The current situation, in my view, is unsafe and modifications to the weight, dimensions and volume of papers distributed per person need to be reduced to provide a safe system of work.
This is from the Nery report – an ergonomic assessment of the manual handling of newspapers by newsagents in South Australia by David Nery. The study was commissioned by the Australian Newsagents’ Federation and the resulting report published in July 2006.
My understanding is that the Nery report was provided to News Ltd shortly thereafter. I was given a copy in November 2006 by someone not encumbered by any confidentiality agreement.
To my knowledge there has not been any change to the weight of newspapers – meaning that on some days people are delivering newspapers which are of an unsafe weight. Nery pulls no punches when we says:
There is also, in my opinion, and as outlined in the South Australian Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations (1995) an obligation for the manufacturers of the newspapers, News Corporation in this case, to provide a product that is safe to handle by the members of the Australian Newsagent’s Federation.
I am concerned for newsagents and their employees and hope that this post may add to pressure on publishers to address the problem of overweight newspapers and the health and safety of those working with them.
In 2004 while on the Board of the ANF I pushed for that organisation to call for a Productivity Commission Inquiry into the deregulation of newspaper and magazine distribution in Australia. Such an inquiry is as essential today as it was then for the Government, publishers, distributors, newsagents and consumers to understand the implications of the policy of deregulation. The handling of heavy newspapers is one example which could be cited.