Awkward posture – Examples of awkward posture include: Figure 8 where any part of the body squatting while servicing plant or a vehicle is in an uncomfortable or working with arms overhead unnatural position, such as: bending over a desk or table postures that are using a hand tool that causes the wrist to unbalanced or be bent to the side asymmetrical kneeling while trowelling concrete or postures that require laying carpet extreme joint angles or bending the neck or back to the side to see bending and twisting. around bulky items pushed on a trolley. (Figure 8) Vibration There are two common forms of vibration according to contact points between the body and the source: Whole body vibration Examples of whole body vibration include: Figure 9 occurs when vibration is operating mobile plant such as heavy transmitted through the earth moving machinery whole body, usually via a driving a vehicle over rough terrain. (Figure supporting surface, such as 9) a seat or the floor in heavy vehicles or machinery. This may result in lower back pain, degeneration of the lumbar vertebrae and disc herniation. Hand-arm vibration occurs Examples of hand-arm vibration include: Figure 10-11 when vibration is using impact wrenches, chainsaws, transferred through a jackhammers, grinders, drills or vibrating vibrating tool, steering compacting plates (Figure10-11) wheel or controls in heavy using needle guns in de-rusting metal. machinery to the hand and arm. This can disrupt blood circulation in the hand and forearm and damage nerves and tendons. Localised vibration contributes to white finger’ and ‘carpal tunnel syndrome’ through the gripping force needed to hold the vibrating tools (the tighter the grip, the more vibration is absorbed) and the repetitive shock loads of some tools. Further information can be found on the Safe Work Australia website – search “Hazardous Manual Tasks”
Awkward posture – where any part of the body is in an uncomfortable or unnatural position, such as: postures that are unbalanced or asymmetrical postures that require extreme joint angles or bending and twisting. Examples of awkward posture include: squatting while servicing plant or a vehicle working with arms overhead bending over a desk or table using a hand tool that causes the wrist to be bent to the side kneeling while trowelling concrete or laying carpet bending the neck or back to the side to see around bulky items pushed on a trolley. (Figure 8) Figure 8 Vibration There are two common forms of vibration according to contact points between the body and the source: Whole body vibration occurs when vibration is transmitted through the whole body, usually via a supporting surface, such as a seat or the floor in heavy vehicles or machinery. This may result in lower back pain, degeneration of the lumbar vertebrae and disc herniation. Examples of whole body vibration include: operating mobile plant such as heavy earth moving machinery driving a vehicle over rough terrain. (Figure 9) Figure 9 Hand-arm vibration occurs when vibration is transferred through a vibrating tool, steering wheel or controls in heavy machinery to the hand and arm. This can disrupt blood circulation in the hand and forearm and damage nerves and tendons. Localised vibration contributes to white finger’ and ‘carpal tunnel syndrome’ through the gripping force needed to hold the vibrating tools (the tighter the grip, the more vibration is absorbed) and the repetitive shock loads of some tools. Examples of hand-arm vibration include: using impact wrenches, chainsaws, jackhammers, grinders, drills or vibrating compacting plates (Figure10-11) using needle guns in de-rusting metal. Figure 10-11 Further information can be found on the Safe Work Australia website – search “Hazardous Manual Tasks”
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