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Manual Handling Risk Assessment for
WASTE COLLECTION
Activity
Potential
Hazards
Risk
Rating
Control Measures
Responsibility
Bending under desks
and counter to pick up
waste containers.
Also may require
some bending under
shelving and
benches.
Muscular to lower
back or shoulders
Low
54
Bend knees to get to lower level rather than
reaching unnecessarily
Position bins so that they are close to the
outside edge of the desk area rather than
under the desk near the feet position
Supervisor and H&S Rep to
ensure training and assess
competency.
Cleaner to ensure they
alternate their duties to
provide appropriate breaks.
Reaching up to lift
containers over the lip
of external waste
collection
bins/receptacles and
to lift the lid on such
receptacles
Also reaching up with
the load to drop over
the edge of the bin
Should and arm
muscular strain
Med
162
When opening the lid of a large container,
seek assistance to do the task as a team
effort to take some weight and strain off the
top arms.
If container to be placed in the bin is
overfull or heavy, empty part of the
contents out into another container and
make tow lifts, or seek assistance to lift as
a team.
Install a mechanical lifting device (bin lifter).
Cleaner to ensure they
alternate their duties to
provide appropriate breaks.
Reaching across
benches to collect
waste
Also reaching across
the waste collection
bin to deposit rubbish
into the centre of the
bin or move rubbish
toward the centre to fit
more into the bin.
Should and arm
muscular strain
Med
162
Use an aid (stick/prod) to push rubbish into
the centre of the bin, do not use hands as
this could cause a cut as well as a strain
injury.
Request that all rubbish is placed in bins
and not left on benches, especially out of
reach places
Supervisor and H&S Rep to
ensure training and assess
competency.
.
Packaging/folding
some empty boxes,
tearing cardboard and
general moving the
bundles to a central
place for disposal
could create some
strain
Lower back,
muscular skeletal
type injuries
Strains of the
lower back
Low
54
Don’t attempt to do too big a load at once
Seek assistance for difficult cardboard
products, use cutting tools if necessary
Supervisor and H&S Rep to
ensure training and assess
competency.
When moving
bundled cardboard
and other packaging
bundles outside for
disposal
Shoulder, lower
back, muscular
skeletal type
injuries
Strains of the
lower back
Med
162
Use mechanical aid (trolley) for large,
heavy or awkward loads. Do not use
physical force as it is a risk to strain injuries
Supervisor and H&S Rep to
ensure training and assess
competency.
Some loads of waste
packaging can be an
awkward shape and
unstable to move
Shoulder, lower
back, muscular
skeletal type
injuries
Strains of the
lower back
Med
162
Work as a team where the packaging is
awkward to move. There is a risk of strain
and also a risk of dropping the load causing
other injuries if tackled by one person only.
Supervisor and H&S Rep to
ensure training and assess
competency.