Focus on manual-handling safety in wood industry

WorkCover NSW is urging workers in one of the state’s highest-risk industries to make safe manual handling a priority after more than 700 injuries over three years.

The wood products manufacturing industry includes businesses involved in the manufacture of wooden doors and windows, roof trusses and wall frames, kitchen cabinets and joineries. The industry has been identified by WorkCover as one of the state’s highest-risk industries after 1965 workers compensation claims in the three years to 2010 at a cost of $19.5 million to the NSW workers compensation scheme.

WorkCover has identified manual tasks in the workshop as one of the top safety issues businesses need to address after it accounted for more than a third of all injuries.

General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division John Watson said WorkCover was working with businesses to make their workplaces more productive, healthy and safe.

“The manufacture of wooden doors and windows, roof trusses and wall frames, kitchen cabinets and joineries involves a lot of manual handling, increasing the likelihood of workers getting injured,” Watson said.

“A number of manual-handling risks have been identified in these workplaces, including poorly designed delivery and dispatch areas, working at the wrong height while manufacturing and assembling products and manually moving timber and products through the workshop.

“Despite these risks, we believe manual-handling injuries are preventable and businesses can do more to create safer workplaces.

“To help local businesses, we have developed a Wood Safety CD which features practical tools and tips to avoid injuries.

“Every worker should return home safely and WorkCover inspectors are working with wood manufacturing businesses to help them reduce workplace injuries and illnesses and improve injury management.”

Watson added that wood manufacturing businesses had shown significant interest in WorkCover’s free Safety Coach Program.

“Limited places are still available in this program which runs until 30 August and enables up to 50 small wood manufacturing businesses in the Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast and Newcastle areas being partnered with a safety coach from their industry association who can provide free coaching and advice to make their workplaces more productive, healthy and safe.

“Eligible businesses that invite a safety coach into their workplace may access rebates of up to $2000.

“For a limited time a rebate of up to $1000 is also available to all small businesses in the wood products manufacturing industry who implement a safety solution to improve work health and safety, return to work or injury management such as a hydraulic pallet truck forklift lifter, scissor lift air tables or adjustable workbenches,” he said.

A Safety Kit for the wood industry is available at www.workcover.nsw.gov.au as well as further information on the Safety Coach Program and small business rebates.

Source.