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Formworkers and manual handling

Manual handling injuries result in more lost time for formworkers than any other type of injury. This document provides practical examples of how all stakeholders in the building and construction industry can assist in reducing the risk of manual handling injury to formworkers.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Legal obligations
  3. Designers and manufacturers
  4. Principal contractor
  5. Formworkers
  6. Further information

1. Introduction

Manual handling injuries are the largest single cause of injury resulting in formwork carpenters having to take time off work. As well as costing millions of dollars per annum these injuries result in pain and suffering to the injured worker and their families and a loss of experience, skills and productivity to the industry.

Manual handling injuries are caused by more than just lifting. Manual handling involves any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain a person, animal or thing. Common manual handling activities that result in injuries among formworkers include, moving sheets of ply between working levels, manually lifting and carrying heavy materials and fixing formwork components in awkward postures.

Manual handling problems need to be addressed systematically through the three-step process of:

  • hazard identification (hazard means anything that may result in injury or harm to health);
  • risk assessment (this involves looking at the possibility of injury or harm occurring to a person if exposed to a hazard. A number of manual handling risk factors, for example the weight of an object and the workers' posture, need to be considered in this step); and
  • risk control (this involves introducing measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of a person being injured or harmed. The order in which controls should be considered is elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering control, administration control, and personal protective equipment; note - more than one control can be used at one time to reduce the exposure to a manual handling hazard).

To get the best result everyone should be involved in the process. The Manual Handling Code of Practice [PDF 1.03mb] contains more detail on the manual handling risk management process and training requirements.

2. Legal obligations

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 contains general duties, which describe the responsibilities of people who affect safety and health at work. Employers, employees, self employed persons, persons who have control of workplaces, designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of plant and hazardous substances and designers and constructors of buildings or structures, all have Duties of Care they must fulfil to comply with the legal requirements of the Act.

Regulation 3.4 of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 specifically details the requirement to manage manual handling hazards in the workplace. The regulation outlines the three-step risk management process of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control.

3. Designers and manufacturers

Designers

Risks from manual handling can be avoided or minimised during the design stage. The duty of care of designers outlined in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 places a legal obligation on designers to ensure the design of the building or structure does not expose persons properly constructing, maintaining, repairing or servicing the building or structure to hazards. Designers therefore must consider the manual handling risks to formworkers, which may arise from their designs and plan to reduce or eliminate the risks. Examples include:

  • specify the lightest weight product that meets the design and performance criteria;
  • consider the method of formwork, in particular the manual handling implications during formwork construction and stripping;
  • provide safe access/egress for formworkers and materials during formwork construction and stripping;
  • consider how large, heavy components are to be moved around and/or positioned. For example allow enough room for a crane to be used;
  • ensure specifications and plans are clearly marked with the weights of the materials; and
  • design, specify and mark lifting points into large/heavy components, for example floor centres, formwork shutters and bondeck.

Manufacturers and suppliers

Manufacturers and suppliers of formwork components can assist in reducing manual handling risks to formworkers. Examples include:

  • consider the size of the sheets of ply as large sheets are awkward to handle. Ideally ply sheets should not exceed 1800mm x 1200mm. The use of alternatives such as aluminium frame ply should be considered;
  • consider the weight of the props, floor centres or shutters. Minimise the weight as much as possible;
  • clearly mark the load to indicate the weight of products, for example, mark the weight on the large components;
  • when delivering equipment and/or supplies the point of delivery should be as close to the immediate work area as possible. For example deliver ply directly onto a loading platform; and
  • include purpose designed, reinforced lifting points clearly marked on the load to provide for the safe use of cranes, hiabs or other mechanical lifting equipment.

4. Principal contractor

Planning and coordination phase

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 sets out a duty of care for the principal contractor. This duty of care requires safe systems of work to be established and maintained and be supported by adequate information, instruction, training and supervision. Correct planning can make sure safe systems of work are established and adequate information, instruction, training and supervision is provided. Good planning will avoid or reduce many of the manual handling hazards associated with formwork and will benefit the productivity of the job as well as promote safety. The following guidelines provide some practical ideas.

Access/egress

At the beginning of the job, it is essential to establish clear access/egress to allow for the safe movement of materials and equipment around the site. For example install limestone driveways during the site preparation stage. As a minimum, adequate access/egress ways must be established by using planks or other suitable alternatives.

