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Handling and storing materials involves diverse operations such as hoisting tons of steel with a crane; driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks; carrying bags or materials manually; and stacking palletized bricks or other materials such as drums, barrels, kegs, and lumber. The efficient handling and storing of materials is vital to industry, ensuring that materials are available when needed and providing continuous flow of parts. Improper handling and storing of materials often results in costly injuries.
Handling and storing materials involve diverse operations such as hoisting tons of steel with a crane; driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks; carrying bags or materials manually; and stacking palletized bricks or other materials such as drums, barrels, kegs, and lumber.
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.
Steel storage racks are a staple in most industrial or warehousing workplaces. While they are invaluable at keeping materials and product organized and retrievable, these space-savers can pose hazards if not designed for the application, installed and used properly, inspected regularly, and maintained.
There are two primary federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that are applicable to storage racks:
For most racking issues, OSHA uses the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act to hold employers responsible for protecting workers from serious and recognized hazards, often referencing the equipment manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions and/or the requirements in the American National Standards Institute’s ANSI/RMI MH16.1 – Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that the bottom of all columns be furnished with column base plates and be anchored to the floor with anchor bolts capable of resisting the forces caused by the loads on the rack.
OSHA recommends that load ratings be present that provide, at a minimum, the maximum permissible unit load and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level, the average unit load, and maximum total load per bay.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that the employer develop a maintenance and inspection program for storage racks, which includes keeping aisles clear and providing sufficient clearance for material handling equipment; ensuring racks are properly aligned, plum, and level, per manufacturer’s instructions; and encouraging employees to promptly report any damage to racks.
The following are some common safety issues that safety professionals/employers need to address:
Stored materials must not create a hazard for employees. Employers should make workers aware of such factors as the materials’ height and weight, how accessible the stored materials are to the user, and the condition of the containers where the materials are being stored when stacking and piling materials. To prevent creating hazards when storing materials, employers must do the following:
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.
Injuries can occur when items are not stacked properly, whether palletized, on racking, or stacked in some other manner. Falling materials and collapsing loads can crush or pin workers, causing injuries or death.
Workers should stack materials no higher than specified limits for the material. Stacks should be stable and self-supporting.
Stacking should be done in such a manner that prevents rolling or shifting of the material being stored.
To help prevent injuries when stacking materials, workers should do the following:
During materials stacking activities, workers should also do the following:
In addition, workers should do the following:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have a specific regulation on height of materials to be stacked. In terms of general hazards?from material storage,?OSHA simply says that:
OSHA does have a requirement in?1910.159(c)(10) regarding sprinkler clearance when stacking items: "The minimum vertical clearance between sprinklers and material below shall be 18 inches (45.7 cm)." Under the above, OSHA leaves it to the employer to determine a correct height based on a hazard assessment of the storage materials/arrangement.
Local fire codes may also have requirements based on type of sprinklers and materials being stored. For example, large stacks of?empty?pallets?create the potential for fast-developing fire and intense heat released from the pallet stack; therefore, some fire codes address that issue.
Slings are often used along with powered industrial trucks, cranes, hoists, and derricks when moving materials, especially large, bulky, or heavy loads. If the slings are not rigged, arranged, and maintained, serious injuries or fatalities can occur from falling loads.
Slings must be inspected regularly and defected slings taken out of service.
In addition, workers should be trained to use the slings, including in proper rigging techniques for the equipment they will be using slings with.
There are several varieties of slings, including: alloy steel chain, wire rope, metal mesh, natural fiber rope, synthetic fiber rope, synthetic web, and synthetic round slings. Each type of sling has its advantages and disadvantages.
Employers must designate a competent person to conduct inspections of slings before and during use, especially when service conditions warrant. In addition, they must ensure that workers observe the following precautions when working with slings:
Moving materials by hand can pose numerous hazards, ranging from sprains and strains to crushed bones and amputations.
