Manual Handling Training

KINNECT can conduct SmartMove Manual Handling Training programs throughout Australia. We have consultants and/or clinics located in the following locations:

• Sydney, NSW
• Brisbane, QLD
• Melbourne, VIC
• Perth, WA
• Adelaide, SA
• Canberra, ACT
• Cairns, QLD
• Townsville, QLD
• Mackay, QLD
• Rockhampton, QLD
• Gladstone, QLD
• Emerald, QLD
• Sunshine Coast, QLD
• Gold Coast, QLD

Our Manual Handling Training programs are delivered by tertiary qualified allied health professionals – Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Accredited Exercise Physiologists. Our consultants all hold extensive experience in occupational health and risks associated with manual tasks.

Musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, are injuries or diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The role of the musculoskeletal system is to support and protect the body and includes the skeleton, joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and other connective binding tissue. Musculoskeletal disorders can occur suddenly or happen over time and do not include fractures or dislocations caused by entrapment or crushing. Rapidly occurring MSDs are usually due to sudden unexpected forces whereas MSDs that occur over time are due to continuous overuse, including static body positions. However, it is possible for injuries to occur as a combination when body tissue has been weakened and is therefore more prone to sudden injury from lower forces.

Examples and symptoms of MSDs caused by hazardous manual tasks include:

• Acute or chronic pain
• Sprains and strains
• Soft tissue injuries, e.g. hernias
• Back injury
• Muscular and vascular disorders
• Injuries or degeneration of joints and bones
• Nerve injuries e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome

To avoid MSDs and consequent workers’ compensation claims, the execution of manual handling training is important. Manual handling training supports pre-existing procedures that you may already have in place such as rules on how to use certain equipment and how to safely perform tasks. Training assists employees and management in the identification of risk and control measures that are to be used to minimise the risk. Suitable manual handling training also covers how to safely perform manual tasks and how to report problems.

Employees who perform, supervise or manage manual tasks, as well as workplace health and safety representatives, should all receive manual handling training. In addition, staff responsible for equipment maintenance and task design should also receive training. Training should be provided as part of employee induction and should be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

In addition to manual handling training, administrative control measures should be put in place. It is important to note that administrative control measures should not be used exclusively as they only attempt to reduce risk through exposure rather than addressing risk factors. Examples of administrative control measures that you could implement to reduce the chance of MSDs include:

• Job rotation
• Rest breaks
• Team handling

Although rotating staff between different workplace tasks requires all staff members to be cross-trained, it is an effective measure to minimise MSDs. Through providing job rotation, you are allowing employees the chance to recover to ensure that they are not overworking a particular muscle or joint. Another effective way of allowing employees to recover is by offering regular rest breaks. Frequent short rest breaks allow for better rest and recovery when compared to longer breaks. The frequency and duration should be determined by the nature of the task and the suspected recovery time. Lastly, team handling, or manual handling conducted by two or more workers, can be an effective administrative control measure. This measure has risk in itself and should only be used in the interim. If opting to pursue this control measure, it is important that employees are matched appropriately, and tasks are shared equally.