AISV - Compliance Framework, Manual handling

Issues such as compliance, safety in the curriculum and workplace bullying.

AISV Compliance Framework

Manual handling

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Do you need to comply?

Yes - under the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety (Manual Handling) Regulations 1999 (Vic.).

Conditions of compliance

The primary objective of the Occupational Health and Safety (Manual Handling) Regulations 1999 (Vic.) is to protect people at work against musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) caused by manual handling.

Manual handling is much more than lifting or lowering an object. It also includes restraining, pulling, carrying, holding, throwing and activities involving sustained (awkward) posture, repetitive actions and use of equipment or tools that have a vibration component.

"Musculoskeletal disorder" means an injury, illness or disease that arises in whole or in part from manual handling in the workplace, whether occurring suddenly or over a prolonged period of time, but does not include an injury, illness or disease which is caused by crushing, entrapment or cut resulting primarily from the mechanical operation of plant.

If you have to comply, what do you have to do?

To comply with the requirements of the Manual Handling Regulations, your school must undertake the following actions:

Identify all manual handling activities in the school
Identify and assess the relevant risk factors to determine if a hazardous manual handling activity
Assess hazardous manual handling activity whenever new information or reports of MSD occurs
Control the risk using the hierarchy of controls
Review effectiveness of the risk controls

Note:

The hazard identification, risk assessment and control process should be undertaken in conjunction with affected staff and Health & Safety Representative (HSR).
Each step in the process must be documented

Some manual handling risks commonly found in schools:

moving furniture
carrying computers/televisions
pushing a trolley
lifting a ladder
restraining a frightened child
typing school reports using a notebook computer in an awkward posture
repetitive PC operation in administration
carrying books and resources around the school
stretching to reach a high shelf
separating fighting students
lifting high jump mats and other PE equipment
standing on a table and/or chair to pin up students' work
bending to a bottom shelf to reach a carton
carrying large slabs of soft drink
lifting 25 litre containers of cleaning chemicals with one hand
moving rocks, digging etc at a gardening bee
bending over for extended periods to be at the same height as students
in special settings, lifting, changing, supporting and catching (dropping) children

What are the consequences if you don't comply?

You could be penalised under breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic.).

Who will help you?

AISV contact:

Peter Roberts
Assistant Director, Management Services
Ph. 03 9825 7211
peter.roberts@ais.vic.edu.au