When moving materials manually, workers should attach handles or holders to loads. In addition, workers should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment and use proper lifting techniques. To prevent injury from oversize loads, workers should seek help in the following situations:
Using the following personal protective equipment prevents needless injuries when manually moving materials:
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 and timbers should be large and strong enough to support the load safely. Workers should not use materials with cracks, rounded corners, splintered pieces, or dry rot for blocking.
It can be challenging to determine what is a safe weight for workers to lift, push, or pull, largely because there is no set limit that can be applied to every situation or every worker—many variables dictate what is safe. However, there are several resources and tools that safety professionals can use to help determine and set safe limits.
NIOSH Lifting Equation
One of the most used resources for determining safe lifting limits is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation. The NIOSH equation sets a fixed weight of 51 pounds as the load constant (that is generally considered the maximum load nearly all healthy workers should be able to lift under optimal conditions.)
However, the NIOSH equation also uses other factors such as height and angle of the lift, frequency of the lift, type of hand grip, and travel distance; these are all just as important in assessing a lift as the weight of the object. The final product of using the NIOSH Lifting Equation is a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) for a task, given all the factors. Note: The NIOSH Lifting Equation is not suitable for one-handed lifts, or for unstable loads.
Worksheet/calculator for manual lifts
Because of the complexity of the NIOSH Lifting Equation, many safety professionals have difficulty applying it. There are tools to assist with using the NIOSH equation. One tool that can assist with evaluating manual lifts was developed by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. It is a worksheet for assessing manual lifting operations and uses a modified version of the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) also has an electronic tool that is based on the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
Alternative to maximum weight limits
The Liberty Mutual Material Handling (MMH) tables are an alternative to determine proper weight handling. The MMH tables focus on male/female population percentages capable of performing a manual material handling task with certain characteristics, rather than on maximum weight limits. The MMH tables can be used in the design of lifting tasks as well as pushing and pulling tasks. Note: These tables should not be used to determine whether a specific worker can perform a specific task. Rather, they are intended to help professionals design tasks so that the majority of the workforce can safely perform them. The tables stipulate that designing tasks for greater than 75 percent of the female working population leads to lower risk from handling injuries.
To make handling materials easier, many mechanical aids are available.
Employers must allow only thoroughly trained and competent workers to operate cranes. Operators should know what they are lifting and how much 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:
For more information, see the Cranes topic.
Powered industrial trucks, commonly called forklifts or lift trucks, are used in many industries, primarily to move materials. They can also be used to raise, lower, or remove large objects or a number of smaller objects on pallets or in boxes, crates, or other containers. Powered industrial trucks can either be ridden by the operator or controlled by a walking operator. Over-the-road haulage trucks and earth-moving equipment that has been modified to accept forks are not considered powered industrial trucks.
There are many types of powered industrial trucks. Each type presents different operating hazards. For example, a sit-down, counterbalanced high-lift rider truck is more likely than a motorized hand truck to be involved in a falling load accident because the sit-down rider truck can lift a load much higher than a hand truck. Workplace type and conditions are also factors in hazards commonly associated with powered industrial trucks. For example, retail establishments often face greater challenges than other worksites in maintaining pedestrian safety. Beyond that, many workers can also be injured when (1) lift trucks are inadvertently driven off loading docks; (2) lifts fall between docks and an unsecured trailer; (3) they are struck by a lift truck; or (4) they fall while on elevated pallets and tines.
It is a violation of federal law for anyone under 18 years of age to operate a forklift or for anyone OVER 18 years of age who is not properly trained and certified to do so. For more information, see the Powered Industrial Trucks topic.
Steel storage racks are a staple in most industrial or warehousing workplaces. While they are invaluable at keeping materials and product organized and retrievable, these space-savers can pose hazards if not designed for the application, installed and used properly, inspected regularly, and maintained.
