WorkSafe has issued a safety alert following a recent incident in which a young worker at a fast-food restaurant was struck on the head by falling boxes while restocking a cold room.
The boxes of frozen fries and patties weighed up to 16 kg each and were stacked about 2 meters high.
Investigating the incident, WorkSafe inspectors identified hazardous manual handling issues and the risk of being struck by poorly stored boxes. Several improvement notices were issued, resulting in significant changes, including the purchase of a new freezer. The employer is also working with suppliers to address issues related to the design of the boxes.
Check out the safety alert here. Check out our Hazardous Manual Handling webpage here.