Manual Tasks in Mining Fact Sheet 1 provides an overview of the manual task terminology.
Injuries from performing manual tasks at work, collectively known as musculoskeletal disorders, are a significant burden for the Western Australian Mining Industry. Reducing the extent and severity of such injuries is beneficial to all industry stakeholders. Furthermore all duty holders have a legal obligation to reduce the risk of injury to employees performing manual tasks.
Manual Tasks in Mining Fact Sheet 2 provide more detail on the extent and cost of injuries.
Injuries from performing manual tasks at work can result from sudden damage to the musculoskeletal system. More commonly, however, they result from the cumulative wear and tear on the musculoskeletal system. The risk management process of hazard identification, risk assessment, risk control and control evaluation provides a framework within which all manual task risk factors that cause or contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders can be considered. This assists in managing the cumulative nature of these injuries.
It is imperative that the risk management process be effectively implemented at the workplace. Current best practice is a participative ergonomics approach, which involves workers, assisted by an ergonomist or occupational safety and health (OSH) personnel with skills in ergonomics, undertaking the risk management process.
Manual Tasks in Mining Fact Sheet 3, Manual Tasks in Mining Fact Sheet 4 and Manual Tasks in Mining Fact Sheet 5 provide more detail on how manual tasks at work cause injury, the risk management process and participative ergonomics, respectively.