The access/egress for the formworkers is generally limited by the size of the buildings doorways or the positioning of the scaffold and bracing. Consideration must be given to how equipment and materials can be safely moved in/out and around the areas. For example consider the layout and type of scaffold used giving regard to access/egress for the formworkers.

Works programming

The programme of works should take into consideration the implications for formworkers. Examples include:

  • sequence work to prevent "rush jobs" as far as practicable;
  • coordinate the trades to allow the formworker to complete work free from obstruction;
  • allow for the progressive clean up of the work area to prevent debris/rubbish becoming a trip hazard, in particular where access/egress is limited; and
  • consider the scaffold requirements of formworkers, and design and construct scaffold accordingly.

Materials delivery/storage

Material delivery and storage areas should have enough space and lighting to allow for the safe movement and storage of the materials. The ground conditions of storage and lay down areas should be even and firm. Examples of safe work practices include:

  • ensure the formwork materials are delivered as close as possible to the job. A small purpose designed section of the formwork can be erected and utilised as a loading platform to load the ply and other components;
  • wherever practicable ensure mechanical aids are used to move and place large, heavy loads; and
  • have adequate storage space/ lay down area to safely store components/equipment and to minimise double handling.

Selection of material

Selecting materials that are lighter and easier to handle decreases the overall workload of the formworker. Examples include:

  • always use the lightest products possible;
  • wherever possible minimise the use of floor centres. Consider using laminated veneer lumber (LVL) as an alternative;
  • eliminate the use of excessively large sheets of ply. Wherever practicable the maximum sheet size should be 1800mm x 1200mm; and
  • consider the use of a formwork system that eliminates the need to manually fit and strip components. An example is forming up floors with pre-made tables that are craned into position.

Provision of mechanical lifting and handling equipment

Mechanical lifting and handling equipment must be considered to move heavy/awkward products, tools and equipment around the site. The provision and maintenance of the equipment should be planned at the beginning of the job. Examples of equipment that may need to be considered and directly or indirectly budgeted for include:

  • the use of a hiab, crane or other mechanical lifting device to lift and place large/heavy components;
  • the use of a crane or other mechanical lifting device to move ply/steel up onto a loading platform or scaffold;
  • the provision of a mechanical lifting device such as a materials hoist to facilitate the safe movement of tools/equipment between working levels; and
  • the use of hiabs, winches or ramps to load and unload work vehicles.

Selection of tools and equipment

When selecting tools and equipment the safety of the operator must be considered. There should be consultation with the formworker to identify the most appropriate tools/equipment. Consideration needs to be given to factors such as the weight, vibration and kickback of the tools/equipment and to the work environment in which they will be used.

Team lifting

Team lifting can be utilised for one off lifts of tools and equipment. Team lifting has inherent risks and does not provide a long-term solution for moving heavy materials. The risks of uneven load distribution between the lifters increases when the tools/equipment/materials are moved between working levels. The heavier the materials the higher the risk of manual handling injury when team lifting. Team lifting is often neither time nor cost effective. Alternatives to team lifting should be considered during the planning phase. If team lifting is utilised all workers involved must be trained and the lift coordinated.

Construction phase

During the construction phase the principal contractor has a legal responsibility to ensure the maintenance of site safety. Safety and health policies, procedures and safe systems of work should be established at the beginning of a project, be continuously monitored and regularly reviewed throughout the job. Site inductions, appropriate training and ongoing supervision are required throughout the construction phase to ensure safe systems are implemented and maintained.

Access/egress

The ongoing maintenance of clear routes to and from work areas to enable the safe movement of materials, equipment and people around site is essential. Adequate rubbish receptacles need to be provided and maintained in dedicated areas.

Work sequencing/planning

The sequencing/planning of a job should facilitate safe systems of work for the formworker. Specific examples include:

  • coordinate the work so that all heavy/large components can be craned into place at one time thus minimising crane time and maximising the use of mechanical lifting; and
  • plan and install scaffold so that the formworkers' access/egress is facilitated.

Work layout

The work layout influences how the work can be completed. Examples include:

  • have materials and equipment placed at the working level. Ensure a system is in place to enable materials and equipment to be on the work level and readily accessible to the leading edge; and
  • any cutting work should be completed on a workbench or a sawhorse on a stable surface so that work is completed at an optimal working height, that is between hip and waist height.

