Information on this page is drawn from "Participative ergonomics in civil construction handbook" published by Queensland Government
Manual Tasks Risk Factors
Research has identified specific risk factors related to hazardous manual tasks that play a significant role in the development and onset of musculoskeletal injuries. By preventing or minimizing the exposure to these risk factors, the risk of injury can be reduced. 1
The five manual tasks risk factors are:
- forceful exertions
- awkward and static postures
- vibration
- repetition
- duration
Manual Tasks Risk Management
Risk management for manual tasks involves:
- Identifying the hazardous manual tasks and prioritizing them for assessment
- Assessing the risk
- Controlling the risk
- Monitoring and reviewing
Identifying Hazardous Manual Tasks
Not all manual tasks are harmful, but you should identify those that could be. Hazardous manual tasks can be identified:
- After an incident has happened. Investigate all new incidents and look for trends in past records.
- When there are indicators something could be wrong. Observe work processes and talk to workers.
- When making a change. Consider the effects on workers when buying new tools or equipment, starting or changing work processes or work schedules.
Make a list of hazardous manual tasks in your workplace and prioritize them for further assessment.
Assessing the Risk
Assessing the risk includes analyzing the task to find out what risk factors are causing the problem.
Prepare
- look at the task during normal working conditions
- find out about the work process, method of work, tools, equipment and work area layout.
Consult
- talk to workers doing the job, their supervisors and others who may be able to provide information
- ask them if they have any ideas about what the problems are and how the task could be done differently.
Who Should Participate in the Risk Assessment
Workers who perform the manual task, their supervisors and others who can provide information, or may be affected by the changes to the design or process, should be involved in the risk assessment, including the development and implementation of controls. This will ensure that manual tasks risks are not passed on to other workers and that all issues are considered. It will also increase acceptance of the controls and changes that may be made to the task. For example, construction crews may be included in the design of new drainage systems, but the maintenance of these systems may not be considered if maintenance crews are not consulted at the initial design stage.
PErforM Risk Assessment Tool
The PErforM risk assessment tool will assist you in recording relevant information about the task, identifying the manual tasks risk factors, assessing the degree of exposure, developing suitable controls and prioritizing the tasks which are creating the highest risk to your workers.
Completing the risk assessment form provides a record of the risk assessment, and should be kept on file.
The PErforM risk assessment tool and instructions for completing it are provided in Appendix 1.
Controlling The Risk
Control Strategies
The importance of a participative approach:
The reduction of risk requires the successful implementation of controls which do not introduce new risk factors into the workplace. There are three elements that require consideration when planning a control strategy:
1. the effectiveness of the new controls
2. the successful implementation of new controls
3. managing potential new risk factors.
Encouraging work teams to participate throughout the control strategy process is a way to ensure these elements are considered. Worker participation is critical to the overall success of the control strategy.
1. Effective controls
To be effective, controls should:
- target the risk factors present in the task
- meet the needs of all workers who will undertake the task.
2. Successful implementation
A number of people will play a role in the implementation of a control strategy. All people who are likely to have some responsibility at the implementation stage need to be involved from the very beginning, particularly operators and maintainers who are the 'hands on' deliverers of a control strategy. Involving workers from the beginning and giving genuine consideration to their input and ideas will give workers a sense of ownership over the proposed controls.
Worker commitment can be achieved by:
- providing clear and specific training associated with the control strategy, such as any new work methods, safe and appropriate use of tools and equipment, and implementation time frames
- communication from management on organizational expectations
- feedback to the work team on the basis of the changes, such as the justification behind decisions
- recognition of worker commitment to the control strategy.
Successful implementation requires the commitment of people at all levels, including management. Support and recognition from management are important factors in demonstrating organizational commitment and encouraging the workforce. The organizational climate at the time of implementation must also be considered, as factors, such as organizational activities, workload demand, resources (human and financial) and workforce presence (e.g. the absence of key players), can impact on the success of implementation.
3. Managing potential new risk factors
To reduce the likelihood of creating new risks, ensure that:
- relevant workers, including experienced workers who have the ability to provide critical feedback based on their experience, are included in the design and development stages
- controls consider all stages of the operational lifespan (e.g. long-term maintenance requirements as well as construction requirements)
- controls are monitored and reviewed.
