This report outlines the development process of the New Zealand manual handling screening and risk assessment tools. And it provides a record of the logic behind why specific changes to the HSE tools were made.

Executive summary

Background and purpose

There is a need to improve hazardous manual task risk management in New Zealand. The Code of practice for manual handling (2001) is over 20 years old and needs updating. Resources and tools are needed that to help businesses, inspectors, and professionals from across the work health and safety disciplines to easily identify musculoskeletal risks and controls (WorkSafe New Zealand, 2024i).

WorkSafe New Zealand (2024i) reviewed forty-one hazardous manual task risk assessment methods or tools. The report recommended adopting the suite of tools from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in the United Kingdom (UK). These tools were selected as they provide a comprehensive approach to address the risk factors associated with hazardous manual tasks.

A staged approach was used to develop the first set of tools for use in Aotearoa New Zealand. The purpose of this report is to outline the process undertaken at Stage 1. This involved the development of manual handling screening tools, a risk assessment tool, and a more detailed contributing factors checklist. It also aims to provide an important record of the logic behind why decisions were made during the development of these tools.

Method

The HSE confirmed that the tools could be adapted to make them relevant for New Zealand. A review of the HSE tools occurred and initial drafts developed. Two introductory sessions were held with internal and external stakeholders to check if the tools would be useful. The first was with WorkSafe Health Inspectors, and the second with a group of Occupational Health Nurses. This led to the tools being trialled at 6 workshops across New Zealand, with 203 work health and safety specialists. Feedback resulted in further tool development and the final versions published in August 2024.

Outcomes

The HSE simple manual handling risk filters (Health and Safety Executive, 2016b, 2016d) were adapted and became the New Zealand manual handling screening tools (WorkSafe New Zealand, 2024e). These can be used for lifting and lowering, carrying, pushing and pulling, and manual handling-while-seated. These are quick and easy to use to help identify tasks that are low-risk, or if further assessment is needed.

The New Zealand Manual Handling Assessment Charts (NZMAC) (WorkSafe New Zealand, 2024g) was developed from the HSE Manual handling assessment charts (MAC) (Health and Safety Executive, 2019). The NZMAC can be used to assess lifting and lowering, carrying, and team handling tasks. This is a detailed assessment method that identifies high-risk manual handling tasks.

The ‘Contributing factors for musculoskeletal risks checklist’ (WorkSafe New Zealand, 2024b) is a comprehensive approach that was developed to identify contributing factors that may not be covered in the NZMAC.

Conclusions

There was a clear need to provide New Zealand businesses, inspectors, and those working across the health and safety disciplines with up-to-date, quick and easy to use, but scientifically robust manual task risk assessment tools. Research showed that the HSE suite of tools from the UK would be the most suitable. Adaptation of these tools occurred, and effort was made to better include the range of contributing risk factors, particularly psychosocial risk factors, associated with WRMSDs. The risk assessment tools should be used as part of a health risk management approach and require worker engagement and participation.

Recommendations

There is still much to be done to provide additional resources to assist businesses to better manage the musculoskeletal risks that workers are exposed to. The development of online tool tools, case studies, additional resources and training are some of the proposed next steps. To ensure a full set of New Zealand resources the continued development of upper limb and pushing and pulling risk assessment tools (Stages 2 and 3) is necessary. This work needs to be supported by an updated or new Code of practice for manual handling and ongoing awareness and development of other tools.