different measures to
control the risk. Inform purchasers and other users about:
• any MSD hazards or risks that could not be designed out
The following sections explain how to "design out" the risk of
of the plant
MSD in plant, and tell you what information you should give
users of your plant so that they can use it safely. • using the plant safely, including how to operate, maintain,
clean and transport the plant without risking MSD

8.1 Design solutions for plant You could provide this information in user manuals, brochures
The safe design of plant can play a critical role in reducing or on the plant itself. Make sure that all the information you
the risk of MSD for users. When designing plant, consider all provide is accurate, clear and easy to understand.
phases of its life, including manufacture, cleaning and Information provided by the designer to the manufacturer should
servicing. be passed on to the supplier and then to the purchaser.
If practicable, trial a prototype of the plant in a range of Importers should obtain the information from their suppliers.
operating conditions and think about how the plant will be If you are an importer or a supplier and you can’t get this
used. Change any aspects of the design that increase the risk information from the designer or manufacturer, you should
of injury. obtain information from other sources or develop it yourself.

3 Practicable is defined in the Act and is explained on page 30 of this code.

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Design solutions for plant

Type of plant MSD risk Possible design solution

Road-making Repetitive or sustained twisting of the neck and • Design a swivel seat-mount together with
machinery body while reversing. This is caused by the seat two sets of controls, or controls that move
being fixed in a forward-facing position. with seat rotation.

Forklifts Sustained exposure to whole-body vibration • Install damping mechanisms in the seat,
transferred through the seat. cabin and vehicle suspension.
Repetitive or sustained bending of the neck and • Install visual aids such as mirrors or a video
back to see the work properly (for example, camera and screen.
continually looking up to place loads on high shelves).

Wrapping machines Strain on the lower back when handling heavy • Design the spindle to be adjustable. This
on process lines rolls of plastic wrapping in awkward and twisted allows the rolls to be loaded at a suitable
postures, often above shoulder height. This is caused height and orientation, and eliminates the
by inappropriate design and positioning of the roll need to lift them.
spindle and by restricted access.
• Design equipment to help employees load rolls.
• Locate the spindle in an accessible place
on the plant.
• Provide information about how to install the
plant in a way that allows adequate access.

Power drills Prolonged use of the forearm muscles and wrist • Design drills to be as light as possible.
caused by a heavy or poorly balanced drill.
• Design drills with the handle under the drill’s
centre of gravity.
Exposure to vibration or impact shock recoil from • Design plant to reduce shock and vibration.
hammer drills.
Excessive force needed to grip and control the tool • Provide a suitable way of holding the tool
to counter the effect of vibration and impact shocks. with both hands.

Pliers Pressure to the palm of the hand caused by handles • Design pliers with handles that extend
that are too short. beyond the palm.
Prolonged use of the forearm muscles and compression • Design pliers with bent handles so that the
of the wrist caused by using pliers with straight handles. user can maintain a straight wrist.

Crimping, clamping Excessive force with outstretched fingers required to • Design handles with a grip span of 10 cm
and cutting tools grip handles that are too wide apart. or less.

Chainsaws Excessive vibration. • Design to reduce vibration.

High force required to handle the chainsaw. • Design the chainsaw to be as light as
possible, and provide well-placed handles.

Chairs Poorly designed chairs that cannot be adjusted • Follow existing design guidelines for chairs,
provide little back support and cause employees to and consider how the chair will be used in
adopt poor postures and movements. the workplace.

Work-benches, Workstations that cannot be adjusted result in • Design workstations to be adjustable.

workstations and unnecessary reaching, bending and exertion of force.
other work surfaces • Alternatively, dimensions should suit as many
employees as possible and the type of work to
be undertaken.

Extrusion moulding Excessive force needed to release and remove heavy • Include lifting points and mechanical aids in the
machine dies. The die location may also cause employees to design to assist the insertion and removal of dies.
adopt poor postures and movements.

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PART 3 Duties of Employers

9. Introduction 10. Consulting your employees
If you are an employer, you have duties under the Regulations The Regulations require you to consult your employees’ health
to protect your employees from the risk of MSD. These duties and safety representatives, if practicable, when undertaking
extend to any contractors and their employees that you hire to hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control.
work for you.
It is also very useful to talk directly with your employees. By
The Regulations require you to: drawing on the experience, knowledge and ideas of your
• identify the tasks in your workplace that involve hazardous employees, you are more likely to develop effective risk controls
manual handling for your workplace.
• assess the risk of MSD associated with these tasks Consultation should take place as early as possible when
• eliminate the risk of MSD or, if this is not practicable, reduce planning to introduce new manual handling tasks or to change
the risk existing tasks.

If someone else is carrying out tasks on your behalf, you have Make sure that you give health and safety representatives
a responsibility to ensure that the person has the appropriate access to all relevant information, such as reports of MSD or
training, education or experience to carry them out correctly. manual handling incidents. And be sure to allow enough time
for health and safety representatives to talk with employees
This part of the code explains how to fulfill these duties. The and relay their concerns or ideas to you.
diagram below outlines the process of identification,
assessment and control: You should also consider the needs of employees who may
have trouble understanding English.4

1 2 3
Identify hazardous Assess risk Control risk
manual handling
• postures Eliminate or reduce risk by:
the tasks that could cause MSD • movements • altering the workplace or environmental conditions
• forces • altering the systems of work
• duration and frequency • changing the objects used
• environmental factors • using mechanical aids
• providing information, training and instruction (if the
above are not practicable)

Check that controls are working properly

CONSULT
health and safety representatives

4 Refer to the Code of Practice for Provision of Occupational Health and Safety Information in Languages other than English for guidance on providing
information, instruction and training in multilingual workplaces.

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11. Hazard identification

1 2 3
Identify hazardous Assess risk Control risk
manual handling
• postures Eliminate or reduce risk by:
the tasks that could cause MSD • movements • altering the workplace or environmental conditions
• forces • altering the systems of work
• duration and frequency • changing the objects used
• environmental factors • using mechanical aids
• providing information, training and instruction (if the
above are not practicable)

Check that controls are working properly

CONSULT
health and safety representatives

11.1 What is hazard identification? 11.2 What is hazardous manual handling?

Not all manual handling tasks are hazardous. Hazard Look at the manual handling tasks in your workplace to see
identification is a way of sifting through tasks to find out which whether they involve hazardous manual handling.
ones have the potential to cause MSD.
Hazardous manual handling means:
The Regulations require you to identify only those tasks that • manual handling that involves any of the following:
involve "hazardous manual handling". This is the first stage in
- repetitive or sustained application of force
the identification, assessment and control process.
- repetitive or sustained awkward posture
This section explains how, and in what circumstances, to - repetitive or sustained movement
identify hazardous manual handling. You can record your
- application of high force
findings on the hazard identification worksheet provided in
appendix 5. If you need further guidance, refer to the worked - exposure to sustained vibration
examples in appendix 4. • manual handling of live people or animals
• manual handling of loads that are unstable, unbalanced
or difficult to hold
Forces, postures, movements and vibration usually affect each
other. For example, more force has to be exerted to pick up a
load from the floor while bending over compared with picking
it up from a bench at thigh height. A vibrating hand-tool generally
requires more force to use than one that doesn’t vibrate. And
more effort is required to handle an object with the fingers
wide apart than when they’re closer together.
The features of hazardous manual handling are explained on
the following pages.

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Repetitive or sustained application of force

Repetitive application of force means using force repeatedly
over a period of time to move or support an object. For
example:
• lifting and stacking goods onto a pallet
• gripping and handling bricks when bricklaying
• using a nailgun to fix palings to a fence
• pressing a pedal or button to operate a power press Sawing requires the repetitive
• typing and other keyboard tasks application of force. Holding the
timber steady requires the sustained
application of force.

Handling bricks and a trowel while

bricklaying requires the repetitive
application of force.

Sustained application of force occurs when force is applied It takes the repetitive application
continually over a period of time. For example: of force to chop through this
meat. Holding the meat steady
• pushing or pulling a trolley around hospital wards requires the sustained
• holding down a trigger to operate a power tool application of force.

• supporting a plaster sheet while fixing it to a ceiling

• supporting a patient walking down a corridor
• continuing to hold a tool when not using it

Pushing the wheelbarrow across the plank

requires the sustained application of
force.

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Repetitive or sustained awkward posture

An awkward posture is one in which any part of the body is
in an uncomfortable or unnatural position.
Repetitive awkward postures include:
• reaching sideways to pick up goods from a conveyor belt Pushing and steering this trolley demands
sustained awkward postures (bending
and pack them and twisting the back and neck) and the
• picking up items from a conveyor belt and turning them sustained application of force (to move
the trolley).
over for inspection and packing

Sustained awkward postures include:

• crouching to service plant or a vehicle
• lying underneath a vehicle and reaching upwards to service
it
• kneeling while trowelling concrete or laying carpet
• leaning over a low bath while bathing a patient
• continually standing while operating a power press with
foot pedal controls Pouring from the bucket into the drum
requires a sustained awkward posture
of the back, neck and arms and the
sustained application of force (to hold
and pour).

The way this computer is set up

requires sustained awkward
postures (bending the back,
bending and twisting the neck
and bending the wrists).
When stacking these sheets, repetitive and sustained awkward
postures must be adopted (twisting and bending the back,
working with the arms outstretched, and bending and twisting
the wrists).

This writing task requires a sustained

awkward posture (prolonged
Pruning pot plants can involve a
bending of the back and neck).
sustained awkward posture
(bending the back) and the
repetitive application of force
(using shears).

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A heavily loaded trolley demands

the application of high force to
Repetitive or sustained movement move and steer it.
Repetitive or sustained movement means using the same parts
of the body to repeat similar movements over a period of
time.
Examples of tasks involving repetitive or sustained movement
include:
• painting
• lifting goods from a conveyor belt and packing them in a
carton
• typing and other keyboard tasks
• assembly work in manufacturing
• using a socket and ratchet or spanner to unscrew long bolts
Using tin snips can require the
application of high force. A bent
wrist and wide grip increase the
Repetitive movements of the fingers are required to open force that must be exerted.
these pliers because the tool has no return spring.
Repetitive use of pliers often requires awkward
movements and postures of the hand.

Exposure to sustained vibration

Vibration transferred from tools or machinery to the operator’s
Application of high force body can increase the risk of MSD.
Application of high force occurs in any task that either most Exposure to sustained vibration occurs in tasks such as:
people, or the employees likely to do the task, would find
• using impact wrenches, chainsaws, jackhammers,
difficult because of the effort it requires. For example:
grinders, drills or vibrating plates
• lifting or carrying a heavy object
• operating earth-moving plant
• pushing or pulling an object that is hard to move
• driving a tractor
• operating tools with squeeze grips that are too far apart
• throwing or catching objects
• lifting a heavy item from a high shelf The use of jackhammers and similar
tools involves exposure to sustained
Look out for any tasks that your employees describe as very hand-arm vibration.
physically demanding. If an employee needs help to do a
particular task, or if you have assigned
a stronger person to do the task, this
indicates that the task requires
the application of high force.

Seated operators of mobile plant can

be exposed to sustained whole-body
vibration.
Using a concrete saw requires the
application of high force and sustained
awkward postures of the back and neck.

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Handling of live people or animals Handling of loads that are unstable, unbalanced or
Handling of live people or animals is hazardous because difficult to hold
their movements can’t always be anticipated. Examples Loads that are unstable or unbalanced can move or change
include: shape suddenly, or are uneven and heavier on one side.
• assisting a rehabilitation patient to walk down a ramp Loads that are difficult to hold include loads that are very
into a swimming pool large, slippery, floppy, sharp, hot, cold, toxic or unpleasant.
• treating a panic-stricken animal in a veterinary clinic
For example:
• lifting a sack of flour
• carrying an open cooking pot full of soup
Staff must be prepared for unexpected • carrying a large sheet of plasterboard
movements when transferring a hospital
patient from bed to chair. They must also • carrying a laundry bag full of dirty linen
apply high force and adopt awkward
postures.

The ladder is an unstable load. If it tilts,

high force must be exerted to control it.

11.3 In what circumstances must I identify

hazardous manual handling?
Bathing a patient may involve
unexpected movements, the The Regulations require you to identify any task involving
application of high force and the hazardous manual handling that your employees do or are
adoption of awkward postures. going to do. This means you must identify all the existing and
proposed tasks in your workplace that involve hazardous
manual handling.
You must also identify hazardous manual handling whenever
changes occur in the workplace, such as when a new manual
handling task is introduced, different tools are used to do an
existing manual handling task, the task is relocated or other
changes are made to the way the task is done.
In addition, you must identify hazardous manual handling
whenever new information or reports of MSD are brought to
your attention. This could include when an employee raises
concerns about a manual handling task or reports pain or
discomfort, or when a health and safety representative reports
The application of high force may be required symptoms on behalf of an employee.
if the patient becomes unsteady. Supporting
the patient may require the sustained Remember to consult your employees’ health and safety
application of force and sustained awkward representatives, if practicable, when identifying hazardous
postures (twisting of the back and neck).
manual handling in your workplace. It’s also a good idea to
consult directly with your employees when you are planning
any changes to tasks in your workplace.