Other things to consider:
Other issues that need to be addressed as part of the overall risk management plan include:
- Design: when purchasing materials, tools, equipment and plant, it is important to consider the impacts on the workers and the manual tasks performed
- Consultation: talk to workers before changes are made to work processes or new equipment is purchased
- Record keeping: record tasks assessed, specifications of plant and work processes, incident reports, actions taken, maintenance records and training activities.
Control Strategy
Ways to Minimize Risk
The manual tasks risk factors are caused by the:
- Work area design which includes the work area and the environment where the job is based. Poor design may cause forceful exertions and awkward and static postures.
- Tool design which includes the design of the tool being used. Poor design may cause vibration, forceful exertions, awkward and static postures.
- Load handling design which includes the characteristics of the load and the method of handling. Poor design may cause forceful exertions and awkward and static postures.
- Work organization which includes issues such as the length of the shift, how often the task is performed, and the number of workers assigned to the task and the pace of work. Poor design may cause repetition and duration.
When a manual task risk factor has been identified, it is important to determine what is causing it. In order to eliminate or minimize the risks, controls should be aimed at modifying the work area, tool, load, method of handling and/or the way the work is organized.
Hierarchy of Controls
Control options are ranked according to the hierarchy of controls. Manual tasks controls may be divided into design controls and administrative controls.
Design Controls
Design controls involve redesigning the task, workplace, tools or equipment, and/or use of mechanical aids and assistive devices to eliminate or reduce the risk. Design controls include elimination, substitution and engineering controls. Some general examples of design controls are discussed below.
Elimination
- eliminate the problem task completely (e.g. automate a complete job process or aspects of a particular task).
Substitution
- replace heavy items with lighter, smaller and/or easier to handle items (e.g. items with handles). This may involve discussions with manufacturers, suppliers, and/or delivery providers
- use ergonomically designed tools, including power tools that have less vibration
- install anti-vibration seating in vehicles and mobile plant.
Engineering
- provide work benches or store items between knee and shoulder height to reduce awkward postures and increased force
- use mechanical lifting aids such as cranes, hoists, pallet jacks or trolleys to move items
- cover tool handles with dampening materials to absorb vibration. Dampening materials can also be used in floors and around vibrating machinery to reduce worker exposure to whole body vibration.
Administrative Controls
Administrative controls are less effective than design controls, require ongoing supervision to ensure they are followed, and may be forgotten under stressful conditions, such as when trying to meet deadlines, or when there are fewer staff available to do the work. Rather than controlling the risk directly, administrative controls generally manage the risk by reducing the time that workers are exposed to the risk by relying on worker behavior. Administrative controls are best used as part of a comprehensive control strategy, or in the interim while longer term design controls are being developed.
Administrative controls focus on implementing policies and procedures such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and typically include:
- maintenance programs to ensure plant, tools and equipment are maintained on a regular basis
- work organization, such as job rotation, ensuring adequate staff numbers to meet work demands and reducing shift length
- task-specific training to ensure workers are trained in their specific work, such as using tools and mechanical aids
- use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as anti-vibration gloves to reduce the exposure to vibration, or shock absorbent shoes for work on hard (concrete) floors
- return to work programs appropriate to individual fitness levels after extended periods of leave.
Training
Training is an important administrative control as workers should be trained in safe methods of work and use of mechanical aids. Implementing an effective manual tasks risk management program also requires that workers are able to identify hazardous manual tasks and are aware of the aspects of manual tasks that increase injury risks. This might legitimately extend to principles of handling, such as 'keep the load close' and 'avoid twisting'.
However, the evidence is clear that manual tasks training is not, on its own, an effective risk control strategy. Research across a range of industries demonstrates that manual tasks training is not effective in obtaining long-term change in the behavior of uninjured workers. As such, training should never be relied upon as the only control strategy.
Appropriate training
Training should include:
- safe methods of work (e.g. all workers should be provided with training following the implementation of new safe operating procedures)
- the correct use of mechanical lifting aids, trolleys and how to perform preventative maintenance
- manual tasks risk assessment including information about the risk factors
- the general principles of safe handling.
For More Information
Further information on controls can be obtained from the Queensland Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2000 and the National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders from Performing Manual Tasks at Work (2007).