There are two primary federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that are applicable to storage racks:
For most racking issues, OSHA uses the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act to hold employers responsible for protecting workers from serious and recognized hazards, often referencing the equipment manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions and/or the requirements in the American National Standards Institute’s ANSI/RMI MH16.1 – Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that the bottom of all columns be furnished with column base plates and be anchored to the floor with anchor bolts capable of resisting the forces caused by the loads on the rack.
OSHA recommends that load ratings be present that provide, at a minimum, the maximum permissible unit load and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level, the average unit load, and maximum total load per bay.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that the employer develop a maintenance and inspection program for storage racks, which includes keeping aisles clear and providing sufficient clearance for material handling equipment; ensuring racks are properly aligned, plum, and level, per manufacturer’s instructions; and encouraging employees to promptly report any damage to racks.
The following are some common safety issues that safety professionals/employers need to address:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that the bottom of all columns be furnished with column base plates and be anchored to the floor with anchor bolts capable of resisting the forces caused by the loads on the rack.
OSHA recommends that load ratings be present that provide, at a minimum, the maximum permissible unit load and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level, the average unit load, and maximum total load per bay.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that the employer develop a maintenance and inspection program for storage racks, which includes keeping aisles clear and providing sufficient clearance for material handling equipment; ensuring racks are properly aligned, plum, and level, per manufacturer’s instructions; and encouraging employees to promptly report any damage to racks.
The following are some common safety issues that safety professionals/employers need to address:
Stored materials must not create a hazard for employees. Employers should make workers aware of such factors as the materials’ height and weight, how accessible the stored materials are to the user, and the condition of the containers where the materials are being stored when stacking and piling materials. To prevent creating hazards when storing materials, employers must do the following:
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.
Injuries can occur when items are not stacked properly, whether palletized, on racking, or stacked in some other manner. Falling materials and collapsing loads can crush or pin workers, causing injuries or death.
Workers should stack materials no higher than specified limits for the material. Stacks should be stable and self-supporting.
Stacking should be done in such a manner that prevents rolling or shifting of the material being stored.
To help prevent injuries when stacking materials, workers should do the following:
During materials stacking activities, workers should also do the following:
In addition, workers should do the following:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have a specific regulation on height of materials to be stacked. In terms of general hazards?from material storage,?OSHA simply says that:
OSHA does have a requirement in?1910.159(c)(10) regarding sprinkler clearance when stacking items: "The minimum vertical clearance between sprinklers and material below shall be 18 inches (45.7 cm)." Under the above, OSHA leaves it to the employer to determine a correct height based on a hazard assessment of the storage materials/arrangement.
Local fire codes may also have requirements based on type of sprinklers and materials being stored. For example, large stacks of?empty?pallets?create the potential for fast-developing fire and intense heat released from the pallet stack; therefore, some fire codes address that issue.
To help prevent injuries when stacking materials, workers should do the following:
During materials stacking activities, workers should also do the following:
In addition, workers should do the following:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have a specific regulation on height of materials to be stacked. In terms of general hazards?from material storage,?OSHA simply says that:
OSHA does have a requirement in?1910.159(c)(10) regarding sprinkler clearance when stacking items: "The minimum vertical clearance between sprinklers and material below shall be 18 inches (45.7 cm)." Under the above, OSHA leaves it to the employer to determine a correct height based on a hazard assessment of the storage materials/arrangement.
Local fire codes may also have requirements based on type of sprinklers and materials being stored. For example, large stacks of?empty?pallets?create the potential for fast-developing fire and intense heat released from the pallet stack; therefore, some fire codes address that issue.
Slings are often used along with powered industrial trucks, cranes, hoists, and derricks when moving materials, especially large, bulky, or heavy loads. If the slings are not rigged, arranged, and maintained, serious injuries or fatalities can occur from falling loads.
Slings must be inspected regularly and defected slings taken out of service.
In addition, workers should be trained to use the slings, including in proper rigging techniques for the equipment they will be using slings with.
There are several varieties of slings, including: alloy steel chain, wire rope, metal mesh, natural fiber rope, synthetic fiber rope, synthetic web, and synthetic round slings. Each type of sling has its advantages and disadvantages.
