COMMON WORKPLACE INJURIES
The image below illustrates common musculoskeletal injuries experienced by workers. Sprains and strains play a huge part in the cause of these injuries and can often be
the result of accumulative forces over time. These types of injuries can be painful
and require lengthy recovery periods.
Workplace injuries are a chief concern for many Australian businesses and consequently
manual handling training has become a common tool to prevent these types of injuries.
To get the best results for your Manual Handling Programs you should always target
injuries and work tasks specific to your industry. Make sure you use a Manual Handling
Program that is developed by health professionals that addresses safe work technique
as well as injury prevention strategies for your company's needs.
| Body Part | % of total injuries | Injury Type | Injury Mechanism | Hazards |
| Back | 38% | Muscle & tendon spains & strains | Lifting or carrying packing boxes/crates | Manual tasks |
| Shoulder | 14% | Muscle & tendon sprains & strains | Handling people | People handling |
| Knee | 10% | Muscle and tendon sprains and strains | Falling or slipping on poor ground surfaces | Slips, trips and falls |
| Ankle | 6% | Muscle and tendon sprains and strains | Falling or slipping on poor ground surfaces | Slips, trips and falls |
| Neck | 6% | Muscle and tendon sprains and strains | Vehicle accidents in cars, vans & utilities | Plant, machinery and equipment |
| Wrist | 6% | Muscle and tendon sprains and strains | Lifting or carrying packing boxes/crates | Slips, trips and falls |
| Hand and fingers | 4% | Muscle & tendon sprains & strains | Handling people | People handling |
| Elbow | 3% | Muscle & tendon sprains and strains | Lifting or carrying packing boxes/crates | Manual tasks |
For information on Body Leadership's Manual Handling Training please call (07) 3847 8040.
Source: Queensland Employee Injury Database. Data current as at August 2008 and is subject to change over time.