Safety Topic 02- Safety in Material Handling and Storing

Greetings of the day!

This is a general information about Safety in Material Handling and Storing. Implementation need to be done at site by site engineer/ In-charge/ Safety officers. The concept can be easily understood by the following steps-

1)      Introduction

Handling and storing materials involve diverse operations such as hoisting tons of steel with a crane/tripod; driving a truck loaded with machinery; carrying bags or materials manually; or other materials such as drums, barrels, ropes and pulleys.

The efficient handling and storing of materials are vital to industry. In addition to raw materials, these operations provide a continuous flow of parts and assemblies through the workplace and ensure that materials are available when needed. Unfortunately, the improper handling and storing of materials often result in costly injuries.

2)      What should Engineer / In-charge know before moving, handling, and storing materials?

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, workers should know and understand the potential hazards 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 materials, 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. Site Engineer/ In-charge should examine their workplaces to detect any unsafe or unhealthful conditions, practices, or equipment and take corrective action.

3)      What are the potential hazards for workers?

Workers frequently cite the weight and bulkiness of objects that they lift as major contributing factors to their injuries.

Hazards include falling objects, improperly stacked materials, bad keeping of machinery and various types of equipment. You should make your workers aware of potential injuries that can occur when material not stored/kept properly.

4)      What precautions must workers take to avoid storage hazards?

Stored materials must not create a hazard for workers. Engineer/ In-charge should make workers aware of such factors as the materials' height and weight, how accessible the stored materials are to the user, and condition of the place where the materials are being stored when stacking and piling materials. To prevent creating hazards when storing materials, Site Engineer/ In-charge must do the following:

a)      Keep storage areas free from accumulated materials that cause tripping, fires, or explosions, or that may contribute to the harboring of rats and other pests;

b)      Place stored materials inside buildings or inside floor openings and if possible at least 10 feet away from exterior walls.

c)       Store the machineries at separate place under the shed.

d)      Place the ropes in a way that it should not get entangled. Make proper knots at the time of placing ropes so that while loading/taking the ropes at work place, it can be accessed easily.

e)      In case there is a spacing issue, then to place the material in a way that there should not be any damage to workable material. For example- by placing ropes down and heavy material on top.  

f)       In addition, workers should consider placing bound material on racks, and secure it by stacking, blocking, or interlocking to prevent it from sliding, falling, or collapsing.

5)      What must Site Engineer/ In-charge do to ensure the safe use of slings?

As an Engineer/ In-charge, you must designate a competent person to conduct inspections of slings before and during use, especially when service conditions warrant. In addition, you must ensure that workers observe the following precautions when working with slings:

a)      Remove immediately damaged or defective slings from service.

b)      Do not shorten slings with knots or bolts or other makeshift devices.

c)       Do not load slings beyond their rated capacity.

d)      Keep suspended loads clear of all obstructions.

e)      Remain clear of loads about to be lifted and suspended.

f)       Avoid sudden crane acceleration and deceleration when moving suspended loads.

6)      Training and Education

Company recommends that Engineer/ In-charge/ Safety officer must establish a formal training program to teach workers how to recognize and avoid materials handling hazards. Instructors should be well-versed in safety engineering and materials handling and storing. The training should reduce workplace hazards by emphasizing the following factors:

a)      Dangers of lifting without proper training.

b)      Dangers of placing without proper arrangement.

c)       Dangers of storing machineries in open.

d)      Dangers of excessive charging of equipment having Lithium ion batteries (Walky / mobile phones).

e)      Dangers of bad storage of ropes.

f)       Dangers of taking bad stored material on site.  

g)      Awareness of what a worker can comfortably handle without undue strain.

h)      Use of equipment properly.

i)        Recognition of potential hazards and how to prevent or correct them.

Worker safety is of utmost importance. Workers need to know that what a bad can happen if they had handled or stored the material in a bad manner. They cannot take risks with their own well-beings/families. They need to understand how something wrong can happen with tools and equipment mishandling. They need to realize that material must be kept safe and in a proper way. They should follow the rules and make themselves responsible for keeping themselves safe and to not take unnecessary risks on their shoulders.

If you can prevent workers from unsafe material, do it.

If you can’t, make sure you’ve done everything possible to keep your workers safe, secure, and alive.

THINK SAFETY WORK SAFELY