MATERIALS HANDLING AND STORAGE

1.0  INTRODUCTION

Material handling accounts for approximately 25% of all occupational injuries. Common injuries include strains, sprains, fractures, and bruises. The largest number of injuries occur to the fingers, hands, and back. These injuries are caused by poor equipment design, unsafe work practices, and failure to wear personal protective equipment. To reduce injuries associated with material handling, and to increase efficiency, manual material handling should be minimized and ergonomic principles should be introduced into the job design. In addition, safety procedures must be developed and workers must receive training in safe work habits.

2.0  HANDLING MATERIALS

General

1. Before an employee is assigned to a job requiring heavy and/or frequent lifting supervisors should ensure that the employee is physical suited for the job.

2. If the load is more than one person can handle, two employees should be assigned to the operation or mechanical handling equipment should be used.

3. The route over which the object is moved should be inspected to reduce slip and trip hazards.

4.  The following procedures will be used when moving objects:

a.  Inspect materials for slivers, jagged edges, burrs, rough or slippery edges.

b.  Keep hands free of oil and grease. Wear gloves if necessary. Grasp the object firmly.

c. Keep fingers away from pinch points, especially when setting objects down.

d. When handling long objects such as pipes or lumber, keep hands away from the ends to prevent them from being pinched.

1. Keep feet parted with one foot alongside the object and one behind.

2. Squat down keeping the back straight and nearly vertical.

3. Grip the object with the whole hand not just the fingers.

4.  Draw the load close to the body. Keep elbows and arms in. Tuck chin in to maintain a straight back line.

5. Keep body weight directly over feet. Start upward thrust from the rear foot. Keep back reasonably straight. Let the arms and thighs take the strain, not the back.

6. Do not twist your body. Turn your entire body including the feet as you turn with the load.

Hand trucks

1. If the load is to heavy to move or pick up, use a hand truck.

2. Hand trucks should not be overloaded or stacked above eye level. To ensure safety and reduce strain on the back, hand trucks should be pushed not pulled.

3. Feet should be kept away from the wheels, and hands should be kept inside the handle.

Powered Industrial Trucks

1. Employees operating powered industrial trucks, which include forklift trucks, pallet trucks, and motorized hand trucks, must be trained and authorized by the Safety Office. Training programs shall include safe operating practices, OSHA regulations, and a driving test. All new operators, regardless of previous experience, will be trained.

3.0  PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

1. All personal involved in materials handling and storage shall wear appropriate personnel protective equipment when performing tasks where the possibility of injury could be reduced by the use of PPE. The need for PPE will be determined by the Safety Manager and supervision.

2. Hard hats shall be worn if there is a possibility of a head injury from falling objects.

3. Safety gloves shall be worn to protect the hands from jagged edges and strapping wire and other material handling accidents. In most cases gloves should be worn to protect the hand from injuries when moving materials.

4. Safety glasses or goggles must be worn if there is a possibility of injury to the eyes. To protect the eyes, workers should wear eye protection when opening wire-bound bales and boxes.

5. To protect hearing, earplugs or earmuffs should be worn in areas of high noise.

6. Injuries to the feet are common when moving materials. Workers shall wear safety shoes with steel toe protection if there is a possibility of injury to the toes from a falling object.

7. Respiratory protection must be worn in areas of excessive dust or to protect workers from solvent vapors.

Warehouse Storage

1. Storage areas will contain adequate clearance for aisles, loading docks, and doorways. Signs should be posted to warn of clearance limits.

2. Storage of materials will not create a hazard. Bags, containers, bundles, etc, stored in tiers shall be stacked, blocked, interlocked and limited in height so that they are stable and secure against sliding or collapse. In no case will piles exceed 20 feet.

3. Storage areas will be kept free from the accumulation of materials that constitute hazards from tripping, fire, explosion or pests. Vegetation will be controlled  around buildings and in open storage areas.

4. Covers and or guard rails will be provided for open pits, tanks, vats, ditches, etc.

5. Sprinkler systems should be provided in warehouses with combustible roofs or floors. Small fire hose water systems sufficient to reach every part of the storage area shall be provided.

6. Heating, lighting, refrigeration equipment, steam lines, and service equipment will be protected from contact with stored items.

7. Smoking will be strictly prohibited in storage areas. No Smoking signs shall be prominently posted.

8. Materials shall not obstruct fire alarm boxes, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, first-aid equipment, lights, and electrical switches. All exits and aisles must be kept clear at all times and shall be appropriately marked.

9. Maximum safe load limits of floors within buildings and structures, in pounds per square foot, shall be conspicuously posted in all storage areas, except for floors or slabs on grade. Maximum safe load limits shall not be exceeded.

Signs

1. Red color coded signs will be used to warn of dangers and to indicate the location of fire equipment.

2. Yellow signs will indicate areas and procedures where caution should be used.

3. White, and green signs will convey general safety information.

Open Yard Storage

1. Open yard storage should have driveways between and around combustible storage piles at least 15 feet wide and maintained free from accumulated rubbish, equipment, or other materials. Combustible materials must be piled with due regard to the stability of piles and in no case higher than 20 feet.

Bagged Materials

1. Bagged materials should be cross-tied with the mouths of the bags toward the inside of the pile. When the pile is 5 feet high, it should be stepped back one row for each additional 3 feet height. A pile of sacks must never be undermined by the removal of sacks from lower rows.

Brick and Masonry Blocks

1. Brick stacks should not be more than 7 feet in height. When a loose brick stack reaches a height of 4 feet, it should be tapered back 2 inches in every foot of height above the 4 foot level.

2. Bricks must never be stacked for storage purposes on scaffolds or runways. This does not prohibit normal supplies on scaffolds during actual bricklaying operations.

3. Masonry blocks should be limited to a stacked pile height of 6 feet. If blocks are stacked higher than 6 feet, the stack shall be tapered back one-half block per tier above the 6-foot level.