Monitoring workers' health and safety at MPF and SPF
Your union has told Australia Post that it should be monitoring workers’ health and safety in the training and testing trials at MPF and SPF and on an ongoing basis once the facilities go into full operation.
The possibility of over-exertion on any heavy task, particularly in black-spots such as the bull ring, the manual induction, singulation take off point and the loose loading and unloading in the new expanded parcel facilities is real.
Some tasks might require different work durations especially where heavy manual handling is performed. Let us know what you think may be safe work durations - cwu@cwu.org.au or www.cwu.org.au
Most of the injuries that will arise are likely to be chronic injuries (thus occurring over time) but there is still potential for acute injuries, particularly at the areas mentioned above such as the bull ring etc.
The need for monitoring of certain heavier tasks is obvious. Receiving input from workers is a good way to do this.
We have suggested diary entries (at the work station) would be a simple way to record this information. Workers provide input on how they found the work effort on each task. For example:
Work effort
Π Easy Π Moderate Π Hard (Tick box)
Comment if ticked moderate or hard. ____________________________________________
Obviously people would have to be assured that collection of information is not to be used for any ulterior motives.
