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08 — Manual Tasks, Noise and Confined Spaces

Worker-health and high-risk-work topics that don't fit cleanly under construction or chemicals. Hazardous manual tasks and noise are present on every project; confined spaces appear in trenches, vessels, ceiling cavities. Stevedoring is included for completeness — Saiyu doesn't operate on wharves, but the multi-PCBU coordination model translates directly to construction sites.

Topics in this section​

TopicOne-liner
[[hazardous_manual_tasks]]Reg 60 — force / posture / movement / duration; redesign the load and task; mechanical aids; technique training alone is insufficient.
[[managing_noise_and_preventing_hearing_loss]]85 dB(A) / 140 dB(C) limits; "buy quiet"; engineering > admin > HPDs; audiometry baseline + every 2 yrs.
[[confined_spaces]]Reg 4 definition; permit + atmospheric test + isolation + stand-by + rescue plan; never rely on emergency services as primary rescue.
[[managing_risks_in_stevedoring]]Wharf / cargo handling — included for completeness. Multi-PCBU coordination + lashing / unlashing + cargo-hold confined spaces.

When to use this section​

  • Manual tasks — every project: brick / lintel / plasterboard / formwork; redesign before relying on technique.
  • Noise — procurement (specify ≤ 80 dB(A)); audiometry scheduling; ototoxic-chemical exposure review.
  • Confined spaces — any trench > 1.5 m, tank, vessel, pit, ceiling cavity; permit system; rescue plan.
  • Stevedoring — only if a job ever involves wharf-side work; otherwise reference for the multi-PCBU model.
  • §01 [[01 - Foundations/_section_overview|Foundations]] — risk process, three Cs.
  • §02 [[02 - Construction Work/_section_overview|Construction Work]] — site-specific application.
  • §04 [[04 - Plant and Electrical/_section_overview|Plant and Electrical]] — vibration sources, plant noise, electrical LOTO in confined spaces.
  • §05 [[05 - Hot Work and Coatings/_section_overview|Hot Work and Coatings]] — paint booth as confined space, welding inside vessels, plasma noise.
  • §07 Dust and Asbestos (Phase 4) — silica is also a confined-space risk; respiratory protection.

Notes on currency​

  • Manual tasks (Oct 2018), noise (Jul 2020 amend), confined spaces (Jul 2020), stevedoring (Dec 2016) — all current SWA editions at 2026-04-27.
  • From 1 July 2026: complying with these Codes (or equivalent / higher) becomes a positive duty.