Practice 004 401 PR016

Date Feb 2009

Page 1 of 7

ARMECO
MANUAL HANDLING

PURPOSE
The purpose of this Procedure is to define the requirements for the identification,
assessment and control of risks arising from manual handling tasks in the
workplace on the ARMECO site. In doing so the Procedure has the following
aims:

Protection of the health and safety of personnel;

Compliance with relevant statutory requirements; and

Reduction and control of risks associated with manual handling tasks.

SCOPE
This procedure defines risk reductions steps for manual handling of workplace
materials and objects.
APPLICATION
This procedure shall apply to all work places for all Project and contractor
personnel.
DEFINITIONS
Manual handling is defined as any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a
person to lift, push, pull, carry or otherwise move or restrain any animate or
inanimate object.
Manual Handling is considered to have greater risk if any of the following
characteristics are present:

Repetitive or sustained application of force;

Repetitive or sustained awkward posture;

Repetitive or sustained movement;

Application of high force;

Exposure to sustained vibration;

Handling of unstable or unbalanced loads or loads which are difficult to

grasp or hold; or

Manual handling of containers of hazardous substances e.g., sulphuric acid.

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MANUAL HANDLING

PURPOSE................................................................................................................................................... 1
SCOPE........................................................................................................................................................ 1
APPLICATION............................................................................................................................................. 1
DEFINITIONS.............................................................................................................................................. 1
1.0
GENERAL......................................................................................................................................... 3
2.0
STATUTORY AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS......................................................................3
3.0
CONSULTATION............................................................................................................................... 3
4.0
RISK IDENTIFICATION.................................................................................................................... 3
4.1
Analysis of Injury Statistics............................................................................................................ 4
4.2
Consultation.................................................................................................................................. 4
4.3
Use of a General Risk Identification Checklist...............................................................................4
5.0
RISK ASSESSMENT........................................................................................................................ 5
6.0
RISK CONTROL............................................................................................................................... 6
7.0
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................. 7

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Date Feb 2009
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MANUAL HANDLING

1.0

GENERAL
All tasks will be assessed for the risk of injury or harm from manual handling.
All personnel will be trained in safe Manual Handling techniques.

2.0

STATUTORY AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

The Project shall comply with relevant state and national legislative
requirements, codes of practice, industry and national standards.

3.0

CONSULTATION
The assessment and control of manual handling tasks in the workplace shall be
carried out by management and supervisory personnel in consultation with
employees required to carry out the tasks, together with HSE representatives.
Consultation should take place as early as possible when planning for the
introduction of new or modified manual handling tasks or in the review of existing
tasks to allow for early incorporation in the task of any changes.
Additionally, employees and their HSE representatives should be consulted
whenever control measures are proposed and when the effectiveness of control
measures implemented are being considered.

4.0

RISK IDENTIFICATION
The first stage in the risk assessment and control of manual handling risks in the
workplace is risk identification.
Three basic means of risk identification are:

Analysis of Injury Statistics;

Consultation with Employees; and

General Risk Identification Checklist.

The Project/Site Manager must verify that any task involving hazardous manual
handling is identified:

Before any task involving manual handling is undertaken for the first time in
the workplace;

Before any alteration is made to objects used in a workplace or to systems

of work which include a task involving manual handling, including a change
in the place where that task is carried out;

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MANUAL HANDLING

4.1

If new or additional information about hazardous manual handling being

associated with a task becomes available; and
If an occurrence of a musculoskeletal disorder in a workplace is reported by
or on behalf of an employee.

Analysis of Injury Statistics

Indicators to consider during analysis of injury statistics include:

In what area of the workplace the injury occurred;

The occupation, or job/task of the injured person;

The part of the body injured (e.g., back, neck, shoulder, etc.);

The nature of the injury (e.g., strain, sprain, laceration, fracture, etc.); and

The type of accident (e.g., overexertion and physical stress in lifting object,
handling objects etc.).
Consider the frequency and severity of injuries in relation to the numbers of
employees and the hours worked.

4.2

Consultation
Consultation among employees required to undertake the tasks and the relevant
HSE representatives for the work group must take place throughout the process
(e.g., when identifying problem areas; when determining the approach and
methods for addressing manual handling problems that affect a health and safety
representatives work group; when decisions are being taken on various control
measures to reduce risk factors).
Consultation should take place as early as possible in the planning for the
introduction of new or modified manual handling tasks. In this way, changes that
may arise can be more easily implemented.

