How to shift materials safely Understand what is meant by the term “manual tasks” and how they cause injury How to identify, assess and control manual task risks in a systematic manner. How Injuries Occur

1. TLID1001A
Defining Communication 2012
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2. At the end of this workshop you should
be able to:
 To understand what is meant by the
term “manual tasks” and how they
cause injury
 Identify, assess and control manual
task risks in a systematic manner
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3. What is wrong with teaching people to lift safely?
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4. REGULATION
Occupational Health and Safety regulation 3.4 states —
 "Manual handling" means any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a
person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain a
person, animal or thing.
 Without limiting regulation 3.1, a person who, at a workplace, is an
employer, the main contractor or a self-employed person must, as far as
practicable —
 Identify each hazard that is likely to arise from manual handling at the
workplace;
 Assess the risk of injury or harm to a person resulting from each hazard, if
any, identified under paragraph (a); and
 Consider the means by which the risk may be reduced.

PROCEDURE
To control the risks associated with manual handling all staff should ensure that
the correct posture is used when lifting. The correct posture ensures that the
load is held close to the body, that bending forward to pick up loads is not
considered, that twisting is minimised and that the load is not too heavy for the
person concerned. If any of the above need to be considered to enable lifting, do
not attempt to complete the task. Assistance should be obtained.


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5. Definition
Any activity or sequence of activities
that requires a person to use their
physical body (musculoskeletal
system) to perform work
This Includes:
 Lifting
 Pulling
 Sliding
 Pushing
 Carrying
 Stacking
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6. Defining Communication
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7. Injuries can occur from:
 Gradual
wear and tear
 Sudden damage
 Direct trauma from unexpected
events
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9. Defining Communication
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10. • Sudden
Stress: which can be
caused by slips, falls and lifting;
• Consecutive
Stress: which can be
caused by heavy lifting, high
forces, repetitive movements or
extreme postures;
• Continuous
Stress: which can be
caused by vehicle vibration or poor
posture
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11.  Flexion
& extension
Neutral posture (standing straight) = decreased risk of injury
Awkward postures (bending forwards/backwards) = increased risk of injury
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12.  Side
flexion & rotation
Neutral posture (shoulders aligned over hips and toes) = decreased risk of injury
Awkward postures (bending sideways or twisting) = increased risk of injury
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13.  Extension,
neutral & flexion
Neutral posture (hand in line with forearm) = decreased risk of injury
Awkward postures (hand bent forwards or backwards) = increased risk of injury
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14.  Pronation
& supination
Neutral posture (hand at mid-range: “handshake” position) = decreased risk of injury
Awkward postures (hand palm up or palm down) = increased risk of injury
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15.  Dynamic
Muscle contraction & movement.
 Static
Muscle contraction & no movement.
Static muscle work (prolonged standing, sitting, holding hand/arm in one position) =
increased risk of injury
REPETITIVE dynamic muscle work over time = increased risk of injury
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16. A
source of potential loss or danger
 An
accident waiting to happen.
Everyone is responsible for a safe and
healthy workplace
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18.  Many
things that workers do involve
performing activities that can be
considered to be manual tasks.

The term hazardous manual tasks
is used to describe those that have
the potential to cause injury
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20. A Risk is „the
possibility of
suffering harm or
loss‟.

This means doing
something that is
likely to cause some
sort of damage or
injury (harm or loss)
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21. What is it?

The process of eliminating or reducing
risk associated with identified and
assessed risk factors
Why do we do it?

