Tradespeople have been reminded to look after their bodies and avoid musculoskeletal injuries which may arise out of lifting, carrying and repetitive movement.

With August being Tradies National Health Month, WorkSafe Victoria is encouraging tradespeople to protect their bodies from pain, strain and injury.

WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin says that employers are responsible for eliminating or reducing potential hazards which are associated with manual handling.

“Tools can be replaced. Bodies can’t,” Jenkin said.

“Musculoskeletal disorders don’t just mean a few days off work – they can lead to chronic pain, long recoveries, reduced quality of life and mental health challenges – which can all be career-ending.”

“As an employer, it’s your job to protect workers from these devastating consequences.”

The warning comes amid concerning data about the number of injuries on site.

In particular:

• Since January 2023, WorkSafe has accepted more than 3,000 injury claims from construction workers due to hazardous manual handling.
• Of these, more than 58 per cent affected the musculoskeletal system. These injuries most commonly led to back pain, muscle strains, lumbago and sciatica.
• Carpenters, plumbers and electricians accounted for the most MSD claims, while men aged 30-34 were the most affected age group.

On the last point, Jenkin says that complacency can be common among tradespeople in their early 30s as they had already been on the tools for more than a decade.

However, this did give them the ability to push limits or skip safe practices.

Consequences can be severe.

Severe MSDs can push construction workers out of the industry, impact time spent with family and affect physical and mental health.

WorkSafe Principal Ergonomist Dr Tony Carden says that injuries can be prevented with the right actions.

These include use of mechanical aids to either mitigate the risk or avoid using hazardous material handing altogether.

Teamwork, planning and regular breaks to enable workers to move and reset are also critical.

At a broader level, strategies for employers include:

• Organising off-site manufacturing of wall panels and roof trusses.
• Arranging for bulky materials to be delivered to the final work location.
• Using mechanical load shifting devices such as cranes, forklifts, trolleys or other aids to move heavy or awkward materials around the site.
• Ensuring that awkward loads that can be moved manually have lifting points or handles.
• Using rotation to reduce exposure to repetitive tasks or work that requires a significant amount of force.

Carden says the importance of safe practices should not be underestimated.

“Working through body pain or lifting heavy loads alone to save time might feel like a win – but it can cost you months or even years off the job,” he said.

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