Manual handling procedure & contact free service

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Safety practices for manual handling

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide Ola ANZ Drivers and Ola’s Customers with guidance as to safe, manual handling practices to be followed when handling bulky or large items or food or alcohol. 

Ola does not offer delivery services. However, in certain cases, drivers may be asked to handle luggage or other bulky items or may be required to deal with food or alcohol as part of the service required by a customer. In such cases, drivers must adhere to this policy to ensure their safety and that of their passengers.

Application of policy

This policy applies to:

  1. All registered Ola Drivers within Australia and New Zealand  (collectively referred to as ‘Drivers’).
  2. Any interaction or locations where Drivers may be working, representing Ola for example, when  interacting with Ola’s Customers at the point of pick up or delivery and the manner in which minimal contact delivery practices are adopted.
  3. Adherence to the responsibilities of delivering alcohol in accordance with the responsible service of alcohol (RSA) principles in particular, to ensure delivery is not fulfilled in circumstances where the recipient appears to be under the age of 25 and or is intoxicated.
  4. Drivers obligations to maintain exceptional handling of all goods utilising the government directed hygiene practices including appropriate hygiene practices particularly when delivering food and alcohol, maintaining social distances practices and ensuring that applicable food handling guidelines are adhered to.

COVID-19 specific requirement

Ola ANZ is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of Drivers and Ola’s Customers by maintaining contact free delivery services when delivering goods, alcohol or parcels: please see Driver delivery of goods, alcohol and parcels policy.

Contact free delivery services

Ola ANZ has implemented strategies to minimise the level of contact between our Drivers and our Customers in accordance with government directives and social distancing requirements. Strategies include weight restrictions when handling large or heavy items and appropriate techniques to minimise the likelihood of injury.

How does Contact free delivery work?

Pick up 

When a Driver accepts a delivery trip and arrives at the pick up point, Drivers are required to comply with applicable parking laws in the vicinity of the pick up point. Drivers are encouraged to remain seated in their vehicle while a person authorised to do so (e.g. sent by the seller), places the goods, alcohol or parcel in the boot of the Driver’s vehicle. The person placing the items in the boot, may provide the Driver with the recipient’s contact details to assist in the delivery process. Once the goods are secured, the Driver may safely proceed to the delivery point.

Delivery

When the Driver reaches the delivery point, the Driver will meet with the Ola Customer or may need to contact the Customer (using contact details provided by the seller at the time of pick up). The Driver will then open the boot of their vehicle, using the boot latch located by the Driver’s door, to allow the Customer to retrieve the goods, alcohol or parcel from the boot. 

Vulnerable Customers – Assistance with delivery 

While Ola ANZ encourages Drivers to remain in their vehicle throughout the delivery process as much as possible, sometimes Ola Customers may require assistance from our Drivers. Customers may be elderly, vulnerable or unable to approach the vehicle to retrieve the items from the boot. 

In such circumstances, where a Driver may need to offer assistance, the Driver is required to maintain contact free delivery using the following tips:

  • Wear gloves and a mask.
  • Retrieve the item from the boot of the vehicle and place the item on the ground by the customer’s door.
  • Ring the doorbell or contact the customer on the number provided by the seller.
  • Stand back from the door at a distance of 1.5 metres.
  • Where ID verification is required due to alcohol delivery, request the customer hold up the ID rather than handle the ID.
  • Take a photo of the items placed by the door (not the customer) to show proof of the delivery.

And, always maintain a distance of 1.5 metres. 

Manual Handling – weight restrictions

Ola ANZ considers the maximum weight of an individual item to be under 20kg. (However, heavier items may be carried where there is assistance to load and unload the item). Individual items in excess of 25kg should not be carried without the use of appropriate equipment for example using a trolley.

Helpful links:

Lifting, pushing and pulling (manual handling).

Manual Handling/Ergonomics Procedure Guide

Ola ANZ strategies to minimise the risks to our Drivers associated with manual tasks include:

  1. Manual handling and poor working postures should be reduced where possible.
  2. Manual handling risk assessments are to be conducted by Drivers for tasks that pose a risk to Drivers or Customers using the Manual Handling Checklist.
  3. When manual handling/or lifting forms a part of any Driver activity during their representation of Ola the following principles shall be applied:
    • Generally, in any lift, attempt to keep the load close and keep the natural, upright curve of your spine.
    • Plan the lift — stop, think and assess the load and its handling requirements.
    • If the load is heavy – use appropriate manual handling equipment.
    • Place the feet — apart, balanced and stable base, leading leg forward where required.
    • Adopt a good posture — knees bent, back straight, chin tucked, shoulders level and same direction as hips.
    • Get a firm and secure grip — arms within the boundary formed by legs.
    • Don’t jerk — smooth movements and load control.
    • Move the feet — do not twist the trunk.
    • Keep close to the load — close to the body trunk, heaviest side next to the body trunk, slide the load towards you prior to lift.
    • Adjustment — put the load down prior to adjustment.

Drivers are responsible for ensuring they have a sound knowledge of manual handling processes and, if required, responsible for purchasing appropriate manual handling equipment (e.g. trolleys) to ensure any manual handling practices are carried out in a safe manner.

Manual Handling/Manual Tasks Checklist Instruction:

Please find the checklist here.

Further information

If you have any questions or comments regarding anything in this document or if you require further information, you can email us at legal.au@olacabs.com.