Manual handling is part of everyday work for many Queensland businesses - from lifting boxes in a warehouse to setting up equipment at an event or moving files in an office.
But when manual tasks aren’t designed well, injuries can quickly follow. That’s exactly what the Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021 (Queensland) aims to prevent.
In this guide, we break down the Code in plain English: who it applies to, what counts as a hazardous manual task, and the practical steps you should take to comply and keep your team safe.
What Is The Manual Handling Code Of Practice (Queensland)?
The Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021 (often called the “Manual Handling Code”) is an approved code under Queensland’s Work Health and Safety Act and Regulation. It sets out practical guidance for identifying, assessing and controlling risks from manual tasks that can cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
You don’t have to follow the Code word-for-word, but it’s a strong indication of what “reasonably practicable” risk control looks like. If you choose a different way to manage risk, you need to be able to show it achieves an equal or better level of safety.
Think of the Code as your step-by-step playbook for preventing injuries caused by lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying or otherwise moving or holding objects or people.
Who Has Legal Duties Under The Code?
Under Queensland WHS laws, legal duties sit with several parties - and the Code explains how each can meet those duties in the context of manual tasks.
- PCBUs (business owners and employers): You must ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that work is without risks to health and safety. That includes providing safe systems for hazardous manual tasks, suitable equipment and proper training.
- Officers (e.g. company directors): You must exercise due diligence to ensure your business is meeting its WHS duties. That includes understanding the risks from manual tasks and making sure appropriate resources and processes are in place. As part of that oversight, it’s sensible to embed a clear Workplace Policy and reporting processes.
- Workers (including contractors and labour-hire): Workers must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and follow reasonable instructions and training. Make sure expectations are clearly set in each Employment Contract and induction.
Ultimately, the Code supports your broader duty of care as an employer to provide a safe workplace. If you bring in contractors or labour-hire workers, your obligations still apply, and it’s worth getting employee vs contractor advice so roles and responsibilities are clear.
What Counts As A Hazardous Manual Task?
Not all manual tasks are hazardous. A manual task becomes “hazardous” when it involves one or more risk factors likely to lead to an MSD. The Code highlights key risk factors you should look for:
- Repetitive or sustained forces: Frequent or continuous lifting, pushing, pulling or carrying.
- High or sudden forces: Heavy lifts, jerky movements, or handling unstable loads.
- Repetitive or sustained postures and movements: Bending, twisting, reaching or holding awkward positions for too long.
- Sustained or awkward postures: Kneeling, squatting, overhead work or working with arms away from the body.
- Vibration: Using vibrating tools or working on vibrating surfaces.
- Environmental factors: Heat, cold, slippery floors, poor lighting or clutter that increase the risk of injury.
Common examples include unloading deliveries, transferring patients, stocking shelves, moving furniture, using pallet jacks or setting up event equipment. Office environments can also present risks (e.g. prolonged static postures, moving archive boxes), so don’t overlook “light duty” roles.
How Do You Comply? A Step-By-Step Approach
The Code follows a risk management approach that’s familiar across WHS: identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, and review. Here’s how that looks for manual tasks in Queensland.
1) Identify Hazardous Manual Tasks
Start by mapping where manual tasks occur in your business. Walk the floor, talk to workers and supervisors, and review incident and near-miss reports. Look for the risk factors above and note tasks that are repetitive, forceful, awkward or done for long periods.
Tip: Ask simple questions - What feels “hard to do”? When are people most fatigued? Which tasks get done in a hurry? These are often your hotspots.
2) Assess The Risks
For each hazardous task, assess how likely an injury is and how severe it could be. Consider load weight and stability, how far and how often it’s moved, the worker’s posture and grip, work pace, environmental factors, and who is doing the task (young, inexperienced or returning-from-injury workers may be at higher risk).
Focus your time on higher-risk tasks where the potential harm is serious or the task is frequent.
3) Control The Risks (Use The Hierarchy)
Apply the hierarchy of control and aim to make the job safer by design - not just by telling people to “lift better.” In practice, controls may include:
- Eliminate the task: Can you avoid the lift or carry altogether (e.g. direct-to-shelf deliveries)?
- Substitute or redesign: Change the process to reduce handling (e.g. use smaller, lighter packages; adjust storage heights; rearrange layout to avoid long carries).
- Engineering controls: Provide mechanical aids such as trolleys, conveyors, pallet jacks, hoists or height-adjustable benches.
- Administrative controls: Rotate tasks, set safe weight and task duration limits, add rest breaks, plan deliveries for adequate staffing, and provide clear procedures and supervision.
- PPE: Gloves or grip aids can help in some contexts, but PPE is the lowest-order control and should not be relied upon alone.
Where practical, trial new layouts or equipment with worker input before rolling changes out across the business.
4) Consult And Train
Consultation with workers is mandatory under WHS laws. Involve them in identifying risks and choosing controls - they know the job best. Then train people on the new systems of work, how to use equipment and how to report issues early.
If you’re wondering whether you need to pay staff for time spent learning safe manual handling techniques, this is a good moment to revisit your obligations around paid training and plan sessions accordingly.
5) Document And Monitor
Write down your risk assessments and selected controls, and keep a simple risk register. Create short safe work procedures with photos or diagrams. Embed the procedures into inductions, refreshers and toolbox talks, and keep attendance records.
