Employment Relations for Managers

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WATCH YOUR BACK
a guide to lifting
and other manual tasks
in the hotel industry
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Chapter 1 Manual (Handling) Tasks

• What are manual tasks?
• Formerly known as manual handling, manual tasks
  are essentially any workplace activity that
  require the use of force by a person.
• Primarily lifting but includes pushing, pulling,
  grasping, throwing, striking, restraining,
  lowering, holding etc.
• Why do we need this manual tasks guide?
• About 50 of workers compensation claims in
  Queensland relate to whats called
  musculoskeletal disorders these are injuries
  caused by manual task activities at work.
• You need to know about this guide if you work in
  a hotel in Queensland.

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Chapter 2 Manual Task Injuries

• Are there any Queensland manual task laws?
• Yes there are legislated health and safety
  obligations for everyone in the workforce.
• There is a Manual Tasks Code of Practice which we
  have to adhere to as well.
• How are injuries caused while doing a manual
  task?
• By either a sudden trauma such as a direct blow
  or over-exerting yourself when youre lifting an
  object, or
• Wear and tear over a long period of time when
  youre doing the same thing all the time.

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Chapter 2 Injuries continued..

• What sort of injuries are normally caused?
• Some of the more common injuries sustained are
  ligament sprain, muscle strain, herniated disc,
  hernia and soft tissue injury.
• Injuries to the back, shoulders and wrists are
  the most frequent.
• The spine is strong but quite vulnerable to
  different forces.
• Refer to the guide (pages 6 11) for more
  detail.

Wrong way! Im using my back instead of my legs

• What sort of activities can cause these injuries?
• Load handling frequent or repetitive lifting, or
  lifting too quickly specially loads that are too
  heavy for you.
• Awkward body positions including over-reaching or
  twisting the body.
• Lifting loads too far away from the body.
• Bending over and using your back instead of your
  legs.

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Chapter 2 Injuries continued..

• How do you prevent getting injured when doing a
  manual task?
• Use mechanical aids like trolleys, pallet jacks
  and carts
• Use other workmates to help you (a team lift).
• Keep the correct posture by using the natural
  curves of the spine.
• Keep your back straight and lift with the legs.
• Dont try and lift too much.

Using a trolley is the way to go!
Legs bent back straight
Keep the load close to the body
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Chapter 3 Hazards in Hotels

• What are the main manual task hazards in a hotel?
• Young persons especially young casual staff as
  there is a tendency for less ownership of a
  workplace and sometimes this, combined with a
  lack of maturity, reduces the capacity of their
  antennae to detect danger.
• Stacking above shoulder height a very frequent
  practice, especially with cartons in cool rooms
  or in storage. Results in an unnatural twisting
  or bending of the back, or over-reaching which
  can cause injury.
• Use a ladder to access or just stop the practice
  or paint a line around the store room and dont
  allow stacking above that height.

I think I need a ladder?
Too high
No worries mate ten feet tall and bulletproof!
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Chapter 3 Hazards continued.

• Moving kegs or cartons a 50 litre keg weighs
  more than 65 kilos so theyre heavy and awkward
• Never lift a full keg on your own, a keg trolley
  or a keg lifter is preferred.
• Use other people to help you lift kegs i.e. team
  lifting.
• Rolling kegs along on their bottom edge is
  acceptable.
• Avoid double stacking without assistance
  (mechanical).
• Use a trolley to move cartons dont overload.
• Use your legs when lifting cartons, not your back
  

Dont double stack
Rolling along is O.K.
Single lift no!
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Chapter 3 Hazards continued.

• Behind the bar when youre carrying trays of
  glasses keep them close into your body.
• Avoid twisting or turning your back when reaching
  below or behind the bar for glasses or other
  products.
• Be careful when reaching up to dispense spirits
  from raised nip pourers.
• In the kitchen avoid standing for long periods
  working at benches or sinks that are too low.
• The recommended height for a bench is just below
  elbow level.
• A spring loaded plate dispenser mitigates having
  to carry large quantities.
• Use trolleys or carts to carry filled heavy pots
  or containers

Only a few at a time
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Chapter 3 Hazards continued.

