OSHA 30 Module 9 Materials Handling and Storage

Perhaps the most important knowledge, a training program designed to instruct about proper lifting techniques can impart to workers is that they know their body's:

A training program that is designed to instruct about proper lifting techniques should include awareness of individual body weaknesses and strengths.

Handles, Holders, and Protective Equipment

All loads ideally should be moved via mechanical means when possible. When loads are to be moved manually, with the use of handles and holders may minimize chances of injuries to the fingers and hands. In the case of loads with sharp and rough edges, workers must wear gloves. It also may be advisable for a worker to be fitted with steel-toed shoes when carrying heavy or bulky loads, so as to minimize the risk of foot injuries in the case of accidentally dropping the load.

Materials Stored on Tiers

All materials stored in tiers shall be stacked, racked, blocked, interlocked, or otherwise secured to prevent sliding, falling, or collapse. 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 floor or slab on grade. Maximum safe loads shall not be exceeded. Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear to provide for the free and safe movement of material handling equipment or employees. Such areas shall be kept in good repair. When a difference in road or working levels exists, means such as ramps, blocking, or grading shall be used to ensure the safe movement of vehicles between the two levels.

Bound Material

All materials stored in tiers shall be stacked, racked, blocked, interlocked, or otherwise secured to prevent sliding, falling, or collapse. Furthermore, maximum safe load limits that have been specified by building inspectors must not be exceeded or otherwise violated, and signs displaying load limits must be posted in all storage areas except for slab on grade.

Height Limitations

Always adhere to height limitations when stacking materials. Lumber that is manually handled must not be stacked at a height of more than 16 feet; 20 feet if a forklift is being used. Painting stripes on poles and walls is a good way to indicate the maximum height allowed.

Assembly line conveyor belts that are continuously accessible must be equipped with:

Conveyor belts that are continuously accessible (such as those used in assembly lines) must have emergency stop cables that run along the entire length of the belt.

Safety Inspections

Cranes must be inspected as directed by the manufacturer and OSHA standards by competent persons who are familiar with them. Critical parts such as the operating mechanisms, hooks, and load-carrying components must be checked on at least a daily basis to ensure that no deterioration, damage, or maladjustments have occurred.

While only qualified, competent persons may operate cranes, the daily inspection must only be performed by _____.

Cranes must be inspected frequently by competent persons who are familiar with the crane. Critical parts such as the operating mechanisms, hooks and load-carrying components must be checked on a daily basis to ensure that no deteriorations or maladjustments have occurred.

A crane with a 60', four-section telescopic boom is capable of carrying its heaviest loads at a radius of _____.

Cranes that have telescopic booms may be capable of lifting a heavier load when the boom length and radius are small. If the boom is extended (length and radius are large), the weight of the object may overload the crane.

Drums, Barrels, and Kegs

Drums, barrels, and kegs must be stored symmetrically. However, if they are stored on their sides, the bottom tiers must be blocked accordingly to prevent them from rolling. When barrels are stacked on end, planks must be placed between each tier to make a firm, flat stacking surface. If the stack reaches two or more tiers, the lowest tier must be secured on either side to prevent the barrels from shifting.

Fire Safety Precautions

Employees must always keep in mind that flammable and combustible materials must be stored in accordance to their fire characteristics. For example, when storing flammable liquids, employees must ensure that they are separated from other materials by using fire walls or other appropriate storage facilities and equipment. Combustibles must be stored in areas where smoking, open flames, and sparks are prohibited. Some materials are only dangerous when they come together. Employees must be aware of the reactive qualities of different materials and keep potentially reactive materials properly separated from each other.

To reduce hazards of flammable liquids, employees must be trained to store them only in areas that are:

Employees must ensure that when flammable liquids are stored they are separated from other materials by a fire wall. This safeguards the other materials in the case that the liquid catches fire.

Slings

Employers must ensure that slings are visually inspected before and during all operations. A damaged or defective sling must be removed from service immediately.

Ergonomics Safety and Health Principles

Ergonomics is a principle that states that jobs should be adapted to fit the person, rather than the person being forced to fit the job. As such, the study of ergonomics attempts to provide the most conducive environment possible to fit the employee's needs and lead to the greatest possible productivity.

Methods of Prevention

If the worker has to manually handle an object, he or she must ask for assistance when a load is: Bulky to the extent that it cannot be grasped or lifted properly. Bulky to the extent that it cannot be seen around or over. One that cannot be handled safely.

