Cut Manual Handling Injuries with Safer Work Systems

Hazardous manual handling continues to be the single largest contributor to workplace injuries in Victoria, with WorkSafe receiving 48,355 injury claims since 2021. More than 60 per cent of these claims relate to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including sprains, strains, back and soft tissue injuries, hernias and chronic pain conditions.

To address this ongoing risk, WorkSafe is delivering Manual Handling Basics workshops that provide practical guidance, tools and resources to help businesses identify hazardous manual handling tasks and implement effective risk controls. These workshops support the development of robust WHS management systems and clear policies to systematically manage manual handling risks.

WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said hazardous manual handling remains a major focus for the regulator in its efforts to reduce injuries across high-risk sectors.

"When people think of hazardous manual handling, they often picture heavy lifting, but it shows up in countless other ways across all types of workplaces," Mr Jenkin said.

"Any work that involves awkward postures, repetitive movements or sustained force can put excessive strain on the body and cause serious, long-term injuries."

Data from the past five years shows that almost 40 per cent of MSDs linked to manual handling originate from the manufacturing, and healthcare and social assistance industries.

In the childcare sector, everyday tasks such as lifting children in and out of cots, working at floor level, and spending extended periods at desks completing documentation all present manual handling risks if not properly managed.

Similarly, in food manufacturing, repetitive lifting and carrying, labelling, packing, and sealing containers can lead to injury when ergonomic and task-related risks are not controlled. Incorporating task-specific Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) can help standardise safer methods for these activities. Resources to assist in developing SWMS are available from specialist providers such as BlueSafe Online.

"On average, about 26 workers are injured every day in Victoria due to hazardous manual handling, and no industry is exempt," Mr Jenkin said.

"These injuries can be life-changing, but the reality is that most are preventable when the right systems, equipment and work design are in place. Our workshops are specifically aimed at helping employers put those controls into practice."

The Manual Handling Basics workshops are targeted at employers, managers and supervisors with OHS responsibilities in small and medium-sized businesses. Sessions focus on practical risk assessment, hierarchy of control, job design and the integration of manual handling controls into existing WHS management systems and procedures. Organisations seeking to strengthen their overarching WHS framework can also access structured management system resources through providers such as BlueSafe Online.

Registrations for the workshops are now open to Victorian businesses looking to reduce the incidence and severity of manual handling injuries and improve long-term worker health and safety outcomes.

For further information, media enquiries can be directed to WorkSafe via email at media@worksafe.vic.gov.au or by phone on 0438 786 968.