The document discusses manual handling tasks and how to prevent musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace. It notes that 37% of workplace injuries are due to manual handling tasks. Some key risks include lifting heavy objects, repetitive motions, awkward postures like bending or twisting, and poorly designed workspaces or equipment. The document provides recommendations to address these risks, such as using lifting aids, redesigning workspaces, providing training, and reorganizing tasks to reduce risk of injuries.

4. Seizing, holding,
grasping, turning, or
otherwise working with
the hand or hands.
Fingers are involved
only to the extent that
they are an extension
of the hand, such as to
turn a switch or to
shift automobile gears.

5. Carrying
Lifting
Pushing
Pulling
Holding
Striking Throwing

6. To prevent and to
reduce the severity
of injuries resulting
from manual handling
tasks in the
workplace.

7. • 37% Manual Handling
• 19% Slips, Trips & Falls
• 12% Other causes
• 20% Stuck by an Object
• 7% Falling from Height
• 5% Machinery

9. • Manual tasks can lead to injury through the
development of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD).
• An Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) is an injury
affecting the bones or soft tissue structure (other
than organs) of the body that is caused by manual
handling at work.
• Examples include sprains of ligaments; strains of
muscles or tendons; injuries to the spine, joints, bones
or nerves and abdominal hernias.

10. Repetitive Motion
63%
Repetitive Placing,
Grasping, or
Moving Objects
20%
Repetitive
Use of Tools 8%
Typing or
Key Entry
9%

11. • Back or neck pain
• Pain in wrists shoulder or
arms
• Stabbing pains in arms
or legs
• Painful joints
• Pain, tingling or
numbness in hands or
feet
• Weakness or clumsiness
• Heaviness
• Burning sensations
• Stiffness
• Swelling

12. • Constraints on
postures e.g lack of
space
• Shape of object
• Poor floors
• Variation in levels
• Hot/cold/rain/ice/
humid conditions
• Strong air
movements
• Poor lightning
conditions
• Finding shortcuts
• Showing off
• Pressure of work
• Untrained worker

16. Engineering Improvements
These includes rearranging,
modifying, redesigning,
providing or replacing tools,
equipment, work stations,
packaging, parts,
processes, products or
materials.
Administrative
Improvements
These includes job
rotation, adjusting work
schedules, work pace, or
work practices, provide
variety of jobs to
eliminate repetition.

17. • Plan the workflow to eliminate unnecessary carrying.
• Slide, push, or roll instead of carrying, when appropriate.
• Organize the work so that the physical demands and work
pace increases gradually.
• Reduce the distances that loads are moved to a minimum.
• Use mechanical devices or equipment for transporting load.
• Reduce the weight of the load
• Repack the containers so contents will not shift and the
weight is balanced.
• Use team carrying as a temporary measure for heavy or
bulky objects.
• Reduce the frequency and amount of time workers carry
materials.

18. Consider the following options that will:
• Reduce reaching and bending.
• Reduce the stress on your back & shoulders.
• Reduce the effort & force needed to perform work
tasks.

19. • Some examples to show how we can reduce workers
injuries….
• Plan the lift
• Keep the load close to your
body
• Maintain the natural curves
of your spine

20. For the lifting of light and heavy loads

22. Consider the following options that will:
• Improve your grip.
• Reduce stress on your back & shoulders.
• Reduce contact pressure on your shoulders & hands.
• Reduce the effort & force needed to perform work
tasks.

23. Increase the size of pail
handle with clamp or
padding
Wear proper size gloves
to attain proper grip

24. Pad the shoulder. Use a tool.

25. • Change the container.
• Use a tool.
• Use non-powered equipment.
• Use powered equipment.

26. Instead of lifting &
pouring from the drum,
use siphon & pump.
Use a hook for light-weight
containers to
reduce your reach

27. Use a drum dolly to
transfer Drums.
Use a cart or
platform truck.

29. Use a powered
stacker
Use a powered hand
truck for stairs

31. The three steps are:
• Identifying manual task hazards
• Assessing the risk of manual task hazards
• Eliminating the risk, or if it is not possible then
reduce the risk to the lowest practicable level

32. Identify all the plant, materials,
equipment, systems of work, the
work environment and individual
tasks which have the potential
to contribute to a
musculoskeletal disorder

33. • Type of work - some tasks
require fixed postures for long
periods of time
• Layout of the work space - a
poorly designed workspace may
force people to maintain awkward
postures, such as bending or
twisting repetitively
• Weight of the object - heavy
objects that have to be lifted
awkwardly, such as from ground
level are more likely to cause
injury than objects lifted from
waist level
• Equipment - more effort may be
required to manipulate badly
designed or poorly maintained
equipment

34. Some tasks require fixed postures for long periods of time.

35. A poorly designed workspace may force people to maintain
awkward postures such as bending or twisting repetitively.

36. Heavy objects that have to be lifted awkwardly, such as
from ground level are more likely to cause injury than
objects lifted from waist level.
25 kg for 95% of males. 15 kg for 99% of females.

37. More effort may be required to manipulate badly designed
or poorly maintained equipment.

38.  Change the task you can
change the task to prevent
manual task hazards.
 Change the object - for
example, repack a heavy
load into smaller, more
manageable parcels
 Use mechanical aids - like
wheelbarrows, trolleys,
conveyor belts, cranes or
forklifts
Change the workspace - for
example, use ergonomic
furniture and make sure work
benches are at optimum
heights to limit bending or
stretching
Seek proper training -
inexperienced workers are
more likely to be injured

39. You can change the task to prevent manual task hazards.

40. Repack a heavy load into smaller, more manageable parcels.

41. Like wheel barrows, trolleys, conveyor belts,
cranes or forklifts.

42. Use ergonomics furniture and make sure work benches are
at optimum heights to limit bending or stretching.

43. Inexperience workers are more likely to be injured.