• Housekeeping these functions are repetitive,
  require over-reaching and involve
  twisting/turning movements.
• It is a good idea to warm up before starting
  physical work.
• Always use your knees when bed making to support
  yourself.
• Squat or kneel as you clean under tables and
  difficult places to clean and dont use your
  back all the time.
• Use a trolley to carry or distribute clean and
  dirty linen.
• Vacuum cleaner backpacks are generally
  recommended.
• The office seating posture and ergonomics are
  important.
• Change your seating position often.
• Support your lower back.

Posture is important
Use your knee for support
Kneel beside the bed dont use your back
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Chapter 4 Risk Management

• Risk management this is a process to follow to
  identify, assess and manage workplace hazards.
  The process (SAM method) is
• Spot the hazard identify the problem manual
  task(s).
• Assess the risk prioritise the hazard(s).
• Make the changes use the hierarchy of
  controls to fix it
• Eliminate. Remove the hazard entirely.
• Substitute. Replace the hazard or change for a
  lower risk option?
• Isolate. Stop access to the hazard.
• Engineer. Physical solution such as using
  mechanical means.
• Administrative solution. Implement training or
  introduce a procedure.
• Personal Protective Clothing i.e. steel capped
  boots as a last resort.
• Solutions to fix it include
• Purchase better designed equipment, change the
  load size, use trolleys or jacks, lower storage
  heights, team lifting, changing work postures,
  rotate the task, maintain workplace equipment or
  employment screening.

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Chapter 5 Mechanical Aids

• Mechanical aids (trolleys, pallet jacks and
  carts) are used to help minimise your exposure to
  manual task risks.
• Assess the load is the mechanical aid suited to
  the tasks?
• Mechanical aids need to be light and kept close
  to where work is done.
• Training workers need to know the correct way
  of operating the device.
• Maintenance mechanical aids must be well
  maintained.

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Chapter 6 Lifting Moving Techniques

• Training lifting is the most common example of
  incorrect technique.
• Training staff in proper lifting techniques
  should be considered in conjunction with other
  options.
• SINGLE PERSON LIFT
• Assess the load
• Where is the load going?
• Do you need help?
• Is there a clear path?
• What is the best way to lift the load?
• Do I need to rest during the lift?
• Dont overdo it!

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Chapter 6 Lifting Continued.

• Keep the load close to your body (and waist).
• Heaviest side to the body and move your feet for
  balance.
• Keep your back straight bend at the knees.
• A straight back keeps the spine in its neutral
  position.
• Keep a firm hold on the load hug it close to
  the body.
• Turn with your feet and not with your hips.
• Your shoulders in the same direction as your
  hips.
• Look up and ahead when you are travelling.
• You need to see where you are going.
• Keep a straight back when placing the load down.
• Bending the knees again.

Keep it close to the body
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No twisting!
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Chapter 6 Lifting Continued.

• Team lifting is essentially an extension of
  individual lifting, but you have assistance from
  one or more persons.
• Team lifting is a solution if you dont have
  suitable mechanical means.
• Use a team lift if the load is awkward in shape,
  or
• The load is large but not necessarily heavy, or
• The load will obscure your vision when carrying
  it.
• You need to make an assessment
• Pick someone of similar height.
• Pick a male if you can (males are physically
  stronger).
• Avoid very young or very old people.
• Injuries can occur if the load is not
  distributed evenly, the lifters dont coordinate
  the lift or only one person bears all the weight.

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Chapter 6 Lifting Continued.

• To complete a team lift
• Communicate when lifting and carrying the load
• You must have adequate numbers for the load.
• Ensure there is enough room for all the lifters.
• Someone should be in control and pace yourselves.
• Apply the single lift procedure (for team
  lifting).
• Pushing v Pulling
• The three parts to this are starting the load in
  motion, sustaining it and stopping its the
  starting thats the most difficult.
• It is better to push than pull as it involves
  less lower back work.
• Individual circumstances can also dictate what
  you do.

Pushing too high and upright
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Chapter 7 Warm Up Exercises

• Simple stretches can aid reducing the risk of
  injury
• The following set of exercises are a guide only
  (refer to the handbook pages 28 29 for more
  information).

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Chapter 7 Warm Up Continued.