Stacking Lumber, Bricks, and Masonry Blocks

If used lumber is being stacked, workers must ensure that all nails have been removed before stacking lumber. Furthermore, workers must ensure that the lumber stacks are on level and solidly supported bracing. Lumber must be stacked such that it is stable and self-supporting. Loose bricks must not be stacked to heights of more than seven feet. When a stack of loose bricks exceeds four feet, they must be tapered back two inches for every foot of height over and above the four-foot level. When masonry blocks are stacked to a height of six feet or higher, the stacks must be tapered back one-half block for each tier over the six-foot level.

Which body movement contributes LEAST to back injuries when carrying heavy materials?

Improper body movement, such as twisting, turning and bending, combined with lifting heavy/bulky materials are significant causes of back and spinal injuries when handling or storing materials.

The number of lifting injuries will decrease if employees will simply:

In addition to the use of ergonomics, there are a number of basic safety principles that can be employed which will reduce the incidence of lifting injuries, including the use of general fire safety precaution techniques of keeping aisles and passages clear.

Bags and Bundles

It is advisable that when bags and bundles are stacked, interlocking rows are used. Bagged materials must be stacked by stepping back the layers and cross-keying the bags at least every ten bags high. When workers remove bags from the stack, they must start with the topmost layer working their way down. Noncompatible materials shall be segregated in storage. Baled paper and rags must be kept at a minimum of 18 inches from walls, sprinklers, and partitions. Finally, it is advised that boxed materials be banded, or at least held in place using cross-ties or shrink plastic fiber.

Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines

It is imperative that your company's management play an active role in the effective implementation of a safety and health program designed for handling and storage. When management is closely involved with such a program, line supervisors and (by extension) employees can be persuaded of its importance and motivated to take it seriously.

The first indicator of whether a company's safety and health program will be effective and successful is the active involvement of the company's _____.

It is imperative that your company's management play an active role in the effective implementation of a safety and health program designed for handling and storage. When management is closely involved with such programs, it can persuade the line supervisors -- and, by extension, the rest of the employees -- of its importance, and motivate them to take the program seriously.

William's supervisor told him to restack four pallets of bricks to conserve space. If William follows OSHA guidelines and stacks the bricks 10 feet high, how much taper will the top tier have relative to the base or bottom tier?

Loose bricks must not be stacked to heights of more than seven feet. When a stack of loose bricks exceeds four feet, they must be tapered back two inches for every foot of height over and above the four-foot level.

Material Storage

Material stored inside buildings under construction shall neither be placed within 6 feet of any hoistway or inside floor openings, nor within 10 feet of an exterior wall which does not extend above the top of the material stored. Each employee required to work on stored material in silos, hoppers, tanks, and similar storage areas shall be equipped with personal fall arrest equipment meeting the requirements of Subpart M of this part. Noncompatible materials shall be segregated in storage.

Outriggers

Mobile that require the use of outriggers must be placed on firm, level ground. The outrigger must be placed on timbers or cribbed so as to spread the weight of the crane and the load over a large enough area. This helps to ensure that the crane remains stable and does not tip while in operation.

Powered Industrial Trucks

New powered industrial trucks (e.g. tow motors, forklifts, fork trucks, cherry-pickers, etc.) must meet the design and construction requirements of the American National Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks, Part II, ANSI b56.1-1969. Powered industrial trucks (P.I.T.s) manufactured since 1969 must have identifying marks indicating that they have been inspected and accepted by a nationally accepted testing laboratory.

Training and Education

OSHA requires that all employees participate in training programs related to handling and storage hazards. These programs must contain material that will be helpful to employees in reducing material handling and storage hazards. The training program must include the following: Informing employees about the dangers of handling heavy and bulky materials without proper training. Illustrating how to avoid unnecessary physical stress and strain. Teaching employees to determine what they are able to comfortably handle without having to undergo physical strain. Instructing employees about the proper use of equipment. Teaching employees how to recognize potential hazards and how to prevent or correct them.

Loads

Operators must ensure that hoisting chains and ropes are properly attached in reference to the load. This can be achieved by ensuring that loads are connected to the load hooks by slings or fixtures. All sharp edges of loads must be padded to prevent them from cutting into slings.

Dockboards (Bridge Plates)

Portable and powered dockboards shall be strong enough to carry the load imposed on them. Portable dockboards shall be secured in position, either by being anchored or equipped with devices that will prevent their slipping. Handholds, or other effective means, shall be provided on portable dockboards to permit safe handling. Positive protection shall be provided to prevent railroad cars from being moved while dockboards or bridge plates are in position.

Passageways and aisles must be left clear:

Providing sufficient clearance will prevent the possibility that workers will get pinned down and also will reduce the risk that a load will strike an obstruction and fall on an employee. As such, all passageways and aisles must be kept clear of obstructions and tripping hazards.