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11.4 Hazard identification for similar tasks Case Study: Pushing a trolley of metal
If a number of your employees do very similar tasks, the components
Regulations allow you to carry out hazard identification for
Stage 1: Identifying tasks that involve
these tasks as a class, instead of doing separate identifications hazardous manual handling
for each task. However, you may only carry out a class
Bob, Connie and Vinh each work 8 hours a day in the
identification if:
assembly section of a factory that produces metal
• all the tasks are sufficiently similar components. One of their jobs is to push a trolley
• doing a class identification does not expose any employee containing fully assembled components from the assembly
to a different risk than if individual identifications were area to the packing area 30 metres away. The trolley
carried out for each task must be pulled away from the bench, turned through 90
Examples of tasks that may be suitable for class identification degrees, and then pushed straight ahead to the packing
include: area. They do this every 20 minutes over the whole
shift.
• packing lines where similar products are packed at the
same rate, and employees working on the lines adopt Bob has just been diagnosed with MSD of the back.
similar postures and movements, and exert similar forces Connie recently told her health and safety representative
• checkout work in supermarkets where the checkout stations that she was experiencing constant shoulder and back
are of similar design and the work rates are similar pain. Vinh, however, is not suffering from any pain or
injury. The health and safety rep reported this information
• one or more building sites where the same type of powered
to the employer. The employer decided to look at all the
tool is used
tasks that Bob, Connie and Vinh do, to see whether they
• a contract cleaning company that uses the same type of involved hazardous manual handling.
vacuum cleaner or floor polisher in similar work areas,
such as offices or hospitals All three employees use similar strategies to do the task.
To move the trolley away from the bench, they grasp the
Other examples can be found on page 27 in the risk handle of the trolley and pull against it, using their whole
assessment section. body weight. To manoeuvre the trolley through 90
degrees, they push against the side of the handle – an
action they agree is difficult, even though the trolley has
swivel wheels. They bump their whole body weight into
the trolley to start it moving along the passage. To avoid
running into other employees and to stop at the packing
area, they pull hard backwards, against the momentum
of the trolley.

Does the task involve hazardous manual handling?

The employer and health and safety rep agreed that this
task involved the application of high force at various
times in the task. It also involved sustained application
of force to move the trolley to the packing area.

This case study will be used throughout the code to

demonstrate how the risk of MSD can be managed using
the identification, assessment and control process.

You’ve identified the tasks in your workplace that

involve hazardous manual handling. The next stage
is risk assessment.

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12. Risk assessment

1 2 3
Identify hazardous Assess risk Control risk
manual handling
• postures Eliminate or reduce risk by:
the tasks that could cause MSD • movements • altering the workplace or environmental conditions
• forces • altering the systems of work
• duration and frequency • changing the objects used
• environmental factors • using mechanical aids
• providing information, training and instruction (if the
above are not practicable)

Check that controls are working properly

CONSULT
health and safety representatives

12.1 What is risk assessment?

Once you’ve identified the tasks that involve hazardous manual The step-by-step guide on the following pages will help you
handling, the next stage is to work out if they are likely to assess these risk factors. Use one of the risk assessment
cause MSD. The Regulations call this process risk assessment. worksheets in appendix 5 to record any risks you find.
The purpose of risk assessment is to determine which hazardous When conducting the assessment, think about the sources of
manual handling tasks in your workplace pose a risk of MSD. any risks that are present in the task. For example, poor postures
and movements may be due to the layout of the workplace,
12.2 How do I carry out a risk assessment? high forces may be due to the objects being handled, and
the frequency and duration of the task may be due to systems
To assess whether a task involving hazardous manual handling
of work, limited staff numbers or increased work pace to
is likely to cause MSD, you need to examine the following
meet tight deadlines.
risk factors:
• the postures, movements and forces involved in the task Any possible sources of risk can be noted in the comments
section of the worksheet.
• the duration and frequency of the task
• environmental factors (heat, cold and vibration) that act You may also wish to refer to the worked examples in appendix
directly on the person carrying out the task 4 to see how risk assessment can be carried out in different
workplaces and for different tasks.
Remember to consult your employees’ health and safety
representatives, if practicable, when conducting a risk
assessment in your workplace.

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Step 1a: Does the task involve repetitive or • backward bending of the back more
sustained postures, movements or forces? than 5 degrees
Repetitive or sustained postures and movements
Different types of postures and movements can contribute to
MSD risks if they are repetitive or sustained. Generally, as the
pace of work increases, postures and movements become
more repetitive.

As a general guideline, repetitive means done more than

twice a minute, and sustained means held for more than 30
seconds at a time.

Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if the task

requires any of the following to be done more than twice a • bending the head forwards or sideways more than
minute or for more than 30 seconds at a time: 20 degrees

• bending the back forwards or sideways more than 20

degrees

• twisting the neck more than

20 degrees

• twisting the back more than 20 degrees

• bending the head backwards more

than 5 degrees

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• working with one or both hands above shoulder height • reaching behind the body

• reaching forwards or sideways more than 30 cm from

the body

• squatting, kneeling, crawling, lying, semi-lying or jumping

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 Code of Practice

• standing with most of the body’s weight on one leg Repetitive or sustained forces
• twisting, turning, grabbing, picking or wringing actions Forces can contribute to MSD risks if they are repetitive or
with the fingers, hands or arms sustained. Generally, as the pace of work increases, forces
• working with the fingers close together or wide apart become more repetitive.
• very fast movements
As a general guideline, repetitive means done more than twice
• excessive bending of the wrist – in each of the following a minute, and sustained means done for more than 30 seconds
pictures the shaded area represents excessive bending for at a time.
different tasks
Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if the task
requires any of the following to be done more than twice a
minute or for more than 30 seconds at a time:
Where the fingers and hands are not
applying high forces and the fingers are
fairly straight (for example, typing). • lifting or lowering
• carrying with one hand or one side
of the body
• exerting force with one hand or one
side of the body

Where the fingers are bent or applying

higher forces (for example, gripping).

• pushing, pulling or dragging

Where the wrist is bent to the side.

In the comments section of the risk assessment worksheet, note

any aspects of the task that are causing repetitive or sustained
postures or movements.

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 Code of Practice

• gripping with the fingers pinched together or held wide Step 1b: Does the task involve long duration?
apart You have examined the repetitive or sustained postures,
movements and forces that are present in the task. The next
step is to look at the duration of the task.
The duration of the task is how long the task is done for over a
whole shift or continually at any time during a shift.

Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if the task is

done for more than 2 hours over a whole shift or continually
for more than 30 minutes at a time.

In the comments section of the risk assessment worksheet, note

any aspects of the task that are causing it to be done for more
• exerting force while in an awkward posture than 2 hours over a whole shift or continually for more than
30 minutes at a time.
• holding, supporting or restraining any object,
person, animal or tool

In the comments section of the risk assessment worksheet,

note any aspects of the task that are causing repetitive or
sustained forces.

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 Code of Practice

Step 2: Does the task involve high force?

A manual handling task that involves high force is one that • throwing or catching
either most people, or the employees likely to do the task, • hitting or kicking
would find difficult because of the effort it requires. • holding, supporting or restraining a person, animal or
High forces can be MSD risks even if they are not repetitive or heavy object
sustained. This means that any task involving high force must • jumping while holding a load
be assessed as a risk, even if it is only done occasionally or • exerting force with the non-preferred hand
for short periods. The longer and more often high force is
• two or more people need to be assigned to handle a
applied, the greater the risk.
heavy or bulky load
Some high force tasks involve the whole body – for example, • during the application of high force, the body is in a bent,
lifting, lowering and carrying heavy weights. Other high force twisted or otherwise awkward posture
tasks involve only some parts of the body, such as the hands
and arms.

Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if the task

involves any of the following high force actions:

• lifting, lowering or carrying heavy loads

• applying uneven, fast or jerky forces during lifting, carrying,
pushing or pulling
• applying sudden or unexpected forces (for example, when
handling a person or animal)
• pushing or pulling objects that are hard to move or to stop
(for example, a trolley)
• using a finger-grip, a pinch-grip or an open-handed grip
to handle a heavy or large load The hitting action used to fit the hubcap involves high
force. The risk is increased because the task is done
• exerting force at the limit of the grip span while in an awkward posture.
• needing to use two hands to operate a tool designed for
one hand
Ask your employees whether they find the task difficult.

Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if any of the

following information is reported about the task:

• pain or significant discomfort during or after the task

• the task can only be done for short periods
• stronger employees are assigned to do the task
• employees think the task should be done by more than
one person, or seek help to do the task
• employees say the task is physically very strenuous or
These sacks of stock feed are heavy difficult to do
and floppy, making them difficult to
handle. High force is needed to grip In the comments section of the risk assessment worksheet, note
and move them.
any aspects of the task that are causing high force to be
exerted.

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 Code of Practice

Step 3: Is there a risk? Step 4: Are environmental factors increasing the

risk?
After completing steps 1 and 2, you can now decide whether If a manual handling task involves a risk of MSD, environmental
the task is a risk. factors can increase that risk. Environmental factors include
The task involves a risk of MSD if: vibration, heat and cold.

• you ticked yes in both step 1a and step 1b – the task Vibration
involves repetitive or sustained postures, movements or Employees can be exposed to two types of vibration: hand-
forces, and it involves long duration arm and whole-body.
(Now tick the first box under “Is there a risk?” on the risk Hand-arm vibration can occur when using vibrating tools or
assessment worksheet.) equipment such as:
OR • chainsaws and other mechanised saws
• impact tools, including jackhammers, vibrating plates,
• you ticked yes in step 2 – the task involves high force
chippers and pavement breakers
(Now tick the second box under “Is there a risk?” on the • digging tools, including spade and ditch diggers and
risk assessment worksheet.) small augers
• hand-tools, including pneumatic nut runners, impact
wrenches and grinders
• lawnmowers and brushcutters
Whole-body vibration occurs when the employee is seated
or standing in plant or equipment such as:
• tractors and heavy transport vehicles
• cranes, forklifts and road-making plant
• ride-on mowers and skid-steer loaders
Operating this kind of plant may also expose the employee
to hand-arm vibration if the controls of the plant are vibrating
as well.

Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if the task

involves exposure to either type of vibration.

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 Code of Practice

Heat and cold

Your employees will be at greater risk of MSD if they carry out Generally, the more boxes you tick on the risk assessment
the manual handling task while exposed to: worksheet, the greater the risk. Similarly, the more often
• high air temperatures (for example, in foundries, laundries, the task is done, or the longer it is done for, the greater
bakeries, kitchens, or working in hot weather) the risk.
• radiant heat (for example, from the sun or from processes Risk is also increased by the presence of environmental
such as smelting or plastics extrusion) factors, as outlined in step 4. In addition, a report of
• high humidity caused by processes such as steam cleaning MSD associated with the task usually indicates increased
or the weather risk.
• low temperatures (for example, in cool rooms, cold stores, It’s important to bear in mind that the above are general
or working outside in cold weather) guidelines only. Manual handling occurs in a wide range
Employees may also be at increased risk when: of tasks and workplace situations, and MSD may be
caused by a number of factors. For these reasons, some
• wearing heavy protective clothing while working in hot
employees may be at risk of MSD even when working
conditions
within these guidelines.
• wearing thick clothing that restricts movement while working
in cold conditions (for example, gloves) You must control any MSD risks that you have found.
Section 13 explains how to control the risks in your
• handling very cold or frozen objects
workplace.
• working in hot conditions if they are not used to it

Tick YES on the risk assessment worksheet if the work is

done in a hot or cold environment.

Any MSD risks associated with

this task are increased because
of the hot environment and the
protective clothing required.

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 Code of Practice

Risk assessment example 1 – Stacking boxes onto a Risk assessment example 2 – Word processing
pallet Ahmed’s job involves word processing at a computer. The
Sue picks up boxes from a conveyor and stacks them onto a papers he is reading from sit flat on the desk, requiring him to
pallet on the floor at the rate of 5 boxes every minute. Because bend and twist his neck more than 20 degrees to read them.
of the position of the conveyor and the pallet, Sue has to Because of reflections in the computer screen and an
bend and twist her back more than 20 degrees each time uncorrected visual problem, Ahmed juts his chin forwards and
she handles a box. She also has to reach forwards and bends his head backwards more than 5 degrees to read the
sideways more than 30 cm from the body to do the task. She screen. The height of the keyboard causes him to bend his
does this continually for 50 minutes. The task is done in a wrists backwards while typing. He spends about 4 to 5 hours
large, open warehouse near an outside loading bay. a day word processing and often works continually for more
than an hour at a time.
Step 1a Does the task involve repetitive or
sustained postures, movements or forces? Step 1a Does the task involve repetitive or
Yes. The task involves bending and twisting the back, and sustained postures, movements or forces?
reaching forwards or sideways more than 30 cm from the Yes. The task involves bending and twisting the neck, bending
body. The task requires these actions to be done more than the head backwards, and bending the wrists. All of these
twice a minute (that is, 5 times a minute). actions are done for more than 30 seconds at a time.

