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.
Note that although some guidance material was prepared under the auspices of previous departments and divisions, it is still valid.
Please be aware, however, that our address and contact details may have changed. The Cloisters Square postal address must not be used for correspondence.
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.
Review of 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 report of the April 2008 scoping study (provided below) outlines the approach adopted.
Training package
Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders from performing manual tasks in mining workplaces
This package provides mining workplaces with the information to run a workshop on how to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders from performing manual tasks in mining workplaces.
The workshop will provide the knowledge and skills for mining workplace employees, as part of a manual tasks risk management team, to undertake the risk management process applied to manual tasks.
The workshop can be adapted to suit:
- a workplace induction program or
- manual tasks risk management training for managers.
Acknowledgement: This training package is based on WorkSafe Western Australia’s publication “Preventing manual handling injuries in the workplace”.
Guidance to managing risks
Each mining workplace is different and there will be some variation in the most suitable approach to implementing and running a program that effectively manages the risks associated with manual tasks. The key factors are described in guidance for mining workplaces document below.
An audit guideline and template are available to help workplaces assess how they are managing the risks associated with performing manual tasks. You can view/download the audit guideline and template from the Safety Guidance and FAQs - Mining Safety section.
Fact sheets
Resources Safety has produced a series of fact sheets on manual tasks in mining (provided below).
Hardcopy and high-resolution PDF versions of the fact sheets are available upon request (email: mailto:RSDComms@dmp.wa.gov.au).
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.