Bringing these elements together in a concise Staff Handbook helps make safety expectations clear and consistent across your team.
6) Review And Improve
Check that controls are working and not introducing new risks. Review after incidents, near misses, changes in equipment or layout, or feedback from workers. Periodic reviews (e.g. annually) keep things current as your business evolves.
Practical Tips For Small Businesses In Queensland
Compliance is easier when you build it into everyday operations. Here are practical ways to put the Code into action.
Start With A Quick Manual Task Map
List your top manual tasks and where they happen (receiving, storage, sales floor, workshop, customer site). Prioritise tasks that are heavy, repetitive, awkward or done under time pressure. Then tackle them one by one.
Use Purchasing Power To Design Out Risk
Choose suppliers that offer smaller pack sizes, palletised deliveries or tailgate unloads. Buy adjustable benches and order stock that can be stored between knee and shoulder height. It’s often cheaper to design risk out than to manage it later.
Create Short, Visual Procedures
For recurring tasks (e.g. unloading deliveries, moving kegs, transferring patients), create one-page procedures with photos. Keep them where the work happens. Reinforce through toolbox talks and refreshers, and store the latest version with your other workplace policies for easy access.
Plan Staffing And Rosters With Risk In Mind
Controls like “team lifts” only work if the team is available. Plan deliveries for when adequate staff are on site and rotate roles to avoid fatigue. If you rely on contractors or agency staff, make sure they’re inducted into your controls and understand their responsibilities, supported by clear contractor arrangements.
Keep Records That Matter
Keep simple records of risk assessments, decisions, training attendance and equipment maintenance. You’ll use these to improve, and they also help demonstrate compliance if an inspector visits.
Support Early Reporting And Recovery At Work
Encourage staff to report discomfort early. Prompt action - such as adjusting a task, providing a mechanical aid or rotating duties - can prevent small issues becoming lost-time injuries. Build this into your performance and wellbeing conversations.
Embed Roles And Responsibilities
Spell out who does what: managers lead assessments and approve equipment; supervisors run toolbox talks; workers follow procedures and report hazards. Clarify expectations from day one in your Employment Contracts and onboarding.
Common Pitfalls To Avoid
- Focusing only on training: Coaching people to “lift with your legs” is not enough if the box is too heavy or shelves are too high. Redesign the task first.
- Relying solely on team lifts: Team lifts can help, but they’re not a substitute for mechanical aids or good layout design.
- Ignoring “light duty” risks: Prolonged or awkward postures in retail and office roles can be just as harmful over time.
- Not consulting workers: You’ll miss practical, low-cost fixes if you don’t ask the people doing the work.
What Legal Documents And Policies Help?
Good paperwork won’t prevent injuries by itself - but it does make your system clear, consistent and easier to sustain.
- Workplace Health And Safety Policy: Sets out your commitment, roles and processes for risk management. Keep it short and integrate it with a broader Workplace Policy framework.
- Safe Work Procedures: One-page instructions that reflect your chosen controls for specific tasks (e.g. unloading, moving stock, using a trolley).
- Employment Contract: Confirms expectations around following safety directions, attending training and reporting hazards; a tailored Employment Contract makes this clear from day one.
- Induction And Training Records: Simple sign-offs and attendance records to show that training was delivered and understood.
- Staff Handbook: A central reference for safety procedures, reporting channels and responsibilities, often prepared as a Staff Handbook for easy distribution.
If you’re not sure where to start or which documents you need for your team mix, getting quick legal input can save time and mismatches later.
FAQs About The Manual Handling Code In Queensland
Do I Need A Manual Handling Policy?
There’s no specific “manual handling policy” requirement, but the Code expects you to have a clear system for identifying, assessing and controlling manual task risks. Most businesses meet this by combining a WHS policy, safe work procedures and training materials within a broader workplace policy framework.
Is Manual Handling Training Mandatory?
Training is part of your duty to provide information, instruction and supervision. It’s most effective after you’ve designed out risks and introduced mechanical aids - then you train people on the safer way of working. Consider your obligations around paying employees for training time as well.
What Are The Penalties For Non-Compliance?
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices and prosecute serious breaches. Beyond penalties, the bigger risk is harm to your team and business disruption. Proactive risk management is the best protection.
Does The Code Apply To Contractors And Labour-Hire?
Yes. Your WHS duties extend to all workers you influence or direct. Ensure contractors and labour-hire workers are inducted into your controls, with responsibilities clarified in their contracts and supported by appropriate contractor arrangements.
Key Takeaways
- The Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2021 in Queensland gives practical guidance for preventing injuries from hazardous manual tasks.
- PCBUs, officers and workers all have duties - build a simple, documented system that identifies hazards, assesses risks, controls them and reviews regularly.
- Design controls in first (layout, mechanical aids, smarter processes) before relying on training or PPE.
- Consult workers at every stage and keep concise procedures, records and inductions to make controls stick.
- Integrate manual task management into your broader WHS framework, including clear contracts, a Workplace Policy and a practical Staff Handbook.
- Early legal guidance on roles, documents and contractor arrangements helps you meet your duty of care and avoid gaps.
If you’d like a consultation on aligning your Queensland manual handling systems with the Code, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligations chat.