Conveyors

Risks The following risks are associated with using conveyors: Workers' hands can get caught at points where the conveyor runs over support members. If the conveyor passes over a work area, workers can be struck by falling materials. A worker can become caught and drawn into the conveyor.

If slings are too long to lift a load securely, workers may remove the slack by:

Slings must not be shortened using knots, bolts, or any other means. This may undermine the integrity of the sling.

Aisles and Passageways

Sufficient clearance must be allowed in passageways and aisles for the movement of materials mechanically, particularly at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns must be made. Providing sufficient clearance will minimize the possibility that workers will get pinned down. Also, sufficient clearance will reduce the risk that a load will strike an obstruction and fall on an employee. As such, all passageways and aisles must be kept clear of obstructions and tripping hazards. Materials should never be stored in aisles.

To determine the load limits of a building, workers must refer to specifications set by the _____.

The building inspector is the only person who can determine and approve the load limit of a building. This load limit must be adhered to at all times.

If implemented successfully, the ultimate goal of ergonomics should be:

The study of ergonomics attempts to provide the most conducive environment possible to fit the employee's needs and lead to the greatest improved safety.

The type of equipment that is used to move a load will be dictated by the:

The type of equipment that will be used to handle an object will depend on the characteristics of the load that is to be moved.

Safety Measures

There are a number of methods an employer can use to reduce the frequency and severity of conveyor-related injuries. Emergency buttons or pull cords designed to stop the conveyor must be installed, preferably near worker stations. Conveyor belts that are continuously accessible (such as those used in assembly lines) must have emergency stop cables that run along the entire length of the belt. Emergency stop systems must be designed in such a manner that they have to be reset before the conveyor can start again. This ensures that the conveyor can run only after an employee has been removed from danger.

Body Movement

This is a common factor related to back injuries. Bending, twisting, and turning are some of the common body movements that lead to back and spinal injuries.

Bulkiness and Weight of Materials

Two of the major hazards involved in handling and storing materials include: Bulkiness Weight of Materials Often, handling heavy and bulky objects results in back and spinal injuries. Workers that lift these objects may suffer from acute and chronic back pains.

Unless specially equipped, P.I.T.s should not be used in any of these plants EXCEPT:

Under normal circumstances, P.I.T.s must not be used in atmospheres containing high concentrations of metal dust, or carbon black, coal, or coke dust.

Availability for the Material

When employees stack materials, they must consider the need for availability of the material. Some materials cannot be stacked due to shape, size, or fragility constraints. In most cases these can be safely stored on shelves or in bins. Poles, structural steel, and other cylindrical materials can be stored in racks. If they are stacked, they must be blocked to prevent them from spreading and/or tilting. Pipes and bars must not be stored in racks that face the main aisle, as this could be hazardous to passers-by, especially while moving materials.

Jean is manually trying to move a 42" x 72" box of Styrofoam packing material. Although it weighs less than 15 pounds, to prevent injury Jean is required to use _____.

When manually handling an object, a worker must ask for assistance when the object is too bulky, of a nature that cannot be safely handled, or if he/she cannot easily grasp it or see around or over it.

Blocks

When placing blocks under raised loads, workers must make sure that the raised loads are kept in a raised position until their hands have been removed from beneath them. The blocks must be large and sturdy enough to be able to support the load. Block materials with cracks, splintered pieces, and rot must not be used.

Movable Cranes

When using movable cranes, the operator must ensure that a boom angle indicator has been fitted. In cases where the crane has a telescopic boom, a means of determining the boom's length also must be present. Load rating charts that are specific to the crane must be placed in the operator's cabin.

From inside the cabin, operators of movable, telescopic cranes must be able to determine all these factors EXCEPT:

When using movable cranes, the operator must ensure that a boom angle indicator has been fitted. In cases where the crane has a telescopic boom, some means of determining the boom's length also must be present. Load rating charts that are specific to the crane must be placed in the operator's cabin.

Stored Materials

Workers must ensure that stored materials do not create hazards. For example, workers must ensure that storage spaces are not left to accumulate flammable materials, cause explosions or tripping hazards, or easily harbor rats and other pests. Additionally, storage containers must have adequate capacity to handle the height and weight of stored items, as well as being accessible and in good condition.

Load Weight and Mechanical Moving Equipment

Workers must never overload mechanical moving equipment. All types of material handling equipment have maximum weight specifications which must be adhered to. As such, the type of equipment used to move a load from one point to another must be dictated by the specifications of the load itself.