Back Safety: Materials Handling and Storage
Handling and storing materials involves diverse operations such as:
- Hoisting tons of steel with a crane
- Driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks
- Manually carrying bags and material
- Stacking drums, barrels, kegs, lumber or loose bricks
The efficient handling and storing of materials is vital to industry. These operations provide a continuous flow of raw materials, parts, and assemblies through the workplace. Yet, the improper handling and storing of materials can cause costly injuries.
Although no approach has been found for totally eliminating back injuries resulting from lifting materials, a substantial number of lifting injuries can be prevented by implementing an effective ergonomics program and by training employees in appropriate lifting techniques.
Methods of Prevention
General safety principles can help reduce workplace accidents. These include work practices, ergonomic principles, training and education. Whether moving materials manually or mechanically, employees should be aware of the potential hazards associated with the task at hand and know how to exercise control over their workplaces to minimize the danger.
Moving, Handling, and Storing Materials
When an employee is placing blocks under raised loads, the employee should ensure that the load is not released until his or her hands are clearly removed from the load. Blocking materials and timbers should be large and strong enough to support the load safely. Materials with evidence of cracks, rounded corners, splintered pieces, or dry rot should not be used for blocking.
When mechanically moving materials, avoid overloading the equipment by letting the weight and shape of the material being moved dictate the type of equipment used for transporting it. All materials handling equipment has rated capacities that determine the maximum weight the equipment can safely handle and the conditions under which it can handle those weights.
Storing Materials
- Storage areas must be kept free from accumulated materials that may cause tripping, fires or explosions, or that may contribute the harboring of rats and other pests.
- All bound material should be stacked, placed on racks, blocked, interlocked, or otherwise secured to prevent it from sliding, falling or collapsing.
- When stacking materials, height limitations should be observed.
- Lumber must be stacked no more than 16 feet high if it is handled manually; 20 feet is the maximum stacking height if a forklift is used.
- Used lumber must have all nails removed before stacking
- Stacks of loose bricks should not be more than 7 feet in height. When these stacks reach a height of 4 feet, they should be tapered back 2 inches for every foot of height above the 4-foot level
- Bags and bundles must be stacked in interlocking rows to remain secure.
- Bagged materials must be stacked by stepping back the layers and cross-keying the bags at least every ten layers
- Baled paper and rags stored inside a building must not be closer than 18 inches to the walls, partitions, or sprinkler heads
Powered Industrial Truck
- The load must be centered on the forks and as close to the mast as possible to minimize the potential for the truck tipping or the load falling
- A lift truck must never be over loaded because it will be hard to control and could easily tip over.
- Extra weight must not be placed on the rear of a counterbalance forklift to offset an overload.
- The load must be followed.
