Hazardous Manual Tasks
Information on the review of manual tasks in the WA mining industry and guidance on what makes a manual task hazardous, how performing hazardous manual tasks at work can cause injury, and using the risk management approach and participative ergonomics.
What are hazardous manual tasks?
Manual task is a label given to any activity that requires a person to use their physical body (musculoskeletal system) to perform work. Some manual task activities are potentially a problem as they have characteristics that increase the risk of injury - they are described as hazardous manual tasks.
Injuries from performing manual tasks, collectively referred to as musculoskeletal disorders, consistently account for about one-third of all injuries in Western Australian mining workplaces.
Manual tasks in the WA mining industry
Review of manual tasks in the WA mining industry
In early 2008, Resources Safety initiated a project to “identify and implement best practice manual handling and ergonomic strategies to significantly reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries to employees in the WA mining industry”. The May 2008 project overview (provided below) outlines the approach adopted.
Manual tasks in mining fact sheets
Resources Safety has produced a series of fact sheets on manual tasks in mining (provided below).
Toolbox presentations
Resources Safety has a series of mines safety toolbox presentations that can be used in toolbox and other meetings, including several relevant to hazardous manual tasks.
