Step 3: Control the risks

The WHS Regulation 2025 states that an employer/PCBU must consider relevant matters and follow the hierarchy of control when choosing a control measure to implement.

Eliminating the risk is the most effective control measure. This involves eliminating the hazardous manual task and its associated risk.

If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, then you must minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

Prior to choosing and implementing any control measures, you must:

  • Identify the source(s) of risk and consider relevant matters as per section 60 (2) of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025:
    • workplace environmental conditions
    • the design of the work area
    • the layout of the workplace
    • the systems of work used
    • the nature, size, weight or number of persons, animals or things involved in carrying out the hazardous manual task.
  • start at the top of the hierarchy of control.
  • talk with workers to identify appropriate controls.
  • enable workers to trial controls and give their feedback before decisions are made to make them permanent.
  • communicate the reasons for the change to workers and others.
  • ensure that any equipment used in the manual task is properly maintained.
  • provide training and supervision to ensure workers can competently implement the risk controls.

Training should include information about manual tasks risk management, specific manual tasks risks and how to control them.

Providing ‘how to lift’ training is not an effective way to protect workers from harm. It is not a prescribed requirement of the NSW WHS legislation.

Read more about how to lift training for hazardous manual tasks

Examples of control measures following the hierarchy of controls:

Level 1 controls
Level 2 controls
Level 3 controls

Elimination

  • Automate hazardous manual tasks, for example using robotics.
  • Deliver goods directly to the point of use to eliminate manual handling.

Substitution

  • Replace heavy items with those that are lighter, smaller and/or easier to handle.
  • Replace hand tools with power to reduce the level of force required to do the task.

Isolation

  • Isolate vibrating machinery from the user e.g., by providing fully independent seating on mobile plant.

Engineering

  • Use mechanical lifting aids.
  • Provide workstations that are height adjustable.

Administrative

  • Rotate workers between different tasks.
  • Arrange workflows to avoid peak physical and mental demands towards the end of a shift.

Personal protective equipment

  • Heat resistant gloves for handling hot items.
  • Shock absorbent shoes for working on hard concrete floors.
Back to top