Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00406:body:0:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00406
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 7732–10557

sustained or awkward posture
    * exposure to vibration.
These factors (known as characteristics of a hazardous manual task) directly stress the body and can lead to injury.

1.3         Who has health and safety duties in relation to hazardous manual tasks?
A person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons are not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the business or undertaking.
The WHS Regulations include specific obligations for persons conducting a business or undertaking to manage the risk of a musculoskeletal disorder associated with a hazardous manual task.
Designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of plant and structures that are likely to be handled or used during or as part of a manual task have an important role in eliminating or minimising the risks of MSDs, which are often associated with the poor design and layout of work areas as well as the design of equipment, tools, packaging and materials. They must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the plant or structure they design, manufacture, import or supply is without risks to health and safety (see Chapter 6 of this Code for further guidance).
Officers, such as company directors, have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the business or undertaking complies with the WHS Act and Regulations. This includes taking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or undertaking has and uses appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks that arise from hazardous manual tasks.
Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with any reasonable instruction and cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health and safety at the workplace.

1.4         What is required to manage the risk of musculoskeletal disorders?

Regulation 60: A person conducting a business or undertaking must manage risks to health and safety relating to a musculoskeletal disorder associated with a hazardous manual task.
Regulation 34-38: In order to manage risk under the WHS Regulations, a duty holder must:
    * identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to the risk
    * eliminate the risk so far as is reasonably practicable
    * if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk – minimise the risk so far as is reasonably practicable by implementing control measures in accordance with the hierarchy of control
    * maintain the implemented control measure so that it remains effective
    * review, and if necessary revise, risk control measures so as to maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, a work environment that