Employers must designate a competent person to conduct inspections of slings before and during use, especially when service conditions warrant. In addition, they must ensure that workers observe the following precautions when working with slings:
There are several varieties of slings, including: alloy steel chain, wire rope, metal mesh, natural fiber rope, synthetic fiber rope, synthetic web, and synthetic round slings. Each type of sling has its advantages and disadvantages.
Employers must designate a competent person to conduct inspections of slings before and during use, especially when service conditions warrant. In addition, they must ensure that workers observe the following precautions when working with slings:
Moving materials by hand can pose numerous hazards, ranging from sprains and strains to crushed bones and amputations.
When moving materials manually, workers should attach handles or holders to loads. In addition, workers should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment and use proper lifting techniques. To prevent injury from oversize loads, workers should seek help in the following situations:
Using the following personal protective equipment prevents needless injuries when manually moving materials:
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 and timbers should be large and strong enough to support the load safely. Workers should not use materials with cracks, rounded corners, splintered pieces, or dry rot for blocking.
It can be challenging to determine what is a safe weight for workers to lift, push, or pull, largely because there is no set limit that can be applied to every situation or every worker—many variables dictate what is safe. However, there are several resources and tools that safety professionals can use to help determine and set safe limits.
NIOSH Lifting Equation
One of the most used resources for determining safe lifting limits is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation. The NIOSH equation sets a fixed weight of 51 pounds as the load constant (that is generally considered the maximum load nearly all healthy workers should be able to lift under optimal conditions.)
However, the NIOSH equation also uses other factors such as height and angle of the lift, frequency of the lift, type of hand grip, and travel distance; these are all just as important in assessing a lift as the weight of the object. The final product of using the NIOSH Lifting Equation is a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) for a task, given all the factors. Note: The NIOSH Lifting Equation is not suitable for one-handed lifts, or for unstable loads.
Worksheet/calculator for manual lifts
Because of the complexity of the NIOSH Lifting Equation, many safety professionals have difficulty applying it. There are tools to assist with using the NIOSH equation. One tool that can assist with evaluating manual lifts was developed by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. It is a worksheet for assessing manual lifting operations and uses a modified version of the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) also has an electronic tool that is based on the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
Alternative to maximum weight limits
The Liberty Mutual Material Handling (MMH) tables are an alternative to determine proper weight handling. The MMH tables focus on male/female population percentages capable of performing a manual material handling task with certain characteristics, rather than on maximum weight limits. The MMH tables can be used in the design of lifting tasks as well as pushing and pulling tasks. Note: These tables should not be used to determine whether a specific worker can perform a specific task. Rather, they are intended to help professionals design tasks so that the majority of the workforce can safely perform them. The tables stipulate that designing tasks for greater than 75 percent of the female working population leads to lower risk from handling injuries.
When moving materials manually, workers should attach handles or holders to loads. In addition, workers should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment and use proper lifting techniques. To prevent injury from oversize loads, workers should seek help in the following situations:
Using the following personal protective equipment prevents needless injuries when manually moving materials:
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 and timbers should be large and strong enough to support the load safely. Workers should not use materials with cracks, rounded corners, splintered pieces, or dry rot for blocking.
It can be challenging to determine what is a safe weight for workers to lift, push, or pull, largely because there is no set limit that can be applied to every situation or every worker—many variables dictate what is safe. However, there are several resources and tools that safety professionals can use to help determine and set safe limits.
NIOSH Lifting Equation
One of the most used resources for determining safe lifting limits is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation. The NIOSH equation sets a fixed weight of 51 pounds as the load constant (that is generally considered the maximum load nearly all healthy workers should be able to lift under optimal conditions.)
However, the NIOSH equation also uses other factors such as height and angle of the lift, frequency of the lift, type of hand grip, and travel distance; these are all just as important in assessing a lift as the weight of the object. The final product of using the NIOSH Lifting Equation is a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) for a task, given all the factors. Note: The NIOSH Lifting Equation is not suitable for one-handed lifts, or for unstable loads.
