Disorders: A Worker's View
Addressing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and enhancing the building industry's ability to handle these risks stand out as key priorities for WorkCover Queensland.
Alignment with National Strategies: This commitment resonates with the goals set in both the National OHS Strategy 2002–2012 and the current Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022.
Worker Insights from Compensation Data: Looking at workers' compensation data, MSDs persist as the primary serious non-fatal injuries within the construction realm. A substantial portion of severe MSD claims, around one-third, stems from hazardous manual tasks such as lifting, carrying, or placing objects.
Empowering Workers to Prevent MSDs: To empower workers in preventing MSDs, WorkCover Queensland encourages you to explore valuable resources. Dive into practical insights and strategies to safeguard against MSDs by accessing our:
Together, let's foster a workplace environment that prioritizes worker well-being and proactively manages risks associated with musculoskeletal disorders.
In accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, duty holders, including workers, play a crucial role in managing risks to health and safety. Here's a practical guide from WorkCover Queensland:
Risk Management Responsibilities:
- Identify potential hazards that could pose risks to health and safety.
- Strive to eliminate risks where reasonably feasible.
- If elimination isn't practicable, minimize risks by implementing control measures aligned with the control hierarchy.
- Ensure the sustained effectiveness of control measures.
- Regularly review and update risk control measures.
Considerations for Hazardous Manual Tasks: When addressing risks associated with hazardous manual tasks, keep in mind various factors, including:
- Postures, movements, forces, and vibrations involved.
- Duration and frequency of the task.
- Workplace environmental conditions.
- Design and layout of the work area.
- Systems of work in place.
- Nature, size, weight, or quantity of individuals, animals, or objects involved.
Collaborative Risk Management: Stakeholders, including workers, are encouraged to engage in consultation and collaborative efforts to identify and manage risks feasibly.
Specific Focus: Manual Handling of Plasterboard: Working with plasterboard demands significant force in challenging postures, posing risks of serious injuries, including permanent spine damage.
Empowering Workers with Tools and Examples: Explore tools and examples to aid businesses and workers in identifying, assessing, and developing safe work procedures (SWP) for hazardous manual tasks, with a focus on plasterboard handling. These resources, while highlighted for plasterboard, offer versatile applicability to various manual tasks.
Assessment tools
- Construction hazardous manual tasks site verification assessment tool (DOC, 0.17 MB)
- Construction hazardous manual tasks risk management systems assessment tool (DOCX, 0.07 MB)
Commercial
Residential
- Delivery of plasterboard: Manual tasks risk management worksheet (DOC, 0.09 MB)
- Handling plasterboard (6 metre sheets): Manual tasks risk management worksheet (DOC, 0.1 MB)
Safe work procedures examples
The aim of a SWP is to help supervisors, workers and any other persons at the workplace to understand how to carry out a task in a safe and healthy manner. It sets out the work activities in a logical sequence and identifies hazards and describes the control measures.
The information in a SWP is developed after the risk assessment, identification and implementation of suitable controls. This process should include consultation with workers.
As a part of risk management it is important to monitor and review the controls and ensure that any new hazards are managed. If the task remains hazardous, further risk assessment and management will be required.
Commercial
Residential