Ergonomics in logistics: preventing strains and injuries

Workplace ergonomics in logistics means designing the work to fit the people doing it: the loads they lift, the heights they reach, the way they push a trolley and the seat they drive from. Manual handling and body stressing are among the most common causes of injury in warehousing and transport, so good ergonomics is one of the most direct ways to reduce them. The same changes usually cut delays and errors too.

Ergonomics is often thought of as an office issue, about chairs and desk heights. In a warehouse or on a truck it matters just as much, and the hazards are heavier.

Where the risks come from

Logistics work is full of lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying and repeating the same movement all day. Walk a dock or a picking floor and you'll find the same few problems over and over.

Awkward postures are a common thread. Twisting while lifting in a truck trailer, reaching above shoulder height for stock, and sitting in a cab without a break all load the back, neck and knees over time.

What it costs when it goes wrong

Ergonomic injuries are musculoskeletal disorders. They are strains, sprains, back pain and conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. They start small, and they become long-term problems if nobody changes the work.

For the business, the effects add up:

• Lost time. An injured worker stays off, and the shift is short-handed.
• Slower work. Fatigued people take longer, make more errors and miss dispatch times.
• Higher turnover. People leave physically demanding jobs, and recruiting and training the replacements costs money.
• Claims and premiums. Workers' compensation claims and insurance costs go up.
• Compliance. Under the WHS laws, you must identify, assess and control these hazards, not just respond when someone is hurt.

How to fix it

Work through the same steps you'd use for any hazard.

1. Find the problems. Walk each task with the people who do it. Ask where they feel strain, which lifts they avoid and where they work around a problem. A short survey of discomfort helps you spot patterns.
2. Look at the task, not just the person. Note the load weight, how far it's carried, the height it's lifted to, how often the task repeats and how long it lasts.
3. Assess the risk. Decide how likely and how serious the injury could be. The manual handling risk assessment form gives you a structure for this.
4. Apply controls, starting at the top. Remove the lift if you can. Use mechanical aids. Change the layout. Then use training and rotation. PPE comes last.
5. Check the controls work. Watch the task after the change, ask the crew how it feels, and review the assessment when something changes.

The model Code of Practice: Hazardous manual tasks gives practical guidance on this process. Under section 19 of the WHS Act, the business must provide a workplace that is safe so far as is reasonably practicable. A review of control measures is also needed when a control doesn't work, before a change at the workplace, when a new hazard appears, or when a health and safety representative asks for one (regulation 38).

Engineering and layout

Design removes the hazard, so it gives the best return. Look at:

• Storage height. Keep fast-moving stock between the knee and shoulder. Put heavy items low, and store light items high.
• Travel distance. Keep frequently used items close to the packing bench or dock door. Count the steps a picker takes in a shift, and cut them.
• Walkways. Mark clear paths, keep them free of pallets and cables, and separate pedestrians from forklifts.
• Lighting and temperature. Poor light causes awkward reaching and trips. Cold or hot areas add fatigue, so plan for them.
• Workstations. Use adjustable height benches and anti-fatigue mats where people stand for long periods.

Mechanical aids

Use the equipment you already have, and buy the right kit for the loads you move:

• forklifts, pallet jacks and stackers for pallets
• conveyors for repetitive or awkward items
• trolleys and carts that carry several items at once
• hoists or vacuum lifters for heavy or bulky items

Equipment only helps if people use it. Make it the default method, keep it charged and serviced, and don't leave a pallet jack broken for a week while people carry by hand.

Training that fits the task

Generic lifting advice doesn't work. Training should come from the task analysis, so it covers the lifts your people actually make:

• how to plan a lift: check the load, the route and the drop point before you pick it up
• how to get close to the load, keep it near the body and avoid twisting
• how to push and pull, using body weight rather than arms alone
• how to use each mechanical aid, with supervised practice
• how to report a problem early, before it becomes an injury

Include practical sessions, give feedback on each attempt, and refresh the training when the equipment or the task changes.

Job rotation and breaks

Rotation spreads the load. Move people between picking, packing, loading and checking, and between seated and standing work. It helps most with high-repetition tasks, and it lets someone recover after a heavy stint. Make sure rotation doesn't just move the strain onto someone else. A person who rotates into a heavy lift needs the same training and aids.

Driver ergonomics

Drivers spend long hours in one position, so the cab matters.

• Seat. Adjust height, tilt and distance to the pedals. Lumbar support helps on long runs.
• Steering and controls. Check the wheel adjusts for tilt and reach. Keep the lights, indicators and radio within easy reach.
• Pedals. Pedals should be reachable without stretching, with a non-slip surface.
• Mirrors and view. Set mirrors so the driver doesn't need to twist or lean to check them.
• Cab environment. Keep the air conditioning working, and reduce noise where possible.
• Breaks. Plan breaks and stretching. A driver who stops every few hours recovers better than one who pushes through.

Fatigue and ergonomics overlap. If drivers are tired, they sit badly and reach badly too. Our fatigue management guide covers the rest.

PPE comes last

Back belts, knee pads and gloves can help in some tasks. They don't remove the hazard, though, and some people rely on a belt instead of using the right lift. Use PPE only after the other controls, and never as a replacement for them.

Documents that keep it working

Ergonomics is easier to manage when the controls are written down. A manual handling management plan sets out who does the assessments, how often, and who signs off changes. A safe work procedure for the common lifts, such as the manual pallet jack SOP, gives workers a clear method. The manual handling SWMS covers the tasks that need a written method statement.

Common questions

Are manual handling injuries only a warehouse problem? No. Any task that involves lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying or repeated movement can cause them. Transport, office, retail and trades work all carry the risk.

Do we need a formal risk assessment for every lift? Not for every lift, but you do need one for the tasks that carry real risk. Group similar tasks together, assess the riskiest first, and review the assessment when the load, layout or equipment changes.

Are back belts a good control? They are a supplement at most. Use them after you've removed the hazard, changed the layout and trained the crew. They don't replace safe technique or mechanical aids.

Who pays for ergonomic changes? The business does, because the duty to manage the risk sits with the PCBU. Many changes are cheap, such as moving stock to a better height or fixing a cart, and they often pay for themselves through fewer injuries and fewer delays.

Put the plan in writing

Good ergonomics starts with a walk-through and a conversation with the crew, then a written plan that everyone can follow. SafetyDocs has manual handling templates, management plans and SOPs for warehouse and transport work, so you can start from a tested document and fit it to your site.

Read more on the basics in manual handling techniques: a comprehensive guide, and on the wider site in warehouse safety management: guide to getting started.

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This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current law with your WHS regulator.