Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services - Chapter 19 pot

Yet the improper handling and storage of materials can caused by material handling.. The proper and safe handling of a wide variety of materials must be done in compliance with existing

19 Material Handling

Material handling is a common task in each sector of industry It is very common in the industry sectors that store, receive, and sell goods and materials such as the retail, wholesale, and warehousing sectors of the service industry

The handling of all types of materials may manifest itself in the individual

which procedure is used, there are hazards and safety concerns that need to be addressed Almost every industrial sector has to address material handling issues, especially workplaces moving materials in and products out on a set schedule Yet improper handling and storage of materials can result in grave injuries Materials may be anything from boxes, parts, equipment, steel beams, aircraft engines, or manufactured homes

and products throughout the workplace and assure that materials and products are there when they are needed Yet the improper handling and storage of materials can

caused by material handling

The proper and safe handling of a wide variety of materials must be done in compliance with existing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulatory guidelines for the equipment used, the methods or procedures followed, and the appropriate storage of each type of material

The one constant in the goods and materials sectors is the lifting and handling of merchandise

of all types

The guidelines provided in this chapter should help prevent some of the material handling accidents that are occurring in the goods and material sectors

19.1 HAZARDS INVOLVED

Injuries faced by those performing material handling tasks may be something as simple as overexertion, which results in sprains or strains, to simple cuts and lacerations from sharp edges, or contact with moving parts on equipment The pinch (nip) points or shear weight of items being handled can result in bruises, contusions, crushing, fractures, and amputations The larger the objects, the larger the equipment being used, and the faster the movement of materials, the greater the risk for multiple injuries, suffocation, or, worst of all, death (Figure 19.1)

Many of the materials being handled by workers include hazardous chemicals and have the potential for causing injuries and illnesses Chemicals can cause fires or explosion hazards and can result in burns or concussion injuries Others may present the potential for contact, ingestion, or inhalation exposures, which may cause allergic reactions or toxic (poisonous) effects in workers, when such

of these scenarios have transpired at one time or another to workers handling hazardous chemicals

Certainly, if some materials are too heavy and when lifting becomes repetitious, the potential for overexertion will likely result in sprains and strains But, materials that are improperly stored or handled have the potential to shift due to their weight,

FIGURE 19.1 Handling goods and materials is the primary hazard faced by workers

angle of repose may engulf a worker This is particularly a problem around stock-piles, surge bins, or excavations When material shifts, it may physically strike a

When using the wide variety of equipment available to move or handle the different types of materials that exist in the workplace, the unevenness, unsecured loads, and extreme weight of the loads being lifted or moved can cause equipment to malfunction, collapse, or, at least, function erratically The load can potentially fall and strike a worker, swing into a worker, be caught under a piece of equipment, or under a load, which cannot be controlled This is why it is important to regularly inspect and maintain equipment used for handling material If a sling (wire rope, steel alloy chain, or webbed sling) fails, a crane boom collapses, or the brakes fail on

a forklift or other vehicle, the end results can be disastrous

The use of equipment to handle materials is controlled by preestablished lifting

or load limits and restrictions on the supporting capacity of storage (shelving) units which can never be exceeded if safety is a primary focus It must be ensured that the appropriate equipment is used for the job, and that it is properly used by the operator

If an operator inadvertently contacts an electrical conductor, for example, electrocu-tion is a real possibility

Workers do not expect to be working under a load, have a load fall on them from above, or to be run over by a piece of material-handling equipment These hazards are preventable using fundamental safety precautions

The last hazard is derived from the myriad of chemicals handled or stored within the workplace Not only do they present the potential to cause physical harm (as noted earlier when chemical containers shift, roll, or strike a worker injuring or killing that worker), they also pose another type of hazard They can potentially be toxic (poisonous) or cause burns if mishandled, spilled, or not properly controlled

As can be seen, the movement, stacking, and storage of materials pose many hazards within the workplace The philosophical approach to these hazards must be that they are identifiable, preventable, and the accidents, that result in injuries,

