Workplace Safety

Manual Handling

Moving trolleys
When moving trolleys, manual handling means lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, moving, holding or restraining trolleys of all shapes and sizes. Moving trolleys may be associated with shelf stacking or stacking pallets.

Problems

Strain injuries may occur when:

Trolleys are difficult to manoeuvre.
Trolley wheels are poorly maintained.
The trolleys and their loads are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the number of times a trolley is moved or the workplace layout, are taken into account.
Surfaces over which trolleys are pushed are uneven or mismatched.
Trolleys are moved over large distances or up steep slopes.
Trolleys are difficult to grip due to the absence or poor location of handles.
The person pushing the trolley is unable to see over the load.

Stacking Shelves
It is important for people who work in shops, warehouses, libraries, sections managing files, hospitals or other workplaces where stacking shelves is a part of the job.

When stacking shelves, manual handling means lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving or holding any item which has to be moved on to or removed from shelves. Shelf stacking may be associated with moving trolleys or unstacking pallets.

Problems

Strain injuries may occur when:

Items are double handled.
Items are stored above shoulder level.
Items are lifted from below mid-thigh height.
Items are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the number of times the items are moved or the distance moved, are taken into account.
The weight of items is unknown and they are heavier than expected for their size or shape. There is not enough space to handle items safely.
The load is unstable or awkward to move.

Noise

Some trades people are being exposed to dangerously high levels of noise on cottage building sites. The home building industry involves electricians, form workers, brick pavers, roof carpenters, finishing carpenters, roof tilers, bricklayers, grano workers and plasterers.

Solutions to noise hazards in the home building industry include quieter blades for brick saws, quieter nozzles for air blowers, choosing quieter alternatives such as using brooms or vacuum cleaners instead of blowers, and maintaining equipment in good condition.

Safety on the Farm

The best safety outcomes on farms are achieved by a 24-hour approach to spotting and dealing with hazards.Some typical farm hazards include:

	Environments (light, noise, rain, heat, sun)
	Substances (pesticides, fuels, dusts)
	Workplace layout (work space, bench height, storage heights)
	Work organisation (unnecessary manual handling)
	Equipment (ladders, silos, chainsaws, angle grinders)
	Farm animals (that bite, kick, crush, toss, infect)
	Heights (roofs, silos, windmills)
	Electricity (switches, cables, leads, power tools, connections)

Working Safely in Wet Weather

Some of the hazards in wet weather include:

	Slippery work at heights.
	Slippery, wet floor surfaces, steps and footholds.
	Excavations caving in.
	Electrical hazards - wet electrical cords, cables, sockets, power points and power equipment.
	Slippery tools, handles and other hand grip surfaces.
	Lightning strikes during thunderstorms.

Working Safely in Hot Weather

Risk Factors
The main factors which influence the risk of heat stress are:

	High air temperature.
	High humidity, which prevents sweat evaporation.
	Low air movement.
	Exposure to the sun.
	Intense physical activity or high work load.

Work Organisation
Work during the cooler parts of the day, for example, early morning; and work in cooler areas, for example, under cover and shaded areas.
Consider split-shift arrangements, for example, have a break from work during the hottest part of the day.
Provide breaks in cooler areas during hot periods.
Alternate periods of work in hot conditions with periods of work in cooler conditions.

Work Environment
Work in shaded areas, for example, under permanent cover.
Increase air movement, for example, use extraction and ventilation equipment.

Cool Drinking Water
Provide ready access to cool drinking water.
Encourage drinks of 100-200ml of water at frequent intervals to replace fluids lost in sweating.

Suitable Work Clothing
Light coloured clothing reflects radiant heat.
Loose clothing, where such clothing is not a safety hazard, assists evaporation of sweat.
Clothing of loosely woven natural fabrics assists evaporation of sweat.
Wide brimmed attachments on helmets to protect from direct sunlight.

Health of Employees
Some employees have health conditions which may reduce their tolerance to heat. In such cases, advice from their doctor should be considered by employers.

Back to Work Issues and Safety Index

	Trolleys are difficult to manoeuvre.
	Trolley wheels are poorly maintained.
	The trolleys and their loads are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the number of times a trolley is moved or the workplace layout, are taken into account.
	Surfaces over which trolleys are pushed are uneven or mismatched.
	Trolleys are moved over large distances or up steep slopes.
	Trolleys are difficult to grip due to the absence or poor location of handles.
	The person pushing the trolley is unable to see over the load.

	Items are double handled.
	Items are stored above shoulder level.
	Items are lifted from below mid-thigh height.
	Items are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the number of times the items are moved or the distance moved, are taken into account.
	The weight of items is unknown and they are heavier than expected for their size or shape. There is not enough space to handle items safely.
	The load is unstable or awkward to move.