Step 1b Is the task done for more than 2 hours Step 1b Is the task done for more than 2 hours
over a whole shift or continually for more over a whole shift or continually for more
than 30 minutes at a time? than 30 minutes at a time?
Yes. The task is done continually for 50 minutes at a time. Yes. The task is done for 4 or 5 hours a day, and also for
more than 30 minutes at a time.
Step 2 Does the task involve high force?
No. Step 2 Does the task involve high force?
No.
Step 3 Is there a risk?
Yes. The task is assessed as a risk because it involves repetitive Step 3 Is there a risk?
and sustained postures and movements, and long duration Yes. The task is assessed as a risk because it involves repetitive
(yes in step 1a and 1b). and sustained postures and movements, and long duration
(yes in step 1a and 1b).
Step 4 Are environmental factors increasing the
risk? Step 4 Are environmental factors increasing the
Because the task is done near an outside loading bay, how risk?
hot or cold it gets depends on the weather. During hot and No.
cold weather, the risk will increase.

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 Code of Practice

Risk assessment example 3 – Cleaning rooms in a Step 2 Does the task involve high force?
hotel Yes. Damien has to move each bed away from its position in
Damien cleans 7 to 8 rooms in a hotel during a shift. The task the room to vacuum under it, and then move the bed back
involves vacuuming the room, cleaning the bathroom and again. Because the beds are hard to move, this task involves
making the beds. The beds are heavy, queen-sized beds, high force. Damien also has to bend and twist his back while
and must be pulled across the room for vacuuming. using high force to move the bed.

Step 1a Does the task involve repetitive or Step 3 Is there a risk?

sustained postures, movements or forces? Yes. The task is assessed as a risk because it involves repetitive
Yes. The task of cleaning the rooms requires the postures, and sustained postures, movements and forces, and long
movements and forces in the table below to be done more duration (yes in step 1a and 1b). It is also assessed as a risk
than twice a minute or for more than 30 seconds at a time. because it involves high force (yes in step 2).

Step 1b Is the task done for more than 2 hours over Step 4 Are environmental factors increasing the
a whole shift or continually for more than risk?
30 minutes at a time? No.
Yes. Damien cleans rooms for more than 2 hours a day.

Repetitive or sustained postures and movements Vacuuming Cleaning Making

the bathroom the beds
Bending the back forwards or sideways more than 20 degrees ✔ ✔ ✔

Twisting the back more than 20 degrees ✔ ✔ ✔

Backward bending of the back more than 5 degrees ✔

Working with one or both hands above shoulder height ✔

Reaching forwards or sideways more than 30 cm from the body ✔ ✔ ✔

Squatting, kneeling, crawling, lying, semi-lying or jumping ✔ ✔

Twisting, turning, grabbing, picking or wringing actions with the fingers, hands or arms ✔ ✔ ✔

Excessive bending of the wrist ✔ ✔ ✔

Repetitive or sustained forces Vacuuming Cleaning Making

the bathroom the beds
Exerting force with one hand or one side of the body ✔ ✔

Pushing, pulling or dragging ✔

Gripping with the fingers pinched together or held wide apart ✔

Exerting force while in an awkward posture ✔ ✔ ✔

Holding, supporting or restraining any object, person, animal or tool ✔

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 Code of Practice

12.3 Why are there no weight limits in this code? Risk assessment example 4 – Loading a roll of plastic
The muscular effort required to lift, lower or carry a load film on a wrapping machine
depends on more than just the weight of the object. It is also Jim operates a wrapping machine. Once in each shift, he fits
determined by the postures, movements, forces, frequency the machine with a new roll of wrapping film. To do this, he
and duration involved in the task. must pick up the roll of film, which weighs 22 kg, from the
floor, and lift it over a conveyor belt to its position at about
This means that even a relatively small weight may be difficult
to lift and require the application of high force. Therefore, it is head height on the wrapping machine. The only access is
from the front of the machine and Jim needs to twist to fit the
difficult to specify safe maximum weights that would apply to
roll. The diameter of the roll is 70 cm, and the width 30 cm,
different tasks, or even to similar tasks done under different
circumstances. making it too big to hold close to the body when lifting. Jim
finds the task very difficult and has tried to get assistance with
As muscular effort increases, more stress is placed on structures the lift, but there is no room for a second person to fit in front
in the body such as muscles, ligaments, joints and intervertebral of the machine because of the angle of the conveyor.
discs. The greater the effort and stress on the body, the greater
the risk of MSD. Step 1a Does the task involve repetitive or
To determine whether a particular lifting task involves a risk, sustained postures, movements or forces?
use the method set out in section 12.2. This takes into account No. It’s done once a shift and takes less than 30 seconds.
all the factors that contribute to risk, including weight.
Step 1b Is the task done for more than 2 hours
When assessing tasks involving lifting, lowering or carrying, over a whole shift or continually for more
bear in mind that, in general: than 30 minutes at a time?
• the bigger, heavier or bulkier the load, the greater the No.
effort required to handle it and the greater the risk
• the further the load is from the body, the greater the effort Step 2 Does the task involve high force?
required and the greater the risk Yes. The roll is heavy and has to be lifted from the floor while
• lifting that requires poor postures (as outlined in step 1a) bending forward. It must be positioned while in an awkward
puts more stress on the body and increases the risk and twisted posture, with the load at arm’s length and head
• the higher the load needs to be lifted, the greater the effort height. Access to the machine is blocked by the conveyor belt.
required and the greater the risk All employees who have performed this task find it very difficult
• as frequency and duration increase, so does the risk and strenuous.
• lifting or carrying a load with one hand or to one side of
the body puts more stress on the body than handling the Step 3 Is there a risk?
load with both hands Yes. The task is a risk because it involves high force.

Step 4 Are environmental factors increasing the

risk?
No.

It takes about three

times the effort to lift
a 4 kg load held
60 cm in front of the Lifting a 4 kg load held
body than it does to 60 cm in front of the
lift the same load body requires about the
20 cm in front of the same effort as lifting a
body. 12 kg load held 20 cm
in front of the body.

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 Code of Practice

12.4 Additional risk assessment methods Tasks such as stocking shelves in a warehouse may appear to
In most work situations, the risk assessment method in section be suitable for class assessment. But the postures, movements
12.2 will be sufficient to assess the risks of hazardous manual and forces required may differ significantly between work
handling. But in some circumstances, further assessment may areas because of differences in the layout of the workplace or
be required. the objects being handled. In such cases, you would need to
assess the tasks in each work area separately.
Appendix 3 explains when further assessment may be needed
and provides advice on additional risk assessment methods. If employees are very different in size and strength, a class
assessment would not be suitable, or these differences would
need to be taken into account in the class assessment.
12.5 Risk assessment for similar tasks
Differences in size and strength can mean that employees
If a number of your employees do very similar tasks that involve adopt different postures and movements to perform the same
hazardous manual handling, the Regulations allow you to task and can determine whether or not high force is involved.
assess these tasks together as a class, instead of assessing
each task individually. However, you may only do a class If you’re not sure whether a group of tasks can be covered by
assessment if: a class assessment, you should carry out individual assessments
for each task.
• all the tasks are sufficiently similar
• doing a class assessment does not expose any employee 12.6 When to review a risk assessment
to a different risk than if individual assessments were carried
A risk assessment previously carried out for a task involving
out for each task
hazardous manual handling may no longer adequately assess
How do I know when to do a class assessment? the risk of MSD. This may be because:
To be suitable for class assessment, tasks must involve similar: • the task has changed in some way
• postures and movements • new information about the task or the assessment may
• forces have come to your attention
• duration and frequency • a report of MSD associated with the task may have been
made
• environmental conditions
In these circumstances, the risk assessment should be reviewed
Consult your employees’ health and safety representatives, if
and, if necessary, revised. If the revised assessment shows a
practicable, when deciding whether particular tasks are suitable
different level of risk than that originally assessed, you will need
for class assessment. It’s also a good idea to talk to the
to review the original risk controls and alter them if necessary.
employees who do the tasks, as they will be able to tell you
how the tasks are similar or different.
12.7 Keeping records of risk assessments
Examples of tasks that may be suitable for class assessment are: If the risk assessment indicates a risk of MSD, you must keep
• daily cleaning and servicing of rooms in a hotel that are a record of the method used to assess the risk and the results
the same, and employees clean the same number of rooms of the assessment.
each day
A risk assessment record helps you to:
• a telephone call centre where the same work is done by a
• select and maintain appropriate risk controls
number of employees working similar shifts
• evaluate the effectiveness of these risk controls in subsequent
• employees picking the same fruit in an orchard or fruit farm
risk assessments
• a shearing shed where similar animals are being shorn
• avoid introducing tasks that may result in MSD
with the same equipment
• avoid unnecessarily assessing a task more than once
Other examples can be found on page 15 in the hazard
identification section. Appendix 5 contains sample worksheets that you can use to
record your assessment. You don’t have to use that format –
an alternative method may be used, so long as that method
fulfils the requirements of the Regulations.

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 Code of Practice

12.8 What if I have already done a risk Case Study: Pushing a trolley of metal
assessment under the 1988 Regulations? components
If you have already done any risk assessments for particular
Stage 2: Assessing the risk of MSD
tasks under the 1988 Regulations, you are considered to have
complied with the identification and assessment requirements After identifying the hazardous manual handling involved
of the current Regulations. in the task (see page 15), the employer and health and
safety representative assessed the risk. They followed
However, this is only the case if you: the steps in section 12.2 of the code, and recorded the
• assessed the risk of MSD occurring process on the risk assessment worksheet.
• performed the risk assessment in consultation with health The duration of the task was timed: Bob, Connie and
and safety representatives Vinh each took about 45 seconds to push the trolley
• took account of all the risk factors required by regulation 6 from the assembly area to the packing area. Because
of the 1988 Regulations the task was done only once every 20 minutes, the
This only applies to assessments of individual tasks, as there duration of the task did not pose a risk.
was no provision under the 1988 Regulations for class Since the task involved pushing an object that was hard
identifications or assessments. To check whether an assessment to move and stop, requiring the use of the whole body
done under the 1988 Regulations can be used as a class weight, the task was assessed as a risk because it
identification or assessment, refer to sections 11.4 and 12.5. involved high force.

Risk controls set in place under the 1988 Regulations Is there a risk?
You are considered to have complied with the current The employer and health and safety rep agreed that the
Regulations if you have set in place risk controls in accordance task posed a risk because of the high force involved.
with regulation 8 of the 1988 Regulations. The fact that two employees had reported symptoms and
MSD also indicated an increased risk.
Although the control of MSD risks was not a stated objective
of the 1988 Regulations, risk controls implemented in
accordance with those Regulations should eliminate or reduce,
as far as practicable, the risk of MSD occurring in your You’ve worked out which manual handling tasks in
workplace. your workplace are likely to cause MSD. The next stage
is risk control.
Recording of risk assessments under the 1988 Regulations
Under the current Regulations, you are required to record any
risk assessment done under the 1988 Regulations.
You must record the assessment to the extent reasonably
possible. For practical purposes, this means that you should:
• keep any existing records of assessments done under the
previous Regulations
• if records don’t exist, document previous risk assessments
if it is possible to do so (ordinarily, this would be if a risk
assessment had been carried out just before the current
Regulations came into operation)
• use other records (for example, health and safety committee
minutes or other reports) to help you if records of the
assessments are not available

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 Code of Practice

13. Risk control

1 2 3
Identify hazardous Assess risk Control risk
manual handling
• postures Eliminate or reduce risk by:
the tasks that could cause MSD • movements • altering the workplace or environmental conditions
• forces • altering the systems of work
• duration and frequency • changing the objects used
• environmental factors • using mechanical aids
• providing information, training and instruction (if the
above are not practicable)

