Manual Handling Regulations Australia: WHS Requirements For Materials Handling Equipment

Understanding Manual Handling Risks in Australian Workplaces

Workplace injuries caused by manual handling remain one of the most common causes of lost time in Australian workplaces. From warehouses and manufacturing facilities to hospitals, logistics operations and facilities management environments, workers regularly lift, push, pull and move loads as part of everyday operations.

Because these tasks are routine, they can easily become embedded in workflows without always being examined closely. Yet hazardous manual tasks remain one of the leading contributors to workplace injuries in Australia.
Safe Work Australia identifies manual tasks — including lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying and moving loads — as a major cause of musculoskeletal disorders when risks are not properly managed. These injuries commonly affect the back, shoulders, neck and limbs and are often linked to repetitive handling, forceful exertion or awkward postures during work activities.

(Source: Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice)

For organisations responsible for moving equipment, materials or goods, understanding manual handling regulations in Australia and WHS requirements for materials handling equipment helps support safer operations, stronger compliance and more consistent workflows.

Manual Handling Regulations in Australia

Manual handling in Australian workplaces is governed by the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act and Regulations, supported by the Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice developed by Safe Work Australia.

These regulations require organisations to identify and manage risks associated with manual handling activities such as lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying and moving loads.

Under Australian WHS legislation, businesses must:

• identify hazardous manual tasks in the workplace
• assess the risks associated with those tasks
• implement control measures to eliminate or minimise risk
• provide appropriate training and supervision
• consult workers on workplace safety matters

(Source: Safe Work Australia – Model WHS Laws)

These requirements are designed to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries caused by hazardous manual tasks, which remain one of the most common workplace injury types in Australia.

Australian WHS Responsibilities for Hazardous Manual Tasks

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, organisations operating a business or undertaking — known as PCBUs (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking) — carry a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers so far as is reasonably practicable.

This duty requires organisations to manage workplace hazards through structured risk management processes, including identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing appropriate control measures in line with WHS legislation.

(Source: Federal Register of Legislation – Work Health and Safety Act 2011)

When materials handling forms part of everyday work, these responsibilities extend directly to:
• the design of handling tasks
• the equipment used to perform them
• the workplace environments in which tasks take place
Effective management of hazardous manual tasks therefore involves reviewing both how work is performed and the equipment used to support safe handling.

How to Conduct a Manual Handling Risk Assessment

Australian WHS guidance outlines a structured process for managing hazardous manual tasks through risk assessment and control measures.
The Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice recommends a five-step approach to reviewing manual handling activities and identifying ways to reduce injury risk.

The assessment process typically involves reviewing how tasks are performed, identifying sources of strain or force, and implementing practical controls to reduce exposure to hazardous manual tasks.
Risk assessments often consider a combination of factors, including:

The Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice recommends a five-step approach to reviewing manual handling activities and identifying ways to reduce injury risk.

The assessment process typically involves reviewing how tasks are performed, identifying sources of strain or force, and implementing practical controls to reduce exposure to hazardous manual tasks.

Risk assessments often consider a combination of factors including:

• the weight and shape of loads
• frequency of handling
• distances travelled
• workplace layout and surfaces
• environmental conditions
• equipment currently used to move materials

Consultation with workers forms an important part of this process. Operators performing the task every day often provide valuable insight into where strain occurs and how handling systems can be improve.

The Hierarchy of Controls for Manual Handling Safety

Australian WHS regulations promote a risk-management framework known as the hierarchy of controls.

This framework prioritises safety measures based on their effectiveness:

1. Elimination – remove the hazard entirely
2. Substitution – replace the hazard with a safer option
3. Engineering controls – redesign equipment or workplaces
4. Administrative controls – modify procedures or work practices
5. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

(Source: Safe Work Australia – Managing risks using the hierarchy of control

Engineering controls often play a central role in materials handling environments. These controls involve physical changes to equipment or workplaces that reduce the forces or movements workers must perform during handling tasks.

How Materials Handling Equipment Helps Meet WHS Compliance Requirements

Mechanical handling equipment supports the hierarchy of controls by reducing manual effort and improving control when moving loads.

Examples include:
• electric lifters
• electric tow tugs and trailers
• pallet jacks and transport trolleys
• lift tables and hoists
• specialised load handling equipment
These systems help manage load movement more safely by:
• reducing push and pull forces
• improving load stability
• presenting materials at safer working heights
• minimising awkward lifting or reaching

Safe Work Australia identifies plant and equipment as key elements of workplace safety management and emphasises that risks associated with plant must be managed across the entire lifecycle — from selection and installation through to operation and maintenance.

(Source: Safe Work Australia – Managing risks of plant in the workplace)

For many organisations, selecting appropriate materials handling equipment supports both WHS compliance and operational efficiency.