For the last few months United Services Union (USU) Official Emily Callachor and USU Delegates Sharon Lindsay and Darren Gulliver have been looking into a safety concern around the maximum lift limit, which currently sits at 20 kilograms (kgs).

The issue first came to light when your colleagues, our members, were asked to provide a medical clearance to lift 20kgs, occasionally above their head, otherwise their employment may be discontinued.

We are confused and very concerned as to how the lift limit came to be at 20kg. According to a Job Dictionary in December 2010 and in February 2014 the maximum lift limit was described as 12 kgs.

On 31 October 2018, your union wrote to Armaguard requesting a meeting to discuss our concerns around this incredibly high lifting limit.
This meeting took place on Wednesday 14 November 2018, at the Rosehill Super Centre.

Present at this meeting were representatives from the USU, Armaguard and the Transport Workers Union (TWU).

At this meeting, the USU requested Armaguard provide information on their consultation and risk assessments which lead to increasing the lift limit from 12 to 20 kgs. We also requested that until this matter can be properly resolved, that state wide, the lift limit remain at 12 kgs. Armaguard was unable to agree to this at the time, citing a higher authorisation was required.

Discussion on the load limit when cash & coins leave the branch; you are expected to restrict an item not to exceed 12kgs, however when items are received back into the branch, the weight usually exceeds 12kg. We established there is a discrepancy and gave suggestions on how to resolve it.

A number of other concerns around weights of bags, boxes, cassettes etc. were raised.

Further discussion is to be had once Armguard has provided the information we requested.

Also at this meeting, we discussed the issue of steel cap safety boots (PPE). Armaguard verbally confirmed that wearing of this PPE is only required in “high risk” areas – a high risk area is any area in the coin environment.

We hope to have a response from Armaguard by close of business on Tuesday 20 November.

The USU will keep you updated as matters progress.