Check that controls are working properly

CONSULT
health and safety representatives

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 Code of Practice

13.1 What is risk control? 13.3 Sources of risk

Risk control means implementing effective measures to eliminate To eliminate or reduce risks, you need to find the sources of
or reduce the risk of MSD. Under the Regulations, your primary risk for each of the risk factors assessed in section 12, and
duty is to eliminate any risk of MSD in your workplace. Where alter these sources of risk.
it is not practicable to eliminate the risk, you must reduce it as
In finding the sources of risk, it may be helpful to refer to any
far as practicable.
sketches, photographs or comments about the task that you
When controlling risks, make sure that you consult your added to the risk assessment worksheet.
employees’ health and safety representatives, if practicable.
Ask yourself, your employees and health and safety
If there is no health and safety representative, you should discuss
representatives questions such as:
risk control directly with your employees. Your employees are
likely to know which tasks could cause problems and may • What is causing employees to use awkward postures or
have some good ideas about how to improve the situation. movements? (for example, the layout of the workplace, a
workstation that cannot be adjusted, the position and type
of objects being handled, poor housekeeping or bad
13.2 What does practicable mean? lighting)
Practicable does not just mean the cost in dollar terms. • Why does such high force need to be used? (for example,
To determine what is practicable, you must take into account: the heavy weight of the object being handled, or a tool
• the severity of the hazard or risk with grips that are too large for most hands)
How likely is it that the manual handling task will result in • Why do employees have to do the task so often, or for so
MSD? How serious is the MSD likely to be, and how long? (for example, the work pace is too fast due to tight
many people could be affected? deadlines, or staff numbers are limited)
• the state of knowledge about that hazard or risk and • What is causing exposure to heat, cold or vibration? (for
any ways of removing or mitigating that hazard or risk example, a task is done too close to a furnace while
What is known about the hazards or MSD risks associated wearing protective clothing, or using a poorly maintained
with the task, and ways to control the risks? What do tool or plant with inadequate vibration damping
designers, manufacturers, importers or suppliers of plant mechanisms)
used in the task know about MSD risks and risk controls? The following sections explain more about sources of risk
What do workplaces dealing with similar hazards do to and how to alter them to eliminate or reduce the risk of MSD.
control the risk? What information can occupational health
and safety professionals, industry organisations, unions and
13.4 Can the manual handling task be eliminated?
government bodies provide?
Eliminating the manual handling task that creates the risk is
• the availability and suitability of ways to remove or the most effective way of protecting the safety of your
mitigate that hazard or risk employees.
Are the risk controls that you have identified readily
When thinking about how to control the risk of MSD, your
available? Are they suitable for the workplace, the task
first step should be to ask whether the manual handling is
and the employees involved?
really necessary. Is there another way of doing the job that
• the cost of removing or mitigating that hazard or risk doesn’t involve manual handling? Examples of elimination
include:
What are the costs of controlling the hazard or risk, now
and in the future? • implementing a "no lift" policy in the health and aged
care sector
• using pallet containers to dispense ingredients in food
manufacturing; this eliminates the need to manually lift
heavy bags of ingredients, such as flour
• outsourcing a task that you do manually to a company
that has the equipment to do the task mechanically (for
example, washing and sterilising returnable bottles to be
refilled with wine or soft drink)

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 Code of Practice

13.5 How to control the risk To eliminate or reduce bending movements and postures:
The Regulations set out a ranking of risk controls. First, you • change the work height by installing lift tables, self-adjusting
must use one or more of the following risk controls to eliminate work dispensers or similar mechanical aids
or reduce the risk of MSD: • make sure there’s enough space for the task to be done in
• alter your workplace, or the environmental conditions, an upright posture with objects close to the body
where the manual handling task is carried out • provide adjustable work levels
• alter the systems of work used to carry out the manual • lower the position of the employee, while leaving the work
handling task level unchanged
• change the objects used in the manual handling task • keep the objects and materials used in the task at work
• use mechanical aids level – don’t lower objects that will need to be lifted later
Second, if none of these controls are practicable, you can • align the object being worked on with normal wrist posture
use information, training or instruction in manual handling • design handles on objects, tools and controls to allow
techniques to control the risk. normal wrist postures
You must not rely solely or primarily on information, training or
instruction to control the risk, unless you can demonstrate that
the other risk controls are not practicable.
However, those risk controls may need to be supplemented
by information, training and instruction about the changes
made to the tasks. For some tasks, you may need to use several
risk controls to eliminate or reduce the risk of MSD.
The following pages explain these risk controls in more detail.
A risk control worksheet can be found in appendix 5. You
may also wish to refer to the worked examples in appendix 4
to see how risk controls can be developed for particular tasks
in different industries.

Alter the workplace

The electronically operated adjustment on this bed eliminates the need to
The physical features of the workplace can affect the way bend the back. Adjusting the height and angle of the bed reduces the
your employees work, and can increase the risk of MSD. need to adopt bent and twisted postures when attending to the patient.
Altering the workplace – including workplace layout,
workstation design and the working position of employees – To eliminate or reduce twisting movements and postures:
can eliminate or greatly reduce the risk.
• position all frequently used controls, equipment, materials
and tools in front of the employee
Workplace layout
Altering the workplace layout means changing the height and • provide sufficient work space for the employee’s whole
placement of plant, equipment, furniture and objects used in body to move and turn
the task, so as to eliminate or reduce the risk of MSD. Look at • allow clearance for the employee’s legs and feet
the layout of your workplace. What changes can be made to • provide adjustable swivel chairs for seated tasks
improve any postures, movements and forces that you identified
• make sure there’s enough room for the employee and any
in your risk assessment?
protective clothing, tools, objects and mechanical aids
that he or she needs for the job

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 Code of Practice

To eliminate or reduce reaching movements and postures:

• place the objects used in the task closer to the person
A self-adjusting base in the laundry tubs
• lower any items that are higher than the appropriate work reduces the need for bending, twisting
level and reaching during unloading.

• store items below shoulder height

• raise the employee closer to any objects that are out of
comfortable reach
• allow enough room for the employee to walk around the
load or object
• remove any barriers which prevent the object being
handled close to the body
To eliminate or reduce pushing, pulling, holding and carrying
movements and forces:
• relocate stores or stockpiles closer to where the items are
required Storing heavier and frequently used
items at waist level eliminates the
• locate the parts of the process closer together need for lifting from below mid-thigh
• use powered conveyors, slides, chutes or rollers to move or above shoulder height.
objects
• keep the work area free of obstacles
• provide clear, direct pathways for trolleys and other mobile
equipment, to minimise turning and sudden stops
• make sure that objects don’t need to be pushed, pulled or
carried up steps or ramps
• ensure that floor surfaces are clean and smooth

Before: The poor design and layout of this workplace required After: Raising the height of the scale and using a self-adjusting pallet
employees to stoop when lifting boxes from the bench to the scale, and lifter eliminates the need for stooping and bending, and reduces the
again when lifting them from the scale to the pallet. forces required to move the boxes.

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 Code of Practice

Workstation design
Design workstations so that employees can do most of their
work in an upright position with shoulders lowered and upper
arms close to the body. The working height and objects used
in the task should be roughly level with the employee’s elbows,
whether the work is done sitting or standing.
If the task involves close visual work or fine movements, the
work level may need to be higher. Arm support should be Adjusting the height and angle of the
drawing board reduces bending of the
provided if the arms must be kept raised when performing the neck and back and forward reaching. It
task. also provides support for the arms.

Different employees require different working heights. So it’s

best to use adjustable workstations to make the work height
suitable for the person and the task. If the workstation must be
shared regularly by different employees, ensure that its height
can be adjusted quickly and easily. You can also use fixed
work tables at different heights to cater for different employees
and different tasks.

The height and slope of the writing

surface have been set to eliminate
bent back and neck postures.

At this workstation designed for occasional

use, the keyboard and screen have been
set up to avoid stooping. (If the workstation
was used more often, a chair would need
to be provided.)

Before: A fixed work bench forces the taller employee to bend his back. After: Adjustable work heights allow the butchers to set the bench to suit
The shorter employee has to work with his arms raised. their height and task. Bending is reduced for the taller employee, and the
need to work with raised arms is minimised for the shorter employee.

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 Code of Practice

Working position For standing tasks:

For seated tasks: • provide a chair, stool or support so that the employee can
• the height and angle of the seat should be adjustable alternate between sitting and standing

• the chair should swivel • provide a footrest (large enough for the whole foot) to
allow the employee to stand with either foot raised
• the backrest should be shaped to support the spine, and
the height and angle of the backrest should be adjustable • where possible, provide a suitable floor covering to cushion
concrete and other hard floors
• the seat width and depth should accommodate a wide
range of users
• all edges should be rounded and the edge of the seat
should not press into the thighs Before: The employee can’t get close to the
work on the bench without bending and
• padding should be thick enough to provide comfortable reaching forward.
support
• the seat covering should allow air to circulate
• the chair must not tip or slip – a five-point base is the most
stable; castors should be used on carpet and glides should
be used on other surfaces
• provide a footrest to enable the employee to sit with the
feet supported

An adjustable chair helps reduce awkward After: Modifying the bench allows the
postures. The height and angle of the seat employee to get closer to the work,
and backrest should be adjustable. The reducing bending and reaching. A footrest
chair should also swivel. allows the employee to change posture.

To determine the most appropriate working position for

particular tasks, see the job design section on page 36.

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 Code of Practice

Alter the environmental conditions For employees working in cold conditions:

Environmental conditions include vibration, heat and cold, and • make sure that employees take regular rest breaks in a
other factors such as lighting and housekeeping. Altering these warm place
conditions can help eliminate or reduce MSD risks. • ensure that employees wear appropriate clothing that’s
not too bulky or restrictive
Vibration
• ensure that employees wear appropriate personal
To eliminate or reduce exposure to vibration:
protective equipment (for example, gloves should provide
• adjust any existing vibration damping mechanisms in
adequate protection from the cold and allow a good grip
mobile plant and vehicles
of the objects being handled)
• install a vibration isolating seat in plant such as cranes or
• ensure that employees wear non-slip footwear
tractors
• ensure that floors aren’t slippery
• replace or modify powered hand-tools that expose
employees to hand-arm vibration Lighting
• when purchasing plant such as mobile powered plant or Poor lighting can make employees adopt awkward postures
power tools, choose plant that operates with minimum and movements in order to do their work. For example, to see
vibration scratches and other imperfections on painted panels, an
• make sure that plant and tools are serviced regularly employee must bend down and twist his or her head to look
at the panels side-on.
• provide gloves to keep hands warm and dry if the work is
done in cold, wet conditions (this will help reduce the risk To improve lighting and visibility:
of vibration-induced MSD, which increases in cold, wet • provide additional lighting, such as a lamp on a movable
conditions, but will not protect against vibration as such) arm
If the vibration itself can’t be eliminated or reduced, minimise • improve the layout of existing lights by lowering or raising
your employees’ exposure to it by decreasing the time they them or changing their position in the work area
spend using vibrating plant and tools. Use job rotation, or do • increase or decrease the number of lights
the task in a different way that reduces vibration exposure. If
• change the diffusers or reflectors on existing lights
exposure can’t be reduced, it’s better if it occurs intermittently
during a shift rather than in one continual block. • change the lights to improve light levels or improve colour
perception
Working in heat and cold • change what is being looked at – for example, bring it
For employees working in hot conditions: closer to the eye, or change its orientation or position to
• reduce temperature and humidity where possible, by avoid shadows, glare or reflections
providing fans or air conditioning • clean lights and light fittings regularly
• use screens, awnings, and appropriate clothing to shield • use screens, visors, shields, hoods, curtains, blinds or
employees from radiant heat sources such as ovens, external louvres to reduce reflections, shadows and glare
furnaces and the sun
The eyesight of employees also needs to be considered. It’s
• relocate work away from sources of heat important that employees wear glasses if they need to, and
• enclose hot processes and increase ventilation to get rid that they have the right glasses for their work.
of steam and hot air
Housekeeping
• alter work schedules so that work is done at cooler times
Keeping work areas clean, tidy and free of clutter and obstacles
• provide opportunities for employees who are not used to can prevent unnecessary manual handling and help avoid
working in hot conditions to acclimatise awkward postures and movements.
• provide a cool, well-ventilated area where employees can
take rest breaks
• ensure that employees work at a sensible pace
• provide a supply of cool drinking water and encourage
employees to drink some regularly

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 Code of Practice

Alter the systems of work Team handling

Systems of work include job design, the pace and flow of the Team handling is manual handling of a load by two or more
work, and shift length. employees. It can reduce the forces required and improve
the postures and movements adopted by employees.
Job design However, team handling should not require employees to
Working position adopt awkward postures or movements as they attempt to
Determine the most appropriate working position by take account of the other people in the lift.
considering the tasks to be performed, the frequency and If tasks in your workplace involve team handling, ensure that:
duration of the tasks, and the objects, equipment and tools
• there are enough people in the team
required.
• one member is appointed to coordinate the task
A seated position is best for:
• the team members are of similar size and strength
• work that requires fine manipulation or accurate control or
• appropriate training is provided
placement of small objects
• team members have been trained together, wherever
• prolonged work in the same position
possible
• light manual work
Team handling should be used if more effective methods of
• close visual work that requires prolonged attention – for
reducing the forces needed to perform the task (such as
example, prolonged keyboard work, screen and display
mechanical aids) are not available. But be aware that team
monitoring, or electronic assembly
lifting may still involve MSD risks.
• work that involves operating a foot pedal
A standing position is best when:
• heavy or bulky loads are handled
How much can a team lift?
• forceful movements are used The capacity of the team in a team lift is less than the
• the task involves reaching sum of the individual capacities of the members of the
• movements away from the working position are frequent team.
• there is no knee room In most circumstances, the capacity of a team during a
• there is limited space lift is reduced by between 10 and 20 per cent for a two-
person lift and by more than that for a team of three or
Make sure that your employees perform tasks that allow a more.
variety of postures and movements, including a mixture of
sitting and standing tasks. Provide regular opportunities for
employees performing seated or standing tasks to vary their
postures and movements.