4.3

Use of a General Risk Identification Checklist

The checklist should cover but is not limited to such key risk factors as:
Posture and Layout

What is the weight of the object?

Is stooping involved where the hands pass below mid-thigh height?

Is reaching above shoulder height involved?

Is forward reaching (more than 30 cm (approximately 12 inches) away from

the body) involved?

Is significant sideways twisting of the body involved?

Is unbalanced or uneven lifting or carrying involved?

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MANUAL HANDLING

Is an awkward grip involved?

Task and Object

Is handling performed for more than one hour at a time?

Is handling performed more than once every five minutes?

Are there any forces applied to move the object, apart from lifting e.g.
pushing, pulling, restraining/holding?

Is there a long vertical distance of travel (more than 25 cm )?

Is the weight of the object?

Does the object have sharp edges or contain hot/cold materials?

Does it have unstable/unbalanced contents?

Are slippery materials/objects handled?

Is the object bulky or awkward (more than 75 cm in two directions)?

Is the object an unusual shape (e.g., Does it have handles)?

Workplace Conditions

Is the task performed in a confined space?

Is the workplace hot, cold, or poorly lit?

Are the floor surfaces slippery or uneven?

Work Organization

Is the work frequency affected by bottlenecks, or sudden changes or delays

to the flow of materials?

Is the work affected by the unavailability of people to do work within a

deadline?
Age, Skill and Experience of Employee
Projects are advised to refer to any available regulatory checklists for further
detail.
5.0

RISK ASSESSMENT
Having identified the hazards associated with a specific manual handling task,
the risk to health and safety of the person undertaking that task must be
assessed.
Each of the following risk factors should be assessed:

Actions and movements involved;

Layout of the workplace;

Postural requirements;

Duration and frequency of activity;

Distance and time handled;

Force applied;

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Range of weights handled;

Nature of the object handled;
Availability of mechanical aids;
Nature of load, and condition of workplace;
Environmental conditions, including heat, cold and vibration, that acts
directly on the person carrying out the task;
Work organization;
Analysis of injury statistics;
Age;
Skill and experience of the person carrying out the manual handling; and
Size of the person carrying out the manual handling task.

The Project/Site Manager must verify that a risk assessment is reviewed and
revised where necessary.
6.0

RISK CONTROL
If a manual handling task has been assessed as a risk then the Project/Site
Manager must, if practicable redesign the manual handling to remove the risk.
If removal of the risk is not practicable, the Project/Site Manager must, if
practicable, redesign the manual handling in order to reduce substantially the
factors contributing to the risk.
If the task has been assessed as a risk and it is not practicable to redesign the
manual handling to remove the risk or substantially reduce the factors
contributing to the risk then the Project/Site Manager must provide mechanical
aids (and training in their use) to assist the person carrying out the task.
If all the above are not practicable then the Project/Site Manager must provide
training in methods of manual handling appropriate for that manual handling.
Control options include but are not limited to:
Modify Object
The object being handled may be modified or repackaged into a bigger, smaller
or different size, shape and/or weight.
Modify Workplace Layout
The layout of the plant, equipment and furniture may be modified or re-arranged.
This may include increased attention to housekeeping and maintenance
functions.

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MANUAL HANDLING

Rearrange Materials Flow

The schedule or timing, and path(s) of materials flow may be modified.
Different Actions or Movements
With or without workplace modifications, a task may be done in a different way,
using different actions and movements.
Modify Task Mechanical Assistance
The risk of a task may be reduced by simple mechanical assistance provided by
simple levers and minor re-arrangements of equipment and plant.
Modify the Task Team Lifting
The actions and movements required can be modified by the assistance of
others (i.e., team lifting).
Mechanical Handling Equipment
The provision of mechanical handling equipment can reduce the risk by reducing
the force required.
Toolbox Meetings and Pre Start Check Lists
Supervisors and team leaders are to discuss the potential hazards of manual
handling. Control strategies to eliminate and or reduce the potential are to be
discussed prior to work commencing.
7.0

REFERENCES
Corporate HSE
General Health, Safety and Environmental Practice
Office Health, Safety and Environmental Practice
Engineering Health, Safety and Environmental
Practice
Execution Health, Safety and Environmental
Practice

Health, Safety & Environmental