National campaign aims to reduce loading and unloading injuries

Australia’s workplace safety authorities are joining forces to tackle the injury rate of workers in the retail, wholesale, transport and storage industries.

Queensland Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the 18-month campaign by the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) aimed to reduce injury rates from manual tasks such as loading and unloading vehicles.

Mr Mickel said Workplace Health and Safety Queensland would take part in the nation-wide campaign which will examine the road freight industry and its relationship to retail, wholesale and storage industries.

“The road freight industry contributes significantly to workers’ compensation claims for muscular stress injuries,” he said.

“Injuries from manual tasks and moving objects are a considerable financial burden to workers and to industry.

“This campaign will help us to identify why this is the case and ultimately help to safeguard workers from injury and reduce workers’ compensation costs to employers.”

National 2005/06 injury statistics show the rate of muscular stress claims for road freight transport and road freight forwarding was 10.6 workers per 1000 compared to 7 workers per 1000 across the combined retail, wholesale, transport and storage industries.

Back and shoulder injuries due to lifting, carrying, putting down or handling objects are common injuries in the retail, wholesale, transport and storage industries.

The campaign aims to build on preliminary studies by WorkSafe Victoria which indicate the industry itself believes that loading and unloading vehicles is a significant health and safety issue that needs to be addressed.

It will include a survey of transport industry workers and employers in November 2008. The results will be used to develop practical information tools and products.

An education campaign involving site visits and workshops will be conducted in early 2009 to provide industry with the skills to manage manual task risks.

Following the education campaign, workplace audits will be conducted late in 2009, with the results of the campaign expected to be released in the first quarter of 2010.

Media contact: Jane Rowe 3237 1125 or David Robertson 3235 4060

4 November 2008