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 Code of Practice

Pace and flow of the work Organising the work flow

Try to organise the flow of work so that overload during peak
Setting work rates
periods is avoided. Where possible, use alternatives to
Set realistic work rates: allow for the physical demands of the
machine pacing, such as buffer systems. Examples of buffer
task and for differences between employees and variation
systems include:
over time. Employees should not have to work at a rate that is
at the limit of their capacity. • diverting items from a production line that is moving faster
than the employee’s comfortable rate, for the employee to
Allow enough time for new employees or employees returning process later
from a period of absence to build up to the required work
• locating items near the employee, to be processed when
rate. This is particularly important where the pace of work is
the production has slowed or stopped
beyond the employee’s control.
If machine-paced work can’t be avoided, provide your
Incentive and bonus schemes have the potential to create
employees with adequate breaks or other tasks that allow for
risks by increasing the frequency and duration of manual
a change of pace and posture.
handling tasks. Employees may need to work faster and for
longer periods without breaks in order to meet targets. Alter
Job rotation
the work rate to reduce how often or for how long a task is
Job rotation is a good way of avoiding prolonged exposure
done and control the risk.
to monotonous or repetitive work and reducing the risk of
MSD. Give your employees a range of tasks, each requiring
different postures, movements and forces. The frequency and
duration of the postures, movements and forces should also
vary.

Shift length
Shift rosters should take into account the physical demands of
manual handling tasks. Make sure your employees take
adequate breaks during shifts, and adequate time between
shifts, to rest and recuperate. Where employees work shifts
longer than 8 hours, the pace and duration of repetitive work
or sustained effort should be reviewed, and reduced where
necessary.

The work rate for high-volume production and processing

should not extend employees to their physical limits.

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 Code of Practice

Change the objects used in the task Modify the load being handled
Objects used in a manual handling task may include: To eliminate or reduce forces and awkward postures and
movements:
• the load being handled (such as packages, containers,
animals or people) • reduce the weight of the object
• tools and equipment used to do the task (such as hand-tools) • make the object less bulky or buy it in a smaller size, so
that its centre of gravity is closer to the person handling it
• plant used to carry out the task (such as mechanical aids
• change the shape or surface texture of the object to make
When controlling MSD risks, you need to think about the it easier to grip
shape, size and weight of objects used in the task.
• provide handles or other holding points on the object to
Talk to your suppliers about modifying the objects they supply help with gripping and to indicate the best way to lift it
to your workplace. Many of the changes outlined in this • make the surface of the object cleaner or cooler, make the
section may be able to be made by the supplier in response edges less sharp, or insulate the object so that it can be
to customer requests. These changes can have many benefits held against the body
and often cost little to introduce.
• ask your supplier about the weight of the package and
how to handle it safely
• tell the supplier how you want the object packaged
• design the object or package so that its contents won’t
shift unexpectedly while it is being moved, and the weight
is distributed as evenly as possible
• increase the weight of the object so that it can’t be handled
manually, and ensure that mechanical aids are available

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 Code of Practice

Modify the tools and equipment used Balancers and other tool supports
To eliminate or reduce forces required to grip and operate Tools can be suspended from balancers or tool supports to
hand tools, make sure that tools: reduce both the force needed to use them and the fatigue
• have grips that are suitable for the type of force and resulting from their repetitive and sustained use.
precision required, provide adequate friction in the grip Well-designed balancers and tool supports counteract the effect
and distribute gripping force evenly over the hand to avoid of gravity, reduce the effort of holding or supporting the tool,
concentrated pressure from sharp edges and minimise sudden twisting forces on the hand and arm
• can be used with either hand and will fit different-sized from the action of the tool. They also reduce the length of time
hands the tool needs to be held.
• minimise awkward postures of the hand, wrist and arm Mounting the tool – for example, in a drill stand – will eliminate
• have trigger forces that are as low as possible or reduce the need to hold the tool for long periods.
• do not require constant trigger operation, but have an
ON/OFF function
• minimise vibration transmitted to hands or other points of
contact with the body
• are as light as possible
• are well balanced so that they don’t exert additional forces
on the hand, arm or wrist

Before: Excessive bending of the

wrist is required to use the tool.
An overhead suspension
aid reduces the forces
required to use the iron.

Maintenance
Regular maintenance and service of equipment and tools, in
accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications, can reduce
the force required to operate them. Mechanical aids and
equipment introduced as a component of risk control are more
After: Modifying the tool eliminates the likely to be used for the task if they work properly.
awkward wrist posture.
Keep tool grips in good condition so that gripping forces are
reduced and damaged grips do not concentrate pressure on
one part of the hand. Maintenance also includes sharpening
cutting tools such as saws, chisels and butchers’ knives.

Powered hand tools with no locking

switch require sustained application
of force on the trigger. A locking
switch eliminates the need to
maintain force on the trigger and
allows a better grip.

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 Code of Practice

Provide mechanical aids

Mechanical aids can control the risk of MSD by reducing the
forces needed to perform manual handling tasks and improving Using a shower trolley eliminates
the postures and movements required to do these tasks. many of the risks associated with
bathing patients.
In most cases, mechanical handling equipment supports the
object completely and eliminates the need to hold or carry it.
Some equipment carries most of the weight but requires the
employee to balance the object. Other aids only support part
of the object’s weight.
To be effective, mechanical aids must:
• be easy to use and not obstruct employees’ work
• be designed to suit the load and the task
• have adequate space for use and storage when not in use
• be readily available when required
• be used by employees who have been trained in how to
use them
• not create a risk of MSD through their use
• be used in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions
• be well maintained and serviced regularly
The design, installation and use of some mechanical aids is
subject to the Occupational Health and Safety (Plant)
A powered pallet-lifter eliminates the
Regulations 1995 and the Occupational Health and Safety
high forces and awkward postures
(Certification of Plant Users and Operators) Regulations 1995. needed to move unpowered pallet-
lifters. It also eliminates the need to
Mechanical aids and equipment may be simple (for example, bend down to lift stock.
levers, winches or trolleys) or more complex (for example,
cranes, hoists or vacuum lifts).

A trolley can eliminate many of

the risks involved in manual
handling.

A simple trolley removes the need to reach into the

cupboard and lift the container while in a bent and
awkward posture.

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 Code of Practice

Mechanical aids also include devices such as:

• slings and straps used in furniture removal to transfer some
A vacuum-operated lifting of the load from the arms to the trunk and legs and to
device can reduce the forces enable the load to be brought closer to the body
and awkward postures and
movements required to palletise • arm slings and other body supports for tasks such as
products manually. electronic assembly or shearing
• back harnesses for carrying vacuum cleaners
• backpacks for carrying loads, which bring the load closer
to the body and transfer the load from the hands and arms
to the trunk
• tool belts, which reduce the need for bending and reaching
to pick up tools, and eliminate the need to hold tools when
they’re not being used

Can back braces and back belts help control the risk of
MSD?
Many people believe that devices such as back braces
or back belts can prevent MSD. Sometimes these devices
are used by health professionals as a rehabilitation aid
for patients recovering from back injuries or similar
problems.
However, scientific studies have been unable to confirm
whether these devices can eliminate or reduce risks and
prevent MSD.
For this reason, back belts and similar devices are not
considered to be mechanical aids, and are not a valid
risk control.
Using mechanical equipment, such
as overhead cranes, to lift and move
very heavy objects eliminates the
need to apply high force.

A wheeled lever used to remove and replace a

very heavy pit cover eliminates the high forces and
bent postures involved in handling it manually.

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 Code of Practice

Provide information, training or instruction in manual 13.6 Putting risk controls in place
handling techniques You must now decide which of the risk controls you have
Information, training and instruction of employees in manual considered are practicable. (Practicable is defined in the Act
handling techniques must not be used as the sole or primary and is explained on page 30 of this code.)
means to control the risk of MSD.
You may need to use several measures to control the risk of
You can only use information, training and instruction as the MSD in your workplace. Consult your employees’ health and
main way to control risk if you can show that it’s not safety representatives, if practicable, in making these decisions.
practicable to control the risk by altering your workplace, It’s also a good idea to consult other employees.
the systems of work or the objects used in the task, or by
Some changes can be made straight away, such as altering
providing mechanical aids.
rosters to increase staffing levels for a task, or raising objects
Adopting good workplace and job design is the most by using more pallets. Other changes, such as ordering new
effective way to control MSD risks. But training in manual stock in smaller containers, trialling and purchasing an
handling techniques, or how to perform a task properly, can appropriate mechanical aid, or designing and installing a
be an important way to help reduce risk. conveyor system, may take longer to put in place.
The technique must be specific, designed for the task and If risk controls can’t be implemented immediately, train your
the workplace where it will be used. When training an employees in specific manual handling techniques to reduce
employee in a specific manual handling technique, make the risk until you can make these changes.
sure that he or she:
It’s advisable to record your risk control decisions and the
• understands the reasons for doing the task in a particular agreed times by which actions are to be completed. Make
way sure that all relevant people know who will be responsible for
• can recognise the risks and decide the best way to do implementing the change. You can use the worksheet in
the task appendix 5 to document your risk controls.
• can do the task properly and can practise the technique It may be necessary to trial risk controls before making them
before being required to use it permanent. Some ideas for risk control may look promising,
• is properly supervised when the task is being carried out but don’t work so well in practice. Consult your employees’
You should assess the techniques that your employees are health and safety representatives, if practicable, about the
using, and provide refresher training as required. This is effectiveness of risk controls.
particularly important for tasks that are not done very often.
13.7 Reviewing risk controls
Training in specific lifting techniques is often used to address
Once risk controls have been put in place, check that they
the danger of lifting heavy objects. But repetitive lifting may
have been implemented correctly and monitor their
pose a risk, irrespective of which technique is used. This is
effectiveness. Have your risk controls eliminated or reduced
why training alone is not an effective risk control. Rather
the risk of MSD, without creating other risks?
than relying on safe worker behaviour, it is far better to make
the workplace safer by reducing the risk of the task itself. Provide your employees with information, training and
instruction on working with the new risk controls, on the reasons
See appendix 2 for more about information, training and
they were introduced, and on any hazards or risks not yet
instruction.
controlled.
Make sure that any equipment or aids used in manual handling,
whether existing or introduced as a component of risk control,
are properly maintained.

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 Code of Practice

Case Study: Pushing a trolley of metal Alter the systems of work:

components • rotate the trolley-pushing task between a number of
employees on each shift, to reduce the frequency of
Stage 3: Selecting risk controls
pushing for Bob, Connie and Vinh (reduces cumulative
The risk assessment showed that the task involved a risk
risk for Bob, Connie and Vinh, but not for the employee
due to the high force needed to move the trolley (see page
carrying out the task each time)
28). The employer now has to decide how to eliminate or
reduce the risk as far as practicable. • make another person available to help Bob, Connie
and Vinh push the trolley (reduce)
Using the notes and sketch on the risk assessment worksheet,
• redesign the task so that the trolley does not have to be
the employer and the health and safety rep identified a
turned through 90 degrees at the start of the push (reduce)
number of sources of risk:
Change the objects used in the manual handling task:
Workplace layout:
• install brakes on the trolley to reduce the force needed
• the long distance between the assembly area and the
to stop it (reduce)
packing area (30 metres)
• reduce the weight of the trolley by halving the number
• the trolley is positioned next to the bench in a way that
of components placed on the trolley (reduce)
requires it to be turned when fully loaded
• increase the diameter of the wheels on the trolley to
• other employees also use the corridor where the trolley
reduce the force needed to push it (reduce)
needs to be pushed
• some rough floor surfaces Use mechanical aids:
• install a conveyor between the assembly area and the
Systems of work:
packing area (eliminates pushing, as well as the need
• the same employee does this task throughout the shift to lift components off the conveyor where the trolley is
loaded and to unload the trolley at the packing area)
Nature of the object:
• use an electric tug, pedestrian forklift or other powered
• trolley is heavy and fully loaded, carrying a total load
device to move the trolley from the assembly area to the
of 264 kg
packing area (reduce)
• the trolley has no brakes and must be stopped manually
Then, risk controls were selected by applying the
The employer and the health and safety rep then considered practicability test:
a number of risk controls, thinking about how to eliminate
or reduce the risk: Severity of the hazard or risk:
Because the task involves the application of high force,
Alter the workplace:
any employee assigned to this task is very likely to develop
• change the workplace layout so that the assembly area an MSD. Bob has already been diagnosed with MSD,
is closer to the packing area (reduce) and Connie’s report of ongoing pain indicates that she
may also be suffering from MSD of the back.
Alter the environmental conditions:
• improve floor surfaces (reduce)

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 Code of Practice

State of knowledge: Cost of eliminating or reducing the hazard or risk:

The costs of installing the conveyor are substantial, but the
The employer contacted a competitor and found that she
benefits would be high, as the task of pushing the trolley
had introduced a conveyor because employees performing
(and therefore the risks associated with it) would be
a similar task were reporting similar symptoms. As a result
eliminated. In addition, installing a conveyor would
of the use of trolleys, the company has had two expensive
eliminate the risks involved in loading and unloading the
WorkCover claims. (On average, MSD of the back is more
trolley, and relieve congestion in the corridor. The floor
severe and costly than other types of MSD.)
would not have to be altered.
Availability and suitability of ways of eliminating or The costs of changing the workplace layout are also
reducing the hazard or risk: considerable, though less than installing a conveyor. The
Altering the workplace by installing a conveyor is the most risk would not be reduced substantially – even though the
effective way to control the risk. A conveyor has the added trolley would not have to be pushed as far, high forces
benefit of eliminating the need to load and unload the would still be needed to start and stop it. The trolley would
trolley – tasks that are also likely to involve MSD risks. still need to be loaded and unloaded, and these tasks are
likely to pose a risk of MSD. Changes to the floor and staff
However, the employer had been told by other employers
rotation would still need to be made. So the cost would be
in the same industry that the plant had to be ordered from
reduced, but so would the benefits.
overseas and took 3 to 4 months to arrive. He spoke to the
available suppliers, who confirmed that the conveyor would Changes to the systems of work, including changes to work
not be available immediately. practices, could also reduce the risk. Changing rotation
rosters would reduce the overall risk for the three employees
Changing the workplace layout, including smoothing the
involved; however, other employees would also be at risk.
concrete floor, together with changing the systems of work
Assistance with pushing would result in reduced force, but
would reduce the risk substantially but would not eliminate
would interrupt other work. The direct cost is negligible
it. The employer found that both of these changes were
and such changes could be implemented immediately until
available and were used in the industry, but each would
the structural changes are made.
take some time to set in place fully in this workplace.
In the meantime, the systems of work could be altered to The risk controls chosen:
reduce the force needed to turn, steer and brake the trolley. The employer and the health and safety rep agreed that
The position of the trolley at the assembly area could be the best solution was to modify the conveyor and extend it
changed, and the load reduced. Cracks in the floor surface to the packing line, since this will also control a number of
could be filled to further reduce the force required to push other risks. Implementing this risk control will take 3 to 4
the trolley. The task could also be shared by two employees months.
pushing together, so that each has to exert less force. These
Until the conveyor can be set in place, interim risk controls
intermediate solutions could be implemented quickly and
will be used. These can be introduced immediately, and
easily.
include allocating another employee to assist Bob, Connie
and Vinh, halving the loads and redesigning the job so
that the trolley doesn’t need to be turned when fully loaded.