19.2 SAFE HANDLING

assemblies through the workplace and ensure that materials are available when needed Unfortunately, the improper handling and storing of materials often result

in serious injuries

In addition to training and education, applying general safety principles—such as proper work practices, equipment, and controls—can help reduce workplace accidents involving the moving, handling, and storing of materials Whether moving materials manually or mechanically, employees should know and understand the potential haz-ards associated with the task at hand and how to control their workplaces to minimize the danger

Because numerous injuries can result from improperly handling and storing mater-ials, workers should also be aware of accidents that may result from the unsafe or improper handling of equipment as well as from improper work practices In addition, workers should be able to recognize the methods for eliminating or at least minimizing the occurrence of such accidents Employers and employees should examine their workplaces to detect any unsafe or unhealthful conditions, practices, or equipment and take corrective action

Workers frequently cite the weight and bulkiness of objects that they lift as major contributing factors to their injuries In 1999, for example, more than 420,000 work-place accidents resulted in back injuries Bending, followed by twisting and turning, were the more commonly cited movements that caused back injuries (Figure 19.2) Other hazards include falling objects, improperly stacked materials, and various types of equipment Employees should be made aware of potential injuries when manually moving materials, including the following:

. Strains and sprains from lifting loads improperly or from carrying loads that are either too large or too heavy

. Fractures and bruises caused by being struck by materials or by being caught in pinch points

. Cuts and bruises caused by falling materials that have been improperly stored or by incorrectly cutting ties or other securing devices

19.2.1 MANUALHANDLINGSAFETY

When moving materials manually, workers should attach handles or holders to loads

In addition, workers should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment

FIGURE 19.2 Material handling tasks result in strain being placed on the back

and use proper lifting techniques To prevent injury from oversize loads, workers should seek help when the following conditions exist:

Using the following personal protective equipment prevents needless injuries when manually moving materials:

edges

impact or compression

Employees should use blocking materials to manage loads safely Workers should also be cautious when placing blocks under a raised load to ensure that the load is not released before removing their hands from under the load Blocking materials should

be large and strong enough to support the load safely In addition to materials with cracks, workers should not use materials with rounded corners, splintered pieces, or dry rot for blocking

FIGURE 19.3 The inability to see around a load creates a hazard

19.2.2 MECHANICALHANDLINGEQUIPMENT

Using mechanical equipment to move and store materials increases the potential for employee injuries Workers must be aware of both manual handling safety concerns and safe equipment operating techniques Employees should avoid over-loading equipment when moving materials mechanically by choosing the equipment based on the weight, size, and shape of the material being moved All materials-handling equipment have rated capacities that determine the maximum weight the equipment can safely handle and the conditions under which it can handle that

each piece of equipment and is not exceeded except for load testing (Figure 19.4) Although workers may be knowledgeable about powered equipment, they should take precautions when stacking and storing material When lifting items with a powered industrial truck (forklift), workers must do the following:

potential for the truck tipping or the load from falling

over

an overload

Chapter 20provides more detailed information on the safe use of forklifts

FIGURE 19.4 Care must be taken by operator to not overload stockpickers

19.2.3 SAFE STORAGE OF MATERIALS

Stored material s must not create a hazard for employees Emplo yers should inform workers of such factors as the material s’ height and weight, accessibilit y of the stored materials, and the condit ion of the contai ners wher e the mat erials are being stored when stack ing and piling materials To prevent creat ing hazards when storing materials, employers must do the follow ing:

or ex plosions, or that may contribut e to the harbor ing of rats and other pests

from exterior walls

lifelines and safety harnes ses

secure it by stacking, blocki ng, or interlock ing to prevent it from sliding, falling, or collapsin g

19.2.4 SAFE STACKING OF MATERIALS

Stacking mat erials can be dan gerous if wor kers do not foll ow safet y guidelines Falling materials and collapsin g loads can crush or pin wor kers, causi ng injuries or death To help prevent inju ries when stack ing mate rials, workers must do the following:

than 20 ft if using a forklift

hazard to passersby when removing supplies

(Figure 19.5 )

bags at least every 10 layers (to remove bags from the stack, start from the

During materials stacking activities, workers must also do the following:

walls, partitions, or sprinkler heads

. Block the bottom tiers of drums, barrels, and kegs to keep them from rolling

if stored on their sides

on end

shifting in either direction when stacking two or more tiers high

cylindrical materials to prevent spreading or tilting unless they are in racks

In addition, the following recommendations should be followed to make this easier for workers:

quick reference

height of 4 ft, taper them back 2 in for every foot of height above the 4 ft level When masonry blocks are stacked higher than 6 ft, taper the stacks back one-half block for each tier above the 6 ft level.)