Worksheet/calculator for manual lifts
Because of the complexity of the NIOSH Lifting Equation, many safety professionals have difficulty applying it. There are tools to assist with using the NIOSH equation. One tool that can assist with evaluating manual lifts was developed by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. It is a worksheet for assessing manual lifting operations and uses a modified version of the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) also has an electronic tool that is based on the NIOSH Lifting Equation.
Alternative to maximum weight limits
The Liberty Mutual Material Handling (MMH) tables are an alternative to determine proper weight handling. The MMH tables focus on male/female population percentages capable of performing a manual material handling task with certain characteristics, rather than on maximum weight limits. The MMH tables can be used in the design of lifting tasks as well as pushing and pulling tasks. Note: These tables should not be used to determine whether a specific worker can perform a specific task. Rather, they are intended to help professionals design tasks so that the majority of the workforce can safely perform them. The tables stipulate that designing tasks for greater than 75 percent of the female working population leads to lower risk from handling injuries.
To make handling materials easier, many mechanical aids are available.
Employers must allow only thoroughly trained and competent workers to operate cranes. Operators should know what they are lifting and how much 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:
For more information, see the Cranes topic.
Powered industrial trucks, commonly called forklifts or lift trucks, are used in many industries, primarily to move materials. They can also be used to raise, lower, or remove large objects or a number of smaller objects on pallets or in boxes, crates, or other containers. Powered industrial trucks can either be ridden by the operator or controlled by a walking operator. Over-the-road haulage trucks and earth-moving equipment that has been modified to accept forks are not considered powered industrial trucks.
There are many types of powered industrial trucks. Each type presents different operating hazards. For example, a sit-down, counterbalanced high-lift rider truck is more likely than a motorized hand truck to be involved in a falling load accident because the sit-down rider truck can lift a load much higher than a hand truck. Workplace type and conditions are also factors in hazards commonly associated with powered industrial trucks. For example, retail establishments often face greater challenges than other worksites in maintaining pedestrian safety. Beyond that, many workers can also be injured when (1) lift trucks are inadvertently driven off loading docks; (2) lifts fall between docks and an unsecured trailer; (3) they are struck by a lift truck; or (4) they fall while on elevated pallets and tines.
It is a violation of federal law for anyone under 18 years of age to operate a forklift or for anyone OVER 18 years of age who is not properly trained and certified to do so. For more information, see the Powered Industrial Trucks topic.
Employers must allow only thoroughly trained and competent workers to operate cranes. Operators should know what they are lifting and how much 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:
For more information, see the Cranes topic.
Powered industrial trucks, commonly called forklifts or lift trucks, are used in many industries, primarily to move materials. They can also be used to raise, lower, or remove large objects or a number of smaller objects on pallets or in boxes, crates, or other containers. Powered industrial trucks can either be ridden by the operator or controlled by a walking operator. Over-the-road haulage trucks and earth-moving equipment that has been modified to accept forks are not considered powered industrial trucks.
There are many types of powered industrial trucks. Each type presents different operating hazards. For example, a sit-down, counterbalanced high-lift rider truck is more likely than a motorized hand truck to be involved in a falling load accident because the sit-down rider truck can lift a load much higher than a hand truck. Workplace type and conditions are also factors in hazards commonly associated with powered industrial trucks. For example, retail establishments often face greater challenges than other worksites in maintaining pedestrian safety. Beyond that, many workers can also be injured when (1) lift trucks are inadvertently driven off loading docks; (2) lifts fall between docks and an unsecured trailer; (3) they are struck by a lift truck; or (4) they fall while on elevated pallets and tines.
It is a violation of federal law for anyone under 18 years of age to operate a forklift or for anyone OVER 18 years of age who is not properly trained and certified to do so. For more information, see the Powered Industrial Trucks topic.