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 Code of Practice

PART 4 Duties of Employees

As an employee, you have a responsibility to work safely. To

ensure that you do, the Regulations require you to cooperate
with your employer’s actions to identify tasks involving
hazardous manual handling and to assess and control the
risk of MSD in your workplace.
You have a duty to:
• participate in hazard identification, risk assessment and
risk control if your employer asks you to
• follow any information, training and instruction you have
received
• use the risk controls that have been provided by your
employer
You should also help make your workplace safe by
participating in the consultation process between your health
and safety representative and your employer.
If you have any concerns about your work, let your health
and safety representative or your employer know.

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 Code of Practice

Appendix 1 What is a code of practice?

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985 (the Act) What is their legal status?
empowers the Minister to approve codes of practice. The provisions in a code are not mandatory. That is, a person
may choose to comply with the relevant provision of the Act or
What are they? Regulations in some other way, provided that the method used
An approved code of practice gives practical guidance on also fulfils the requirements of the Act or Regulations. A person
how to comply with a general duty under the Act or a specific or company cannot be prosecuted simply for failing to comply
duty under the Regulations. Compliance with the provisions with an approved code of practice.
of an approved code of practice, where relevant, may
However, in legal proceedings, failure to observe a relevant
constitute compliance with the provisions of the Act or
approved code of practice can be used as evidence that a
Regulations on which the code is giving practical guidance.
person or company has contravened or failed to comply with
Generally, an approved code of practice contains various the provisions of the Act or Regulations. If a person has not
courses of action which are designed to achieve health and adopted the method described in the code, it is up to that
safety standards required by the Act or Regulations. Codes person to show that the legal requirement has been met by an
usually contain a number of options for meeting standards. alternative method. Therefore, an approved code of practice
should be followed, unless there is an alternative course of
Who do they apply to? action that would also fulfil the requirements of the Act or
Codes of practice may be written to provide practical guidance Regulations.
for any person placed under obligation by the Act or its A WorkCover inspector may cite an approved code of
Regulations, for example, employers, manufacturers and practice as a means of remedying alleged non-compliance
employees. when issuing an improvement notice or a prohibition notice.
Each approved code of practice will state the persons for Similarly, a health and safety representative may cite an
whom the guidance is intended. approved code of practice in a provisional improvement
notice when providing directions as to how to remedy an
alleged non-compliance.

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 Code of Practice

Appendix 2 Information, instruction and training

Why are information, instruction and training What type of information, instruction and
necessary? training needs to be provided?
Section 21(2)(e) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act The type of information, instruction and training required will
1985 requires employers to provide sufficient information, depend on the manual handling tasks being considered, and
instruction and training to their employees to enable them to the hazards and risks associated with those tasks. It will also
work safely and without risking their health. depend on the way the work is done, the measures required
to control the risk and how much employees already know
Information, instruction and training are necessary to ensure
about manual handling and MSD risks.
that employees know how to do their jobs safely and can
follow health and safety procedures. It should help them to Training should help employees to understand:
understand the nature of hazardous manual handling, the risks • what sort of manual handling is hazardous
associated with tasks involving hazardous manual handling,
• how hazardous manual handling affects the body and
and the reasons why risk controls have been set in place and
what factors can increase the risk of MSD
how to use them.
• how MSD can be prevented
Who should receive information, instruction • the measures in place to control the risk of MSD
and training? • how to select and use appropriate manual handling
Employees who require information, instruction and training techniques
include those who: • how to use risk controls such as mechanical aids and safe
• carry out manual handling tasks, as well as their health systems of work
and safety representatives, managers and supervisors Those responsible for selecting and purchasing tools or
• select and purchase tools and equipment to be used in equipment or for designing or organising manual handling
manual handling tasks tasks should be given additional information and training.
• design manual handling tasks or systems of work, or the This training should outline the design of safe tools and
layout of a workplace where manual handling is carried equipment and explain how to set up manual handling tasks
out in a way that controls the risk of MSD.
• are involved in identifying hazardous manual handling,
and the assessment and control of MSD risks

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 Code of Practice

Appendix 3 Further advice on risk assessment and risk control

In some situations, further advice and guidance on assessment For further advice and guidance, contact:
of manual handling risks and risk control may be helpful. • health and safety consultants – see under “Occupational
These may be situations such as: Health and Safety” in the Yellow Pages or access the
WorkCover External Consultants Directory by contacting
• there is disagreement about the results of a risk assessment
your local WorkCover office or the WorkCover Advisory
• significant costs may be involved in controlling risks Service (numbers are listed at the back of this code)
• more information is needed to prioritise risks • industry groups, employer associations or unions
• more information is needed to choose between risk controls • WorkCover field officers – contact your local WorkCover
• there is a need to assess the extent to which risks will be office
controlled by risk controls • your WorkCover agent
• there is a need to assess the extent to which risks will be • email WorkCover on –
altered by workplace changes manual_handling@workcover.vic.gov.au
• designing and setting up new jobs and tasks • visit the WorkCover website at –
• setting up new workstations and work areas www.workcover.vic.gov.au
In these situations, advice and guidance may help resolve the
situation.

In addition, other methods for assessing risks and helping to

determine risk controls may be helpful. Some of these methods
are described in the table on the next page.
When thinking about using any of these methods, it is important
to note that:
• the assessment method described in section 12.2 should
be done before using any of the methods described in
this appendix
• each method is limited in the types of manual handling
tasks and risks it can assess
• most methods require the involvement of an appropriately
competent person in their use or in the interpretation of
their results
• some methods require specialist equipment
• the method should be appropriate to the task and provide
the information required
• any costs of using the method (such as time, equipment,
consultants’ fees, interruption to work processes) should
be outweighed by the benefits of the information obtained
• as the state of knowledge about manual handling and
MSD is continually developing, along with methods to
identify hazards and assess risks, in the future the methods
in the table may be altered or superseded by improved
methods

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 Code of Practice

Further risk assessment methods

Method Uses and applications Limitations, equipment More information
and skill requirements
University of Michigan Assessment of force: Requires: The Regents of the University of
3 Dimensional Static Strength pushing, pulling, lifting, • photos or videos of work Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
Prediction Computer Software lowering, turning. postures, measurement of Tel: 1 734 764 1817
OR forces and weights www.umich.edu
University of Michigan Design and modification of • a computer with the capacity
2 Dimensional Static Strength tasks, workstations and objects to run the software
Prediction Computer Software being handled.
• competency in occupational
Can be used to predict the biomechanics
effects of risk controls.

1991 NIOSH Lifting Equation Assesses lifting and lowering tasks. Requires: • WorkCover Guidance Note – 1991
(National Institute of • basic task measurements and NIOSH Lifting Equation (GN3/98)
Occupational Safety and Predicts maximum acceptable information such as weights, • USA National Institute of Occupational
Health – USA) weight for lifting and lowering distances, frequency, duration Safety and Health
tasks. www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html
• no special equipment Lifting Equation:
Predicts the effects of risk controls. www.cdc.gov/niosh/94.110.html
• training in use and interpretation Tel: 1 513 533 8328
of results Tel: 1 513 533 8471

Only applicable to specific lifting

and lowering tasks.

Snook and Ciriello’s Tables Similar to 1991 NIOSH Requires: Snook and Ciriello, “The design of manual
of Maximum Acceptable Lifting Equation but also • measurement of weights, handling tasks: revised tables of maximum
Weights and Forces assesses pushing, pulling distances, pushing and acceptable weights and forces”, in Ergonomics,
and carrying tasks. pulling forces, frequency and 1991, vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 1197–1213
duration of task
Predicts the effects of risk controls. • training in use and interpretation

OWAS Assesses postures, forces Requires: • Karhu et al., “Observing working postures
(Ovako Working posture and task duration. • direct observation or video of task in industry: examples of OWAS application”,
Analysing System) Applied Ergonomics, 1981, vol. 12, no.1,
Applicable to a wide • training in use and interpretation pp. 13–17
range of manual handling
tasks involving the whole body. • OWAS Assist, WorkSafe Australia
GPO Box 58, Sydney

RULA (Rapid Upper Used to assess repetitive tasks Requires: • McAtamney and Corlett, “RULA: a survey
Limb Assessment) mainly involving the upper body: • direct observation or video of task method for the investigation of work-related
neck, back,wrists, arms. Looks at upper limb disorders”, Applied Ergonomics,
postures, frequency, duration and • training in use and interpretation 1993, vol. 24 no. 2, pp. 91–99.
forces.

Similar to OWAS.

FWAP (Fine-detailed Used to assess repetitive tasks Requires: • Farrell, “Selectively detailed analysis of work
Work Action and involving the upper body. • direct observation of task actions and posture”, Work, 1992, vol. 2,
Posture) (plus video – optional) no. 3, pp 50–63
Looks at postures, forces, • training in use and interpretation • FWAP for Windows Pioneer Development
actions, holding and control, and Research PO Box 1470, Box Hill,
frequency and duration. Suited to operations engineers, Victoria 3128
occupational health professionals Ph/Fax 9803 7487
or those working with them.

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 Code of Practice

Appendix 4 Worked examples

The worked examples in this appendix show how hazard In order to have a record of their assessment, they complete
identification, risk assessment and risk control can be applied the risk assessment worksheet for each handling task they
to manual handling tasks in a range of industries. examine.
Using the worksheet, the team finds a number of repetitive
Example 1 – Health industry and sustained postures, movements and forces present in the
Handling of non-ambulatory residents in a tasks. How often these occur and how long they are sustained
for varies considerably between different tasks and different
nursing home for the elderly
employees.

