AUGUST News. Best Practice Management of Manual Handling Risk. Welcome to Stephen Weber. Hand rails versus Guardrail. Speed versus Greed

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1 AUGUST 2012 Best Practice Management of Manual Handling Risk Speed versus Greed Hand rails versus Guardrail Welcome to Stephen Weber

2 What s this Month? Welcome to our August edition. This month, our feature article covers manual handling risk, written by our own Ergonomic Specialist, Ross Gibson. The article details best practice in the management of manual handling risk and provides practical guidance, including latest developments. We also have an interesting article on Speed versus Greed, which provides a different perspective about speeding in cars. It may change the way you think about increasing the speed of your driving. This newsletter also includes an article detailing the difference between handrails and guardrails, and we also welcome Stephen Weber to the Safety Action team. We hope you enjoy this edition. Stay Safe! Best Practice Management of Manual Handling Risk Increasingly, organisations are adopting a safety vision of Zero Harm or with similar wording. The management of manual handling risk can be seen as a final frontier of achieving Zero Harm given that musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) from hazardous manual handling accounts for approximately 70% of all workers compensation claims. If organisations are commited to achieving the aspiration goal of Zero Harm they must have in place a best practice model of managing manual handling risk. This article aims to explore what are some of the best practice strategies for measurement and control of hazardous manual handling tasks. Current Facts and Figures Manual handling continues to be the most signicant contributer to workers compensation claims within Australia. Data from the Safe Work Australia Compendium of Workers Compensation Statistics Australia , shows that body stressing is the common cause of 41% of serious* workers compensation claims over the past decade. Overall body stressing claims reduced by 10% over the past decade with back claims reducing by 25%, however an overall increase in shoulder and lower limb injuries. Published Victorian Workcover Authority data for states that musculoskeletal disorders contributed for 68% of claims received at a total cost to Victoria of $1 billion a year with over 15,000 claims received at an average claim cost of $55,000 per claim. * Definition of serious claim = incapacity requiring absence of work > 1 week. Gary Rowe, CEO 2012 Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 2

3 Model WHS Regulations The model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations outline prescriptive requirements to what factors risk controls must be taken into account. Section 60 of the WHS Regulations prescribes that a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must manage hazardous manual tasks and risk controls must have regard to factors such as; postures, size and weight of items, movements, forces and vibration, systems of work, design of workplace. Safe Work Australia has also published a code of practice for Hazardous Manual Tasks dated December Existing Management Methods Historically there has been a large body of research and literature conducted on the management of manual handling risk. However considering the amount of information available, employers traditionally have focused their resources on two main management techniques; the provision of manual handling training and claims management. Issues associated with relying on these strategies include; Training - Is considered low level control (Administration) - The training is well intended but ineffective - Requires appropriate supervision & monitoring of behaviour for compliance Claims management - Not a risk control under the hierarchy of control as only applied after an injury has been sustained Provision of effecive manual handling training and claims management are vital components to a best practice management program, however effective assessment and the implementation of risk controls at a higher level must form part of the program. Latest Assessment Techniques The use of technology has enhanced the measurement of sources of potential manual handling strain. The use of biofeedback measurement tools such as the Body Strain Monitor,TM pictured, enables postural and muscle activity data to be obtained when performing tasks in real time. The data can be utilised to objectively detect high risk periods of actvities when the body is under unnaceptable levels of stress. The equipment can also be used to measure the impact of control methods (e.g. using alternate equipment, techniques) by objectively assessing the impact on the body. The use of traditional measurement techniques such as risk assessment, force measurement and using ergonomic modeling continue to form a vital part of the identification and measurement of manual handling risk. Low Order Controls Body Strain Monitor TM 2012 Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 3

