Topic 7 - Reducing the Risk

Now tryActivity K

Now try Task 4

Now try Task 5

Who will participate in these OH & S tasks?

Remember 

It won't be only the OH & S committee.

There may be designated people within the workplace responsible for specified OH & S work - whether it is performing, approving, inspecting or directing OH & S work.

Now tryActivity L

Precautions for Reducing the Risk

Precaution 1 - Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a term used to describe everyday type activities such as carrying, stacking, pushing, pulling, rolling, sliding, lifting or lowering loads.

Can you think of some examples for an office worker?   Click here for examples

Lets find out about Boris and the risk he faces in his job.

The Problem: Boris worked at a large supermarket in the delivery section. Boris had to bend forward and lift a garbage bin weighing up to 20kg; the garbage had to be emptied several times every hour and the bin had to be carried more than 20 metres to be emptied into the bulk bin.

Click here for the solution.

Now tryActivity M

Precaution 2: Ergonomic Furniture

Office workers spend many hours using a variety of keyboard equipment. Keyboard equipment that is properly selected, co-ordinated and adjusted will help prevent a range of injuries caused by overuse, poor posture and poor lighting.

 Check the information in the Support Material that covers 'Keyboard Equipment for Workstations'. Then look at the photo and think about how ergonomics is applied to the office environment.

Is your workplace ergonomic?

Now try Task 6

Plants in the Office

Can you identify the plant in the photo? Use the Support Material to help you. Answer Did you know that plants in the office can reduce toxic substances in the air?  Click here for more information.

 

Plants are not the only thing that can reduce risk. Your level of fitness and management of stress play an important part.

Remember:

1. Never stretch to the point where pain is experienced

2. Don't do the exercises if you have a medical condition that could be made worse by stretching

3. These are GENTLE stretching actions

Try these exercises.

Read the instructions then click on each photo for a closer look.

 

Unnamed Stretch   Clasp hands and stretch your arms over your head towards the ceiling. Lean your body gently from side to side to focus the stretch in each shoulder.	Hands Behind Back   Clasp hands behind your back, then with straight elbows lift your arms, pin your shoulders back and arch your back and neck gently into extension.	Wrist & Finger    Hold your arm out in front of you with your wrist and fingers flexed upwards. With your other hand stretch them further back to feel a stretch in the wrist, fingers and forearm. Repeat with the wrist and fingers flexed the other way.	Shoulder Shrug   Shrug your shoulders up then depress them down. Pull them forward rounding your back, then pin them back and arch. Roll them alternately making large circles forwards and backwards	Neck Turns   Turn your head all the way round to one side as though looking behind you. Place your hand on your chin and jaw. Relax your neck as you gently push it further, stretching into rotation. Use the same hand as the side you are turning to.	Side Bending   Stand and reach one arm up and over your head to the side. Gently lean over and stretch to either side of your body	Doorway Stretch   Stand in a doorway or the corner of the room with hands on the wall just above shoulder height. Lean forward to stretch the middle back, chest and shoulders

 

Complete the activity below the table.

Now tryActivity N

An Injury: Occupational Overuse Syndrome

The most likely injury to office workers is OOS. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is an example of an OOS. RSI applies to the problems resulting from using certain equipment or overusing a small group of muscles when carrying out a task.

A typical way to get RSI is keying in information for a long period of time.

Now tryActivity O

Precaution 3: Stress

• cannot handle a situation

• not getting much done at work

• signs of strain eg. fatigue, skin rash, depression

Stress is a situation where and when there is a lack of balance between a person and his or her environment.

Now try Task 7

This is the end of Topic 7.  Now try Topic 8

Examples

Did you think of:

• moving boxes of stores

• filing

• getting equipment from cupboards

• filling the photocopy machine with paper

• sorting and handling bulk mail

Back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plant in the photo is Heartleaf

back