Hazard identification They also determine that high force is common to most tasks.
At a meeting of the nursing home’s health and safety committee, This means that there are MSD risks involved in most tasks
a health and safety representative raises the issue of manual and risk control is required. For tasks involving high forces,
handling. The health and safety rep is particularly concerned the risk of a staff member incurring MSD will increase as the
about tasks that involve the handling of non-ambulatory number of tasks they are required to do increases.
residents.
On each risk assessment worksheet, the team also comments
The committee agrees that these tasks involve hazardous on possible sources of risk. These include:
manual handling because they require: • the weight of the resident
• repetitive or sustained application of force • the resident’s ability to cooperate with staff during a
• repetitive or sustained awkward postures handling task
• repetitive or sustained movements • the availability of mechanical aids (some areas don’t have
• application of high force aids at all, some aids are not used because they don’t
• handling of live people work very well, and some aids are kept well away from
where handling occurs and staff find it inefficient to get
As no risk assessment of these handling tasks has been done the aid and return it later because of time pressures)
before, the committee agrees to do a risk assessment of the
• the layout and set-up of some of the rooms (some bathrooms
tasks.
and toilets are too small to use aids in, and some doorways
into residents’ rooms are too small for the aid to pass
Risk assessment through)
A manual handling risk assessment team is formed, comprising • the fact that the nursing home employs a lot of casual
an employer representative (a charge nurse) and two health agency staff (who may be unaware of existing resident
and safety representatives (a nurse and a patient services handling procedures, may not know how to use lifting
assistant). The team gets together at various times over the aids and may not be aware of some resident care plans
next two weeks and observes a range of resident handling and so don’t know what level of cooperation they can
tasks, following the guidance in the risk assessment section of expect from a resident during a handling task)
the code.
Although they don’t examine every handling situation that can
take place, they use their knowledge and experience to ensure
they cover the full range of handling tasks that are done in the
nursing home. The handling tasks they examine include:
• bathing and toileting
• turning residents in bed
• dressing and undressing
• assisting residents to sit up and lie down in bed
• transfering residents from the bed to a chair or wheelchair
and back again

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 Code of Practice

Risk control Alter the objects used in the task

From their notes, the team identifies those features of the task • use wheelchairs with removable sides, and wheels and a
that are the sources of risk: back that do not obstruct the lift; make sure the wheelchair
• the inherent nature of the task can be easily and securely braked during the transfer
• the layout of the work area sometimes forces staff into • make sure the height of the beds is easily adjustable
awkward postures Provide mechanical aids
• the different sizes, shapes, weights and conditions of the • make sure a hoist or other suitable aids are used for transfers
residents
• poor wheelchair design – the sides can’t be removed or Provide information, training or instruction in manual
the resident needs to be lifted over the wheel handling techniques
• the height of some beds can’t be adjusted • provide additional training on appropriate handling
techniques and the use of mobility charts
• the different sizes and physical strengths of staff members
• the time taken to carry out the transfer can depend on the The team reports back to the health and safety committee,
skills of staff members who then considers the practicability of the options, and
• the different lifting techniques that are used decides what controls will be implemented and when. The
committee works out a risk control plan using the risk control
• time pressures on staff prevent proper set-up for the lift,
worksheet.
such as adjusting the bed height or getting extra assistance
• poor work organisation and inadequate staffing levels
increase the number of transfers each staff member has to
do in a shift, and restrict the number of staff available to
perform a transfer
Risk controls need to reduce or eliminate the risk factors
identified in the risk assessment by modifying the sources of
risk. Keeping this in mind, the team then develop the following
risk control options:

Alter the workplace or environmental conditions

• ensure clear access around the bed for staff members and
wheelchairs

Alter the systems of work

• ensure that enough staff are available for transfers
• change the transfer to a sliding transfer rather than a lift
• institute a "no lift" program
• use mobility charts to assess patients, and display the charts
properly

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 Code of Practice

Example 2 – Local government

Using a jackhammer to break up pavement • applying unexpected forces when the jackhammer breaks
through concrete
Hazard identification • supporting a heavy object
Joe uses a jackhammer to break up pavement, working for • exerting high force while in an awkward posture (the
around 8 hours each day. jackhammer is heavy, and needs to be lifted off the truck
Using the hazard identification worksheet, the works supervisor tray at arm’s length)
and health and safety representative agree that the task involves Joe tells his supervisor that he experiences some pain when
hazardous manual handling because Joe: jackhammering, that he can only do the job for short periods
• is exposed to sustained vibration at a time, and that he sometimes gets another employee to
• repeatedly uses sustained force to operate the jackhammer help him lift the jackhammer onto the truck.

• applies high force to reposition the jackhammer when it The supervisor and health and safety rep agree that the task
becomes stuck, and to lift the jackhammer onto and off involves risks and that risk controls are needed.
the truck
Environmental factors
• handles an unbalanced load, because the weight of the
• Joe is subjected to prolonged hand-arm vibration
jackhammer is unevenly distributed
• because the task is done outdoors, Joe is sometimes
exposed to hot, humid, wet or cold conditions
Risk assessment
• Joe needs to wear heavy protective clothing while working
Joe’s supervisor and health and safety rep have a closer look
in hot or cold conditions
at the task, following the guidance in the risk assessment section
of the code. They find the following risk factors and record The supervisor and health and safety rep agree that these
them on the risk assessment worksheet: factors increase the risk.

Repetitive or sustained postures, movements and forces

Risk control
• bending the back forwards more than 20 degrees
Using the risk control section of the code and the risk control
• bending the head forwards more than 20 degrees worksheet, the supervisor and health and safety rep decide
• bending the wrist when operating the jackhammer what features of the task are the sources of risk:
• supporting the tool while it is hammering • features of the tool (including vibration, and its heavy and
• exerting force while in an awkward posture unbalanced weight)
• the task is performed outdoors in all weather
Long duration
• the truck is often parked a fair way from where the
• the task is done for up to 5 minutes at a time with short
jackhammering is done, so Joe needs to carry the tool to
breaks for a minute or two – this work cycle can continue
the work area
for 20 or 30 minutes at a time
• because of the way the work is organised, one employee
• the total time Joe spends jackhammering is about two and
does the job for prolonged periods
a half hours a day
• the height of the jackhammer is determined by the length
High force of the chisel attached, and this is not changed according
• Lifting, lowering and carrying a heavy load (when lifting to the user’s height – this results in some users adopting
the jackhammer onto and off the truck, and when carrying awkward postures
it and repositioning it) • the jackhammer is not serviced regularly, nor is the chisel
• applying uneven, fast or jerky forces during lifting, carrying, sharpened
pushing or pulling

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 Code of Practice

Risk controls were selected by applying the practicability test: Cost

Severity of the hazard • the new jackhammer costs about $2,000 and extra chisels
cost $50 each
Joe risks incurring an MSD, particularly in the back, hands,
arms and shoulders. The severity and cost of these disorders • there is minimal cost involved in making the cradle, since
can be significant. it can be done in the council’s workshop
• changes to work procedures will cost nothing, but training
There is also the risk of a vibration-induced MSD, which
other workers in how to handle and use the jackhammer
increases with the duration of the task and when working in
will take several hours
cold, wet conditions.
• servicing the existing and new jackhammer is a routine
State of knowledge task that should take place anyway and will not involve
The employer contacted several organisations that maintain any additional cost
roads for local councils. One reported that they had recently • the use of the backhoe needs to be assessed to ensure
bought a new model of jackhammer, which was lighter and that it does not introduce other risks, and this will require
had improved damping mechanisms. This had reduced the staff time; the pavement-breaker attachment will need to
risks of both lifting and using the tool. be leased as required and attached to the backhoe
They had also restricted the amount of time that individual The following risk controls were set in place:
employees spent doing the work on any given day, to further
• reduce the distance that the jackhammer needs to be
reduce the risk. In addition, they had trained their employees
carried by parking the truck as close as possible to the
in team lifting the equipment onto and off the truck.
work area
Another company had used backhoes with a pavement-breaker • provide adequate job rotation to reduce each worker’s
attachment wherever access allowed. They had also modified exposure to the task
the backhoe with suitable vibration damping to minimise the
• order the new jackhammer and chisels; show workers how
operator’s exposure to whole-body vibration.
to select chisels that are suitable for their height and the
Availability and suitability of ways to remove or reduce job
the hazard • design, fabricate and mount a cradle on the truck for
Service of the existing jackhammer can be arranged holding the jackhammer
immediately. The supplier confirms that they could supply the • develop a maintenance schedule for the existing
new model and extra chisels within a few days. jackhammer and new jackhammer in line with the
The rotation of workers on the task can be arranged manufacturer’s specifications
immediately. This will reduce Joe’s exposure to vibration and • provide gloves
unexpected forces. Team lifting will also reduce the handling • organise training on the risks associated with the task and
risk. appropriate handling techniques
Use of a backhoe with a pavement-breaker attachment should
not create further risk by exposing the operator to vibration
and other risk factors. This solution will not be useful where
access is a problem.
A cradle for the jackhammer can be manufactured in the
workshop and attached to the truck’s tray in an easily accessible
position. This will reduce the risk of lifting the heavy tool at
arm’s length off the truck.

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 Code of Practice

Example 3 – Retail
Risk assessment
Restocking shelves in a supermarket
The store manager and health and safety rep assessed the
A supermarket chain initiates a program to comply with the task using the code and found the following:
Regulations and the code. Each supermarket forms a two-
person team (store manager and health and safety rep) to Repetitive or sustained postures and movements
identify hazards and assess risks involved in manual handling • bending the back forwards or sideways more than 20
tasks, and to develop and implement any necessary risk degrees
controls.
• twisting the back more than 20 degrees
One of the tasks they look at is the restocking of shelves and • bending the head forwards or sideways and twisting the
cabinets. The shelves and cabinets are set up as follows: neck more than 20 degrees
• the shelving is about 2 metres high and contains 5 or • leaning backwards and reaching upwards when stocking
more shelves, depending on the type and size of product the upper shelves
• freezer cabinets are similar, but do not have shelves close • reaching forwards more than 30 cm (when placing items
to the floor level on shelves, particularly the low and high shelves and the
• dairy cabinets do not have the lowest shelves, but are dairy cabinets)
deep, and employees must lean over the wide lower section • working with both hands above shoulder height when
to reach the back of the shelves stacking higher shelves (about one-third of the time)
• boxes of stock are placed on the floor, or on another box, • squatting or kneeling to stack the lower shelves (about half
in front of the shelf that employees are stacking the time)
• bending the wrist when taking items from boxes and when
Employees have complained, particularly about the heavier
placing them on the high and low shelves
products such as large bottles of detergent, juice and soft
drink and large cans of dog food, and about stacking high • grabbing actions with the fingers and hands
shelves. There is a high turnover of staff in the stacking team. • working and gripping with the fingers wide apart for large
items
Hazard identification • very fast movements at peak times such as night-fill
Because of the employees’ concerns, the store manager and Repetitive or sustained forces
health and safety rep examine the task and decide it involves
• lifting and lowering
the following hazardous manual handling:
• gripping objects with fingers held wide apart
• repetitive application of force (to lift stock and place it
onto the shelves) • exerting force while in an awkward posture (lifting and
placing stock when crouched down or when reaching
• repetitive awkward posture (bending down sideways to
upwards)
pick up stock from the boxes, and lifting the arms and
raising the shoulders to stack higher shelves) Long duration
• sustained awkward posture (bending the neck, head and Most restocking is done at night, but some restocking of the
back when stacking the lower shelves) dairy cases and freezers occurs during the day. Employees
• application of high force (when handling heavy objects stack shelves for more than 2 hours over the night shift, and
with one hand, including large cans and bottles) for more than 30 minutes at a time during the day.

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 Code of Practice

High force Risk control

• lifting and lowering heavy loads (when stacking heavy Using the risk control section of the code and the risk control
items such as bottles of drink and detergent, large packets worksheet, the store manager and health and safety rep decide
of sugar and flour, large cans of fruit and dog food, and what features of the task are the sources of risk:
gardening products) • the work has to be done within a set time, leading to fast,
• exerting force at the limit of the grip span (using an open- repetitive actions, movements and forces
handed grip to pick up large items with one hand) • rotating the stock on the shelves requires twisting and
• exerting force with the non-preferred hand reaching
• throwing half-filled boxes up to employees standing on a • because they don’t have a stool to sit on, employees have
ladder to store on top of the shelves to kneel or crouch to reach the lowest shelves
Employees have reported: • there aren’t enough sets of steps to go around, so some
• pain and discomfort in wrists, arms, shoulders, back and employees can’t reach the high shelves comfortably
knees during and after stacking • all boxes are placed on the floor, and the few trolleys
• that stacking of high shelves can only be done for short available are used for distributing boxes, not as platforms
periods at a time on which to place boxes to stack from
• due to the way the work is organised, employees who
The team agrees that the task poses a risk because it involves:
stack shelves do it for long periods, and don’t do any
• repetitive and sustained postures, movements and forces, other tasks during that time
and long duration
• employees who restock the dairy cases and freezers don’t
• high forces wear any protective clothing to prevent the effects of
Environmental factors working in a cold environment

• restocking the dairy case and freezer involves standing in The store manager and health and safety rep discussed various
a cold or very cold environment options for risk control, including:
• restocking the freezer requires handling very cold objects • ensuring that enough employees are rostered on each shift
Because restocking the freezers and dairy cabinets is done in to reduce the frequency of postures, movements and forces
a cold environment, this increases the risk associated with • stacking shelves with items left in their cartons with the
these tasks. front removed – this would eliminate the need to stack
items individually and reduce bending, gripping, reaching
and twisting (as long as stacking these cartons would not
require the application of high force)
• ensuring that boxes of stock for the higher shelves are
placed on trolleys to minimise repetitive bending
• providing adjustable height trolleys or portable roller
conveyors to lift the height of the boxes to the appropriate
level
• providing steps to raise the employees closer to the high
shelves
• providing low steps or stools for employees to sit on while
stacking the lowest shelves
• rotating staff to other tasks such as clearing cardboard,
and breaking down pallets onto trolleys, to reduce the
length of time spent stacking shelves
• providing suitable warm clothing for freezer and dairy
work

55
 Code of Practice

Longer term solutions discussed included: Availability and suitability of ways to remove or reduce
the hazard
• designing the dairy cabinets differently, so that employees
wouldn’t have to reach as far to the shelves (this is also Most solutions would be readily available, suitable for the
better for customers) workplace and easy to put in place:
• reducing the height of shelves where possible, particularly • changes to staffing numbers and the way the tasks are
for popular or heavier items (this is also better for customers done could be made within a few days
who find it difficult to reach the high shelves) • extra steps and stools could be easily obtained from the
store’s current suppliers
Risk controls were selected by applying the practicability test: • gloves and other protective clothing for working in cold
Severity of the hazard conditions are readily available from safety suppliers

• employees who stack shelves risk developing MSD, • a local carpenter can manufacture wooden shelves to fit
particularly in the back, hands, arms and shoulders on trolleys within a few days