19.2.5 HOUSEKEEPING

The importance of preventing the type of accidents that can be caused by poor housekeeping practices is an integral part of good material handling practices

FIGURE 19.5 Proper stacking of bags

The typical accidents that frequently result from inadequate housekeeping are as follows:

nails, hooks, or rods

Employees tend to take housekeeping for granted and may sometimes be careless Housekeeping is the one area of accident prevention in which all employees (blue-collar, white-(blue-collar, administrative, etc.) must share the responsibility The emphasis

on housekeeping should be at

tools, jigs, andfixtures

be cleaned up immediately

necessary; clothing and supplies should be hung on racks; clutter should

FIGURE 19.6 Poor housekeeping is a primary cause of accidents

. Storage facilities: Follow appropriate storage procedures.

should be cleaned regularly

Housekeeping inspections should occur regularly It should be easy to recognize the

estab-lished, less time and effort are required to keep the work area clean

tools, etc., are avoided

removed to the proper place

of object hazards results in fewer injuries

conditions

Some common sense tips for good housekeeping are as follows:

Sweep up rubbish and put tools away

equipment periodically

accumulates

schedule

times

contacts, etc

day

working area

. Avoid overlubrication.

19.3 MATERIAL-HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Probably few facets of safety and health have such a wide variety of equipment with which to be concerned as material handling Some equipment are as simple as a handcart or dolly and some as complex as industrial robots Examples of nonpo-wered equipment are dollies, hand trucks, carts, dockboards, and ramps

A mechanical advantage can be enhanced by using powered equipment for smaller items not requiring industrial hoists, conveyors, forklifts, cranes, or heavy-duty trucks Some of these types of available handling devices are operated by hydraulic, compressed air, or electrical energy

To reduce the number of accidents associated with workplace equipment, employers must train employees in the proper use and limitations of the equipment they operate In addition to powered industrial trucks, this includes knowing how to safely and effectively use equipment such as conveyors, cranes, and slings The following are some commonly used material-handling equipment

19.3.1 CONVEYORS

When using conveyors, workers may get their hands caught in nip points where the conveyor medium runs near the frame or over support members or rollers Workers also may be struck by material falling off the conveyor, or they may get caught in the conveyor and drawn into the conveyor path as a result (Figure 19.7) To prevent or

FIGURE 19.7 Conveyors are used to decrease manual handling

reduce the severity of an injury, employers must take the following precautions to protect workers:

accessible conveyor belts so that the cables can be accessed from any location along the conveyor

conveyor can be restarted

stop-page before restarting a conveyor that has stopped due to an overload

employees from being struck by falling material (If the crossover is low enough for workers to run into it, mark the guard with a warning sign or paint it a bright color to protect employees.)

points (At those points, guards must protect employees against contacting the moving screw The guards are movable, and they must be interlocked to prevent conveyor movement when the guards are not in place.)

19.3.2 CRANES

Employers must permit only thoroughly trained and competent workers to operate cranes Operators should know what they are lifting and what it weighs For example, the rated capacity of mobile cranes varies with the length of the boom and the boom radius When a crane has a telescoping boom, a load may be safe to lift

at a short boom length or a short boom radius, but may overload the crane when the boom is extended and the radius increases To reduce the severity of an injury, employers must take the following precautions:

boom lengths unless the load rating is independent of the boom length

have uniform capacities for the same boom length and radius in all direc-tions around the chassis of the vehicle.)

crane will not be overloaded by operating conditions

operating around power lines