To make the job or task safer for
workers and prevent/ reduce injuries
from manual tasks
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22. The risk of injury increases when:
 The
body is using awkward postures, rather
than preferred neutral postures
 Muscles
are involved in static work (contraction
without movement) or in highly repetitive
movements
 The
body is exposed to high/intense (oneoff), cumulative (ongoing) or unexpected forces
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23. The sources of risk that create these body
conditions where injury may occur include:
 Nature
of the item, equipment or tool
 The nature of the load
 The working environment
 Systems of work, work organisation and
work practices
 Work area design and layout
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24. The risk of injury can be
reduced or removed by:
 Doing
tasks in new ways
that remove the need for
lifting, carrying or working
under uncomfortable
conditions for long periods
 Ensuring
that tasks beyond
your ability are only
attempted with help.
 Use
teamwork or
mechanical aids
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25. LIKELIHOOD
CONSEQUENCE
Very
Likely
Likely
Unlikely
Highly
Unlikely
Fatality
High
High
High
Medium
Major Injuries
High
High
Medium
Medium
Minor Injuries
High
Medium
Medium
Low
Negligible Injuries
Medium
Medium
Low
Low
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26. X
Load close to body =
decreased risk of injury
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Load further from body =
increased risk of injury
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27. 
Using the spine as a crane
X
Load further from body =
increased risk of injury
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28.  Obtain
a wide base of support for stability
Become familiar with the load and try to get a
good grip of the load.
 Maintain neutral curves of spine
 Maintain load close to body
 Use the stronger larger muscles of the legs to
create force where possible
 Execute smooth, controlled movement
 Stabilise the back by using abdominal muscles
and deep back muscles where possible
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29.  Avoid
work where the upper arm is away
from the side of the body
 Avoid twisting
 Avoid holding one position for long
periods of time
 Avoid repetitive movement
 Avoid long distance carrying
 Try to maintain the wrist and forearm in
neutral postures
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30. When lifting you need to create a wider
base of support, you can achieve this by:
placing your feet further apart or by
staggering your stance.
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31.  Build
a Bridge means supporting your back when
performing lifting tasks. You can Build a Bridge by:
A.
supporting your upper body: by using your arm
or leaning against a support when bending to pick
up an object
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32. B.
wearing a support:
brace your lower back, like those worn by
employees in large hardware stores
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33. C.
wearing a harness:
that attaches to a support similar to those worn by
shearers in shearing sheds
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34. By keeping the load close to your body you will

keep the three natural curves of your spine;

reduce the stress loads on your spine;

minimise the risks of a back injury
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35. The six steps in lifting materials safely1.
Size up the load
2.
Position your feet
3.
Keep your back straight
4.
Secure grip
5.
Position head and arms
6.
Use the muscles in your legs to
lift, not the muscles in your
back
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36. Step 1. Hazard ID
(spotting the
problem)
Step 2. Risk
Assessment
(understanding the
problem)
Step 3. Risk
control
(dealing with the
problem)
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37. The key to safe manual
materials handling is in the way
you carry out the tasks. Tasks
can be made safer by:
 Reducing
lifting and lowering
 Avoiding
bending, twisting and
forces
reaching
 Reducing
pushing, pulling, carrying and
holding
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38. Part of these problems can be overcome by
Job Re-design. This can reduce the risk to
you by:
A.
Modifying the object:
e.g. smaller packages
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39. Modifying the
workplace:
e.g. comfortable
work height
B.
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40. C.
Rearranging materials flow e.g. reduce distances
travelled
D.
Job rotation e.g. not spending long hours doing
the same lifting movements
C.
Using mechanical assistance
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41. You must be able to accurately assess all
the risks involved with a particular load
relocation task.
This includes risks to:
1. yourself
2. the load
3. any other materials
on your relocation route
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42. ALWAYS ADOPT A CAREFUL ATTITUDE
Estimate the weight of the load before lifting by:
 asking
your supervisor
 checking
for a weight tag
 pushing
or lifting one
corner of the load
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46. Ask yourself these
questions when you are
planning to relocate a
load:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Where are you relocating stock to?
Which route is the quickest/safest?
How will you place the load in the new location?
Are you adding to an existing load?
How will the existing load be affected?
Can you do the job alone or do you need help?
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47. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Take responsibility for the task
Team effort
Task performed with due care
Everybody understands the plan
Talk the team through the plan and
instructions you will be calling to them
After relocation check and consider
pressures and incidents that may affect
relocation- does it comply with workplace
regulations
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48.  Determine
the weight of the load before
attempting to lift
 How far do I have to move it?
 Do I need some help?
 How many times do I have to complete
the lift?
 Do I need help?


Team lift
A lifting device (trolley, forklift, etc)
Remember Correct Lifting Techniques
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49. When you are preparing to lift, let your body know what’s coming.
Prepare:
• perform some simple stretching exercises;
• size up the load to see if it is too heavy, too large or too awkward;
• decide where you will be setting down the load; and
• grip the load firmly before lifting it.
Plan:
• where you are taking the load;
• to keep the curves;
• not to bend or twist during the lift; and
• to lift with your legs and not your back and arms.
Compensate:
• make allowances when you begin to feel fatigued;
• use alternative aids if the load is too heavy; and
• determine if the task is routine or non-routine
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