4 Current Control Options The ongoing development and investment of higher order engineering controls, continues to increase the available control options available to manage MSD risk. The definition of reasonably practicable in relation to risk controls under Section 18 of the Model WHS Act, includes the requirement that controls are required to be implemented to the standard what at the time was reasonably able to be done. As higher order options become more viable, these options can be considered to be reasonably practicable to be implemented. Some recent examples of effective higher order controls our clients have implemented include; Robotic Palletiser - Automatic palletising installation for food packaging. - No human interaction with any part of operation. - Robot picks up product, builds pallet to designated level. - Completed pallet lowered to ground level, picked up by another robot controlled by Radio Frequency which delivers to storage area. - Safeguarded area eliminating manual handling associated with palletising stock. Pnuematic Roller for Bulk Paper Reels - Air driven roller to roll large reels of paper into position for processing. - Simple design of small rollers similar to trolley jack Design. - Minimises force required to move 2000kg paper roll by machine operators. - Provision of equipment significantly reduces Manual Handling demands on machine operators. Robotic Palletiser Low order controls This article has been developed by our resident Ergonomist and Senior Consultant Ross Gibson. If you would further information in relation to management of Manual Handling Risk and options available, please contact Ross on Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 4

5 Speed vs. Greed A different approach to safety while driving As more people drive as part of their work, while travelling for work, or simply to and from work, the boundary between safe driving and workplace safety has blurred. A person injured on the drive into work is considered to be injured in the course of work, and in the financial year there were 79 worker-commuter fatalities, 5 of whom were pedestrians struck by the worker s vehicle. At a recent defensive driving course, Safety Action staff were urged to think differently about speeding. Speed (both over the limit, and speed inappropriate for adverse driving conditions) is one of the most widely publicised causes of traffic incidents, and yet also one that most people are likely to brush off with excuses like I m a good driver, I m running late for work or Nothing s ever happened before. Safety Action staff were asked to consider the fact that, if travelling at 100km per hour on the freeway and you are 20km away from your destination, you will get there in about 12 minutes. If you speed by 10km over the speed limit you will save just 66 seconds. Is it worth a potentially fatal accident to get there just over a minute sooner? But what if we appeal to our sense of greed instead? Time is Money Do you actually stop to consider how much your time is worth? If you are on a salary, you probably don t think of your time at an hourly rate. You may value your work time, but not your personal time. But consider that every hour in your life (less the essentials like sleeping and personal hygiene) is time that you could potentially be earning money - if not at your normal salary, maybe at $20 an hour in retail. Of course you probably don t want to do that (and you shouldn t because you would end up suffering from severe fatigue) but if you imagine your time to be worth that much, you are probably quite happy to pay $20 an hour for the evenings spent home with your family, and weekends off. If you exceed the speed limit by 10km an hour for your 20km journey, saving 66 seconds, you are saving yourself around 37 cents. However if you get caught speeding at 10km an hour, in Victoria you ll pay a hefty $244 fine. Since time is money, that s like donating 12.2 hours of your personal time. Put a dollar value on time, and it sounds like a reverse lottery ticket. You win 37 cents, but there s a chance you could pay for a $244 ticket. Most people wouldn t want to take those odds. And incidentally, it just might make them safer drivers. For more information on driving safety, or on communicating safety matters to your staff, call or Safety Action on T or enquiries@safetyaction.com.au 2012 Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 5

6 Handrail versus Guardrail Many people use the terms handrail and guardrail interchangeably, but are they different? Handrail: A handrail is a rail which provides a handhold on a platform, walkway, stairway or step ladder. Essentially handrails help with stability so people do not slip or misplace their footing and fall down the stairs or fall while on a platform. Guardrail: A guardrail is a structure to prevent persons from falling off a platform, walkway or landing. Sometimes a handrail will form part of a guardrail and this may confuse some people about their different functions. A handrail only needs to be secure enough to provide stability and a continuous guide along a stair or platform, whereas a guardrail must be strong enough to resist breaking if a person falls or pushes on it. Structural Strength of Guardrails Structural standards specify guardrails must sustain a point load force outward or downward of approximately 55kg anywhere along the guardrail, or 33kg per metre. If you would like a Fact Sheet on stair safety call Safety Action T Handrail on stairway Guardrail combined with handrail on platform edge Workers Compensation for Subcontractor on Day Off A recent case has seen a NSW truck driver deemed a worker and awarded compensation for injury sustained on his day off. As a subcontractor he was required to maintain his truck in serviceable condition in order to be eligible to perform jobs as a driver. Although he was not engaged in a work task that day as delivery jobs comprise individual contracts, the arbitrator found that taking the truck in for maintenance was reasonably required, expected, or authorised... in order to perform his duties. As the nature of his work provides a strong link towards the jobs he performs and the task of maintaining his truck in a roadworthy condition between jobs, the arbitrator was satisfied that the nature of his employment was a substantial contributing factor to his injury Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 6

