Don't be strained

This 1963 film illustrates techniques for manual handling to avoid muscle strain. The film shows workers in various factories undertaking manual labour, and includes footage of an officer of the New South Wales Department of Public Health instructing workers on the correct methods of lifting to avoid injuries such as muscle strain, slipped discs and hernias. The film applies these methods of lifting to other scenarios, including a woman at a filing cabinet, a woman putting out the washing and a postman bending to a letterbox. The narrator refers to ‘the human machine’ throughout the film.

Produced by the New South Wales Department of Labour and Industry.

Please note: As this is an archival work, the content does not reflect current practice or standards. Professional advice for up-to-date safety practices should be sought from the appropriate contemporary authority.