skip navigation
Home >  WorkSafe >  Safety Topics >  Manual handling >  Preventing manual handling injuries in the workplace >  Manual handling drum handling

Manual handling: drum handling 

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. What is manual handling?
  3. General problems and solutions
  4. Problems
  5. Solutions

1. Introduction

This pamphlet provides information on ways of reducing manual handling injuries when handling drums. It is important for people who work in manufacturing or agricultural industries, local government, garages, workshops, as distributors of petroleum products or paint supplies or in other workplaces where drums are handled as part of the job.

2. What is manual handling?

When handling drums, manual handling means lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving or holding drums of all sizes. Drum handling may be associated with shelf stacking or moving trolleys. These tasks are covered by other brochures in this series.

3. General problems and solutions

Manual handling hazards are covered by the general duty provisions in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Specific requirements for hazard identification, risk assessment and control are established by Regulation 3.4 of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996.

The Code of Practice for Manual Handling provides practical guidance on the identification, assessment and control of risks associated with manual handling at work.

It is important to consult with employees performing the tasks as they are likely to be aware of the risk of manual handling injuries which may be associated with their jobs.

Manual handling tasks likely to be a risk to workers' safety and health should be identified and assessed in detail to determine the nature and the extent of the problems.

Risk control means finding solutions to the problems.

The following general problems and suggested solutions are examples of how manual handling injuries may be reduced.

4. Problems

Strain injuries may occur when:

  • drums are stored in restricted spaces;
  • drums are difficult to grip;
  • the drums are too heavy when other risk factors, such as the number of drums to be moved or the distance moved, are taken into account;
  • excessive force is required to manually upend the drums;
  • excessive pushing and pulling forces are required to move the drums; and
  • floor surfaces are slippery and/or uneven.

5. Solutions

Here are some ideas that may be used to avoid strain injuries.

The examples provided may need to be used in combination with each other. Other risk control strategies, for example training, form part of any well thought out solution.

  • introduce bulk handling to eliminate the use of drums;
  • provide and use mechanical handling equipment, eg. forklifts;
  • palletise the drums and use mechanical lifting;
  • use truck mounted hoists;
  • allocate sufficient space for handling the drums;
  • use a drum lifter;
  • use a trolley;
  • ask your supplier to provide smaller sized drums;
  • provide unloading ramps;
  • provide and maintain even and non slip floors;
  • clean up floor spills immediately; and
  • where team lifting is necessary, ensure a safe procedure is agreed and followed.

Related information