7 ILO Urges Investment in OHS to Fight Stress The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has urged employers to invest in OHS for ethical as well as economic reasons. As well as causing mental health issues in workers, stress has been found to factor in up to 60 per cent of lost working days. The long-term effects of stress on worker health can also increase the risk of accidents occurring. Following over 30 worker suicides in France Telecom, some of whom blamed unbearable work pressure, international health and OHS organisations are urging employers to consider the economic benefits of taking a risk prevention approach, including to workers mental and physical health. Factors contributing to workplace stress include information overload, pressure to meet deadlines, and being unable to disconnect when away from work due to the increase in mobile technology. Wilful and Reckless Train Driver Who Refused to Accept Any Responsibility Dismissed A train driver who allowed his train to exceed the speed limit and enter a track work area after failing to stop at a red flag has had his dismissal upheld by Fair Work Australia. The driver alleged numerous deficiencies in the employer s safety system to the point that the Fair Work Australia Deputy President commented that the worker steadfastly refused to accept any responsibility for the incident. The Tribunal upheld the driver s dismissal citing the employer had conducted an extensive investigation and the worker was offered ample opportunity to defend his actions, and there were no mitigating circumstances in this case. Employer with Proper Procedures Cleared of Harassment An employer who had effective systems in place to train workers in harassment and workplace bullying, (including an induction process and provision of a handbook which detailed company policies on this subject), has successfully defended a claim from an employee who experienced harassment from a coworker. The co-worker who perpetrated the harassment acts was ordered to pay $8,000 in damages. This outcome confirms the importance of having clear documented policies and procedures in place, and not waiting for an incident and then reacting to it Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 7

8 ZERO HARM DAY Safety Action is pleased to be facilitating our second Zero Harm Forum during the second half of November, Our first session, conducted in late 2010, was highly rated by those who attended. Once again Toyota Australia is kindly hosting this event at their head office in Port Melbourne. Gary Rowe presents at the 2010 Zero Harm Forum Speakers from Toyota and other leading companies in Australia will share their experience on their journey to date. We will provide more details in our next newsletter, but we suggest you reserve this date in your diary now. Andrew Douglas of M+K Lawyers presents at the 2010 Zero Harm Forum Book now for Leadership Training 2 Day Safety Leadership Course Safety Action Boardroom, Melbourne $990+ GST per person Tuesday 28 th & Wednesday 29 th This 2 day course is run as a small and interactive group, providing participants with practical training to help you become a true safety leader. A comprehensive manual is provided for each participant. Limited places available - to book your place contact us on T Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 8

9 Phil Kamay Associate Director Ross Gibson Senior Consultant We are running another Zero Harm Forum on 22 November, and Toyota Australia is kindly Welcome hosting it again Stephen at their head Weber! office in Port Melbourne. A similar session Safety was Action conducted is pleased in to late welcome 2010, Stephen and was Weber highly as rated by those the newest member of who our attended. team, having joined us in July, as a Technical Consultant and administrative support. Speakers from Toyota and other leading companies in Australia will share Stephen has just completed his PhD in Lasers and their experience on their journey to date. Optical Sensing (yeah don t ask us either) and brings extensive knowledge of the safety practices not only with those systems but in the application of safety We will provide more details in our next newsletter, but we suggest you reserve within a laboratory environment. this date in your diary now. Stephen enjoys the nerdy side of life with interest in computer games, Dungeons & Dragons and Model Wargaming. SAFETY BENCHMARKING 2012 Don t forget to participate in our Safety Benchmarking Survey for 2012! Andrea Rowe Safety & Risk Advisor Our goal is to benchmark the most commonly used safety performance measures to help our clients and friends to better understand where they sit in the spectrum from best to worst, for each measure surveyed. All participants receive a free copy of the full report. Katie Weber Safety & Risk Advisor Visit to participate. The Survey closes on the 17 th of August. Emily Carter Graduate Safety Advisor Is there anything in our newsletter you would like to comment on, or a topic you would like to see included? Please contact our administration, by ing: enquiries@safetyaction.com.au or by calling T Danielle Smith 2012 Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 9