Workplace Health & Safety
Manual Handling Risk Assessment
Assessment of manual handling tasks to identify musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors and determine controls, consistent with Safe Work Australia guidance.
32 checklist items
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Checklist Items
| Item | Pass / Yes | Fail / No |
|---|---|---|
| TASK AND WORKER DETAILS | ||
| Workplace / Department | ___________________________ | |
| Assessment Date | ___________________________ | |
| Assessor Name | ___________________________ | |
| Task / Activity Description | ___________________________ | |
| Workers Consulted | ___________________________ | |
| Frequency of task (times per shift) | ___________________________ | |
| Duration of task (minutes per occurrence) | ___________________________ | |
| LOAD CHARACTERISTICS | ||
| Object / load being handled | ___________________________ | |
| Weight of load (kg) | ___________________________ | |
| Load is awkward, bulky, or unstable | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Load has adequate handholds or grip points | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Load has unpredictable movement (e.g. live person, liquid) | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| POSTURE AND MOVEMENT RISK FACTORS | ||
| Task involves sustained or repeated bending of the back | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Task involves twisting of the back while handling a load | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Task involves working above shoulder height | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Task involves reaching far from the body | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Task involves pushing, pulling, or carrying over distance | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| ENVIRONMENT | ||
| Working surface is uneven, slippery, or cluttered | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Insufficient space to perform the task safely | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Temperature extremes affecting the worker | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Vibration present during the task | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| RISK RATING | ||
| Overall MSD Risk Level (Low / Medium / High) | ___________________________ | |
| Justification for risk level | ___________________________ | |
| CONTROL MEASURES | ||
| Elimination: Can the manual task be eliminated? | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Substitution: Can mechanical aids replace manual handling? | Yes ☐ | No ☐ |
| Engineering controls identified (trolleys, hoists, adjustable surfaces) | ___________________________ | |
| Administrative controls identified (team lifts, job rotation, training) | ___________________________ | |
| PPE required (e.g. back support, gloves) | ___________________________ | |
| RESIDUAL RISK AND REVIEW | ||
| Residual risk level after controls | ___________________________ | |
| Review date | ___________________________ | |
| Assessor Signature | ___________________________ | |
| Supervisor / Manager Signature | ___________________________ | |