• the cost and severity of these disorders can be significant • training of employees in manual handling techniques could
be arranged through a specialist training provider
• there are a number of employees in the store whose only
work is stacking shelves Cost
• employees have reported some symptoms and difficulties Changes in the way the work is organised will cost little,
in carrying out the tasks, indicating that the risk is high apart from the time required to brief the team at the beginning
of the shift.
State of knowledge
Discussing the task with other store managers, the team found Employing more staff will cost the usual rate, but the stacking
that most stores had MSD claims and reports of pain shift may finish faster.
associated with shelf stacking. Some employees with back The low steps are plastic and cost about $150 each. The
and shoulder problems took a long time to get back to their mobile steps are made of steel, range in size and price from
usual duties. three-step ($600) to four or more steps with a top platform
Throughout the industry, low, wide steps and higher mobile (several thousand dollars).
steps with standing platforms are used to access high shelves. There was also the cost of training employees in manual
The team found that a number of other stores had provided handling techniques.
enough sets of steps to allow all employees to fill high shelves
at a comfortable height. The employees sat on the steps to fill The following risk controls were set in place:
low shelves without having to kneel or crouch. • the workplace was altered by providing more sets of mobile
Some stores had also used flat, waist-high trolleys and steps and low steps
shopping trolleys modified with a working shelf to place boxes • shelves for shopping trolleys were made and provided for
within easy reach, to minimise bending. shelf stackers; employees distributing boxes were told to
place all stock for shelves of waist height and above on
Several stores introduced other tasks to break up the time
these trolleys
spent stacking, including breaking up empty boxes and
cleaning shelves and dairy cabinets. They also moved • employees restocking the dairy cases and freezers were
employees between aisles so that the time spent lifting large, given padded jackets, overpants and gloves
heavy items was reduced or broken up with time lifting smaller, • the store trialled an adjustable height trolley for the boxes,
lighter items. with a view to purchasing some in the future
In addition, they found that training employees in manual • the store manager asked head office to review future dairy
handling techniques improved the employees’ movements case and shelving design, as well as stock location, in
during stacking. light of the risk assessment

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 Code of Practice

Example 4 – Manufacturing
Deburring metal components Risk assessment
In a manufacturing plant, metal components are finished by Using the risk assessment section of the code as a guide, they
hand using a deburring tool and a finishing cloth. At a meeting completed the risk assessment worksheet:
of the workgroup, the supervisor raised concerns about the
quality of the finished components and the high product reject Repetitive or sustained postures and movements
rate. • excessive bending of the wrists
The workgroup’s health and safety representative also • twisting and turning actions with the fingers and hands
commented that employees had reported pain and discomfort • working with the fingers close together
when deburring, and that most of the time one or two • very fast movements
employees were on workers’ compensation for work-related
MSD. The plant’s WorkCover premium was well above the Repetitive or sustained forces
industry rate. • gripping with the fingers pinched together
• holding an object and a tool
Hazard identification
• exerting force while in an awkward posture
The supervisor and health and safety rep examined the
deburring task and found that it involved the following Long duration
hazardous manual handling: Employees usually did this task continually for at least half a
• employees held the component on a bench, usually with shift, and sometimes up to a whole shift if a batch had been
the left hand – holding the part steady required the sustained rejected by the customer and a new batch had to be prepared
application of force and sustained awkward postures of very quickly.
the hand, wrist and arm So the task is performed for more than 2 hours over a whole
shift and continually for more than 30 minutes at a time.

High force
Employees use sustained force to hold
the component steady on the bench. • exerting force at the limit of the grip span
• exerting force with the non-preferred hand

Employees have reported:

• pain in their wrists, forearms and shoulders during and
after the task
• that the task can only be done for short periods without a
• the deburring performed with the right hand required the break
repetitive application of force and repetitive awkward • that the task is physically very strenuous or difficult to do
postures and movements of the hand, wrist and arm
The supervisor and health and safety rep agreed that deburring
was a risk because it involved:
• repetitive or sustained postures, movements and forces,
and long duration
• high force

Deburring requires repetitive fast

movements and forces.

• employees also had to apply high forces with the hands

The supervisor and health and safety rep agreed that because
the task involved hazardous manual handling, it was necessary
to do a risk assessment.

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 Code of Practice

Appendix 5 Worksheets
Risk control On the following pages you will find sample worksheets that
At the next workgroup meeting the group discussed the will assist you to:
problem and brainstormed possible solutions. • identify tasks involving hazardous manual handling

One employee suggested using a potter’s wheel to do the • assess the risk of MSD for a given manual handling task
task – the component could be mounted on the wheel, • develop appropriate risk controls
eliminating the need to hold it with the left hand, and the
turning of the wheel would rotate the component, eliminating
the twisting and turning actions of the right hand.

Using a potter’s wheel to rotate the component

eliminates the need to bend and twist the wrist,
as well as the force needed to hold the
component steady.

The employee’s suggestion was trialled in collaboration with

other staff and plant engineers, and proved successful. The
engineers then developed special deburring tools that were
easier to use and more efficient, and suited to this way of
doing the job.
The risk controls eliminated most of the risk factors and reduced
the rest. The employees no longer suffered pain or discomfort,
and there were no more reports of MSD.
The new method was easier, faster and more effective, resulting
in better quality products. There were immediate benefits of
higher productivity and increased quality and hence a reduced
batch rejection rate. The payback period on the changes
made was less than one month.
The employer chose not to increase the work output
requirements, as this may have reduced some of the gains
from the new method.

This example was adapted from Maurice Oxenburgh (1991)

Increasing Productivity and Profit Through Health and Safety, Sydney,
CCH.

58
 Hazard identification worksheet
Management rep: Health and safety rep:

Date:

Does the task involve hazardous manual handling? (tick any of the following that apply to the task)

Task Repetitive Repetitive Repetitive Application Exposure Handling Handling loads that
or sustained or sustained or sustained of high to sustained live people are unstable,
application awkward movement force vibration or unbalanced or
of force posture animals difficult to move

If you ticked one or more boxes for a particular task, you must do a risk assessment of that task.
Hazardous manual handling must be identified for all existing and proposed tasks in your workplace. You must also identify hazardous manual handling whenever changes occur in the workplace,
or new information or reports of MSD are brought to your attention (see section 11).

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Code of Practice
 Code of Practice

Risk assessment worksheet – long version

Task: Date:

Management rep: Health and safety rep:

Step 1a – Does the task involve repetitive or sustained postures, movements or forces?
Tick yes if the task requires any of the following actions to be done more than twice a minute or for more than 30 seconds at a time (see section 12)
Yes Comments
Bending the back forwards or sideways more than 20 degrees

Twisting the back more than 20 degrees

Backward bending of the back more than 5 degrees

Bending the head forwards or sideways more than 20 degrees

Twisting the neck more than 20 degrees

Bending the head backwards more than 5 degrees

Working with one or both hands above shoulder height

Reaching forwards or sideways more than 30 cm from the body

Reaching behind the body

Squatting, kneeling, crawling, lying, semi-lying or jumping

Standing with most of the body’s weight on one leg

Twisting, turning, grabbing, picking or wringing actions with the

fingers, hands or arms

Working with the fingers close together or wide apart

Very fast movements

Excessive bending of the wrist

Lifting or lowering

Carrying with one hand or one side of the body

Exerting force with one hand or one side of the body

Pushing, pulling or dragging

Gripping with the fingers pinched together or held wide apart

Exerting force while in an awkward posture

Holding, supporting or restraining any object, person, animal or tool

Step 1b – Does the task involve long duration?

Tick yes if the task is done for more than 2 hours over a whole shift or continually for more than 30 minutes at a time (see section 12)
Yes Comments

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Step 2 – Does the task involve high force?

Tick yes if the task involves any of the following high force actions (see section 12)
Yes Comments

Lifting, lowering or carrying heavy loads

Applying uneven, fast or jerky forces during lifting, carrying,

pushing or pulling

Applying sudden or unexpected forces (e.g. when handling

a person or animal)

Pushing or pulling objects that are hard to move or to

stop (e.g. a trolley)

Using a finger-grip, a pinch-grip or an open-handed grip to

handle a heavy or large load

Exerting force at the limit of the grip span

Needing to use two hands to operate a tool designed for

one hand

Throwing or catching

Hitting or kicking

Holding, supporting or restraining a person, animal or heavy object

Jumping while holding a load

Exerting force with the non-preferred hand

Two or more people need to be assigned to handle a heavy

or bulky load

Exerting high force while in an awkward posture

Tick yes if your employees report any of the following about the task (see section 12)
Yes Comments

Pain or significant discomfort during or after the task

The task can only be done for short periods

Stronger employees are assigned to do the task

Employees think the task should be done by more than one

person, or seek help to do the task

Employees say the task is physically very strenuous or

difficult to do

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Step 3 – Is there a risk? (see section 12)

Yes Comments

Does the task involve repetitive or sustained postures, movements or

forces, and long duration? (Did you tick yes in step 1a and step 1b?)
If yes, the task is a risk. Risk control is required.

Does the task involve high force?

(Did you tick yes in step 2?)
If yes, the task is a risk. Risk control is required.

Step 4 – Are environmental factors increasing the risk?

Tick yes if any of the following environmental factors are present in the task (see section 12)
Yes Comments

Vibration (hand-arm or whole-body)

High temperatures

Radiant heat

High humidity

Low temperatures

Wearing protective clothing while working in hot conditions

Wearing thick clothing while working in cold conditions (e.g. gloves)

Handling very cold or frozen objects

Employees are working in hot conditions and are not used to it

Sketch the task or attach a photograph, if helpful

You must record your risk assessment if it shows a risk of MSD. This worksheet is one way of recording a risk assessment. You don’t have to
use this format – you can create your own worksheet to suit the jobs in your workplace. But you must make sure that whatever method you use
fulfills the requirements of the Regulations.

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 Code of Practice

Risk assessment worksheet – short version

Task: Date:

Management rep: Health and safety rep:

Step 1a – Does the task involve repetitive or sustained postures, movements or forces?
Yes Comments

for example, bending or twisting the body, neck, arms or wrists,

reaching, lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, very fast movements, or
exerting force while in an awkward posture (see section 12)

Step 1b – Does the task involve long duration?

Yes Comments

Is the task done for more than 2 hours over a whole shift or continually
for more than 30 minutes at a time? (see section 12)

Step 2 – Does the task involve high force?

Yes Comments

for example, lifting, lowering or carrying heavy loads, sudden or

unexpected forces, pushing or pulling objects that are hard to move,
exerting force at the limit of the grip span, or the task is difficult to do
(see section 12)

Step 3 – Is there a risk?

Yes Comments

Did you answer yes in step 1a and step 1b? (see section 12)
The task is a risk. Risk control is required.

Did you answer yes in step 2? (see section 12)

The task is a risk. Risk control is required.

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Step 4 – Are environmental factors increasing the risk?

Yes Comments

for example, vibration, heat, cold or humidity, or thick protective clothing

(see section 12)

Any other comments?

Sketch the task or attach a photograph, if helpful

You must record your risk assessment if it shows a risk of MSD. This worksheet is one way of recording a risk assessment. You don’t have to
use this format – you can create your own worksheet to suit the jobs in your workplace. But you must make sure that whatever method you use
fulfills the requirements of the Regulations.

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 Code of Practice

Risk control worksheet

Task: Date:

Management rep: Health and safety rep:

What are the sources of risk? (see section 13.3)

How?

Can you eliminate the task? Yes

(see section 13.4)

No

How?

Is it practicable to eliminate or Yes

reduce the risk by:
• altering the workplace
• altering the environmental
conditions
• altering the systems of work
• changing the objects used
in the task, or
• using mechanical aids?
(see section 13.5)

No

How can you reduce the risk with information, instruction and training? (see section 13.5)

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When will these controls be implemented? (see section 13.6)

Short-term

Medium-term

Long-term

Who is responsible for making sure that it happens?

How do you know the risk controls work? (see section 13.7)

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Notes

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 Code of Practice

More information
Victorian WorkCover Authority
Level 24, 222 Exhibition Street
Melbourne, Vic 3000
GPO Box 4306
Melbourne, Vic 3001
Tel 9641 1555
Fax 9641 1222
Toll-free 1800 136 089
World Trade Centre
Corner Flinders and Spencer Streets
Melbourne, Vic 3005
Tel 9628 8115

Publications
Tel 9641 1333
Fax 9641 1330

Website
www.workcover.vic.gov.au

Email
info@workcover.vic.gov.au

Local WorkCover offices

Ballarat 5337 1400
Bendigo 5443 8866
Geelong 5223 2300
Melbourne 9628 8115
Mildura 5021 4001
Mulgrave 9565 9444
Preston 9485 4555
Shepparton 5831 8260
Traralgon 5174 8900
Wangaratta 5721 8588
Warrnambool 5562 5600

WorkCover Advisory Service

Level 24, 222 Exhibition Street
Melbourne, Vic 3000
Tel 9641 1444
Fax 9641 1353
Toll-free 1800 136 089

Acts, regulations and codes of practice are available from:

Information Victoria
356 Collins Street,
Melbourne, Vic 3000
Tel 1300 366 356

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