Recognising and understanding these risks in your business is a critical step in establishing effective control measures to reduce and ideally eliminate them. Usually the first step is to analyse and evaluate hazardous manual tasks specific to your warehousing and be clear on the injury risks they pose. Employ Health’s evidence-based approach ensures that your warehouses can confidently manage these risks.

What Is A Warehouse-Specific ManTRA?

A Warehouse-Specific Manual Task Risk Assessment (ManTRA) is a tool tailored for assessing musculoskeletal risk factors in manual tasks within a warehouse setting. It factors in the duration and nature of manual tasks typical in warehouses, facilitating an accurate assessment of risk levels and necessary control measures.

The ManTRA Process in Warehouses

For effective implementation of a ManTRA in warehouses, the ManTRA process involves:

  • One of our experienced Employ Health physiotherapists with warehousing expertise partnering with you on this project.

  • Engagement with your warehouse employees who regularly perform the manual tasks.

  • Engagement with your staff responsible for managing hazardous manual tasks in the warehouse environment.

We collaborate as a team to evaluate the total frequency of selected tasks, and assess five key characteristics (cycle time, force, speed, awkwardness, and vibration) across four body regions. The resulting data is then used to evaluate exposure to each risk factor.

Appropriate risk control measures are then recommended based on the severity of exposure, ensuring effective hazard management protocols are implemented within your warehouse.

Complementing ManTRA with PErforM in Warehouses

Warehouses can also use the PErforM tool (Participative Ergonomics for Manual Tasks) alongside ManTRA. This tool emphasises the inclusion of employees as experts in task completion, promoting a collaborative approach to risk analysis.

Benefits for Warehousing Businesses and Teams

Compliance with WHS Regulations:

Using ManTRA supports your warehouse to meet your WHS obligations for hazardous manual tasks, ensuring a complete risk management process.

Learning Safe Work Practices:

Involvement of your employees in the ManTRA process fosters a systemic understanding of risk management in your warehouse operations, enhancing awareness of safe practices within your business.

Reducing Injury Risks:

Effectively managing manual task risks reduces the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries, including strains, sprains, fractures, and hernias.

Improving Workplace Culture:

Adopting participative risk assessment tools such as ManTRA and PErforM enhances the health and safety culture within your warehouse and reduces risk to many levels within your business.

Reducing Sprain & Strain Claims:

Case studies have shown significant reductions in sprain and strain claims following the implementation of ManTRA in warehouse environments.

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When Is a Warehouse-Specific ManTRA Required?

It is recommended that a ManTRA be conducted in warehouses whenever manual handling hazards are identified. This includes consultation with workers and health and safety representatives, and reviewing injury trends to identify high-risk tasks needing formal assessment.

Why Choose Employ Health for Warehouse ManTRAs?

Employ Health’s physiotherapists have vast experience in warehouse environments, understanding the unique challenges of manual tasks in this sector. Our expertise in implementing ManTRA and PErforM tools ensures comprehensive risk management, aligned with the Hierarchy of Controls and the Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks.

Other Services for Warehouse Workers

  1. Job Dictionary Development

  2. Pre-Employment Screening

  3. Task-Specific Ergonomic Assessments

  4. Workstation Ergonomic Assessments

  5. Preventative Physiotherapy (Prehab) Programs

  6. Early Intervention Physiotherapy

Start your journey to Proactive Workplace Health

Call 1300 367 519
Get started

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