When formwork is being installed at heights there must be adequate fall injury prevention systems (FIPS) and appropriate exclusion zones in place. (For details of prevention of falls at workplaces refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 and the Code of Practice: The prevention of falls at workplaces [PDF 973kb].)

Environmental conditions

Windy weather has a considerable impact on the handling of formwork components, in particular large sheets of ply. Wet weather also makes manual handling significantly more difficult. Large loads should not be moved around in adverse climatic conditions unless a safe system of work, taking the conditions into consideration, can be implemented.

Good housekeeping

The site supervisor should ensure the work areas are free of obstructions that may prevent the safe movement of materials and people. Good housekeeping on a site has many positive effects including increased harmony between different sub contractors, decreased probability of accidents and increased productivity.

5. Formworkers

All formworkers have a legal responsibility to ensure their own safety and health at work and to avoid adversely affecting the safety and health of any other person. Some practical examples of how formworkers can fulfil these responsibilities in relation to manual handling are outlined below.

Safe work practices - General

Developing and maintaining safe work practices reduces the risk of injury. Specific examples for formworkers include:

  • wherever practicable maximise the time spent working between knee and shoulder height; Reduce the time spent stooped by completing all cutting and marking work on a bench/sawhorse instead of the ground;
  • to avoid injury to muscles, ligaments and other soft tissues do warm-up/stretching exercises at the beginning of the day and cool down/stretching exercises at the end of the workday. This is what athletes do to reduce the risk of soft tissue injury;
  • use mechanical lifting and handling equipment when and as required (refer to "Provision of mechanical lifting and handling equipment" section for more detail); and
  • do not manually lift or move anything if there is any uncertainty that it can be done safely.

Safe work practices - Moving formwork components

The movement of formwork components around site should be minimised as much as possible as the loads can be heavy and awkward to handle. Inevitably however there will be some manual lifting and carrying. Strategies to minimise the risk of injury associated with manually moving formwork components include:

  • never perform single person manual lifts to move heavy components or large pieces of ply, always use at least two people to complete manual lifting/carrying;
  • never bump up large components, particularly with sharp edges. Wherever practicable use mechanical lifting devices;
  • always ensure components are denailed before handling;
  • wear adequate PPE when moving components. For example wear appropriate gloves when moving timbers to avoid splinters; and
  • if it is a windy day consider how to minimise the effects of the wind when moving ply.

Safe work practices - Power tools

Safe work practices when using power tools include:

  • always select power tools that are the most suitable for the job giving consideration to weight, vibration and kickback;
  • maintain all cutting equipment. Excessive force is required when using dull blades;
  • always use two hands to operate power saws; and
  • ensure leads are placed/positioned so they are not a trip hazard.

Power tools have inherent risks and should always be used in accordance with the manufacturers specification and with the relevant PPE. Never modify machine guarding or other safety features. Electrical safety requirements outlined in AS/NZS 3012: Electrical installations - construction and demolition sites, must be complied with. Consideration must be given to the noise levels when using power tools. Further information is outlined in The Code of Practice for Managing Noise at Workplaces [PDF 1.55mb].

Safe work practices - Loading and unloading work vehicles

Heavy equipment often has to be loaded and unloaded several times per day. Loads can be heavy, awkward and difficult to access. To minimise manual handling consider the following:

  • use mechanical assistance such as a hiab;
  • modify the tailgate so it is mechanically lifted and lowered;
  • have fold down tailgate and sides;
  • use the lightest weight tools and equipment practical for the job;
  • organise the load so the frequently accessed and heavy items are the easiest to unload/load; and
  • install rollers on the roof rack to assist with taking ladders, trestles or planks on/off the vehicle.

Good housekeeping

All workers involved in all trades on site have a responsibility for maintaining site tidiness. Routine, regular cleanups should be scheduled as part of the workday. Working on a tidy, well-maintained site makes the job easier and safer.

Team lifting

Training must be provided for all formworkers and labourers involved in team lifting. All team lifts require a "leader" who is responsible to coordinate the lift. Remember team lifting should not be considered an adequate long-term control. Team lifting is inherently dangerous and alternative solutions should be considered.

6. Further information

For further information on this publication, contact:

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