Apex2 Back-Support Device Client journey Book a Demo
A gloved hand reaching into the Apex 2 hip pocket

Agriculture, food, beverage and cold chain

Cold storage workers lift in freezing temperatures where muscles tire faster and PPE restricts movement. Food production lines run at pace with no let-up. Agricultural workers bend and reach for hours in the field. The environments are different. The back injury risk is the same.

The common roles at risk
  • Cold storage associate
  • Freezer and coolroom worker
  • Putaway associate
  • Loader and unloader
  • Palletising operator
  • Food production worker
  • Meat processing worker
  • Harvest worker / picker
  • Winery and cellar hand
  • Delivery driver
  • Farmhand
  • Replenishment worker
  • Packing shed worker
A grocery distribution centre worker wearing the Apex 2, bending to lift from a carton
Results and industry feedback
  • Food and beverage logistics: 30% less back discomfort with an 8% productivity boost Apex2 case study
  • Americold: international warehouse rollout across cold storage sites Apex2 case study
Book a demo ///
The hazard

Where the load
actually comes from.

Workers regularly lift, carry, push, pull and stack heavy or awkward items: produce, feed bags, cartons, kegs, beverage cases, pallets and packaged goods. Repetitive handling combined with bending, twisting, reaching and working at ground level or above shoulder height places significant strain on the lower back.

In agricultural settings, uneven terrain, handling of livestock and manual harvesting tasks further increase injury risk. Cold-chain environments add an additional layer: low temperatures reduce muscle flexibility and dexterity, increasing susceptibility to strains and sprains. Fast-paced schedules, prolonged standing and fatigue across long shifts mean the cumulative load builds without let-up.

Reducing the risk,
and meeting the duty.

In Australia and other regulated jurisdictions, employers have a legal duty to identify, assess and control the risks of musculoskeletal disorders, including back injuries, arising from hazardous manual tasks. The focus of WHS legislation is prevention through risk elimination (if possible) and engineering solutions rather than reliance on lifting technique training alone.

Safe Work Australia
Reducing back injury risk and meeting WHS requirements in agriculture, food, beverage and cold chain operations:
  1. Identify hazardous manual tasks
  2. Assess risk factors in those tasks SA2050 can assist organisations assess and quantify risk for each manual task
  3. Minimise risks using the hierarchy of control Apex2 is a mechanical aid designed to reduce risk when lifting and bending
  4. Provide information, instruction and training SA2050 provides comprehensive training and assessment of the Apex2 in the workplace
  5. Review control measures

Turnover is the line item here.

Cold rooms are hard to staff and harder to keep staffed. Every worker who leaves takes the throughput with them while the replacement learns the pick face.

What one back injury costs
  1. A vacancy in an environment that is already difficult to recruit for.
  2. A new worker slower on the pick face while they build up to pace, in conditions that make that harder.
  3. A WorkCover claim that sits on the record through the next renewal cycle.
  4. A workforce that knows the work is hard enough without adding injury to it.
The other operations
Book a demo See the evidence