Work Organisation that leads to long periods of uncomfortable or repetitive tasks without adequate breaks can increase the risk of postural strain and muscle and soft tissue injury over time.
Risk Factors:
Factors that may contribute to this risk include:
- Unrealistic operational targets
- Excessive performance monitoring and monetary incentives for productivity
- Tight deadlines and pressure from peak demands
- Lack of control over workflow
- Infrequent or insufficient breaks
- Desk sharing
- Inadequate adjustment time for new or changed work activities
Risk Assessment Considerations:
When assessing and controlling risks associated with work organisation, management should evaluate:
- Required outputs and the urgency of operational deadlines
- Duration and variation of work tasks
- Repetitive movements involved in tasks
- Frequency and duration of work breaks
Control Measures for Work Organisation Risks:
1. Design Varied and Flexible Work Activities
- Introduce variety in tasks (e.g., alternating between different duties).
- Include tasks that require a wider range of body movements, especially for roles involving repetitive actions.
- Provide telephone scripts for high-volume telephone use.
- Schedule regular breaks to give workers flexibility, including toilet breaks as needed.
Note:
Job design should avoid assigning similar tasks consecutively to prevent overuse injuries.
2. Provide Regular and Flexible Breaks
- Allow workers to take short and frequent breaks, which are more effective than longer, less frequent ones.
Recommended Break Scheduling:
- 2–3 minutes every 15–20 minutes
- 5 minutes every 30 minutes
- 10 minutes every hour
Note:
During breaks, tasks that don’t involve repetitive hand movements may still be performed.
3. Allow Workers to Regulate Work Tasks
- Organise tasks so workers can manage their workload to meet operational demands.
- Use user-friendly software to reduce repetitive tasks (e.g., fewer keystrokes or mouse movements).
4. Early Symptom Reporting & Assessment
- Promote early reporting of symptoms related to work activities and adjust tasks or processes when issues are reported.
5. Develop Work Practices for Flexibility
- Create and enforce policies that ensure task variation, flexibility, and regular breaks.
- Provide training and information to help workers manage operational pressure and report symptoms early.
6. Supervision & Support
- Ensure adequate supervision to maintain proper work practices and task flexibility.
Shift Work Considerations
For shift work, management should implement specific practices to address issues such as fatigue, personal safety, and work-life balance:
- Provide training to manage health risks associated with shift work.
- Offer flexible work arrangements to handle temporary personal difficulties.
- Involve workers in consultations when adjusting work schedules and provide reasonable advance notice of changes.
Setting Realistic Performance Targets
- Establish realistic goals in consultation with workers, focusing on quality over quantity.
- Performance monitoring should align with evolving operational demands and aim to improve customer relations and reduce complaints.
Additional Measures:
- Allow workers adjustment time when starting new tasks (e.g., repetitive keyboard use).
- Provide computer screen prompts or other reminders to reinforce work practices.
- Consider individual factors such as physical abilities and preferences when assigning tasks.
- Allow workers adjustment time when starting new tasks (e.g., repetitive keyboard use).
- Provide computer screen prompts or other reminders to reinforce work practices.
- Consider individual factors such as physical abilities and preferences when assigning tasks.
Management’s Role:
Management must regularly review and implement these control measures to:
- Eliminate hazards where practicable.
- Reduce risks as much as reasonably possible when elimination is not feasible.
By applying these strategies, organisations can minimise the risks of work-related injuries and improve overall productivity and worker satisfaction.