Material Handling and Storage

Occupational Health and Safety November 7, 2005

Objectives
Recognize material handling hazards
Manual material handling Industrial trucks Conveyors (Cranes will be addressed later)

Become familiar with basic methods of controlling these hazards

Material Handling and Storage

Outline
Introduction General Practices Storage Manual Material Handling Powered Industrial Trucks

Introduction
600,000 overexertion injuries, 27% of all lostworkday cases
370,000 injuries caused by lifting 93,000 pushing/pulling Strains and sprains from loads that are too heavy or large Fractures, cuts and bruises from improper storage

100 annual deaths from Powered Industrial Trucks (forklifts)

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Introduction
General Work Practices
Get help for large loads or use mechanical devices When blocking a raised load:
Keep hands from underneath before releasing load Use blocking materials of adequate strength Look for cracks, splintered pieces, rounded corners, etc.

Attach handles or holder to loads Use appropriate PPE

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Gloves, eye protection, safety boots (for heavy loads)

Introduction
General Work Practices (cont.)
Do not overload equipment
Refer to equipment rated capacity

General forklift procedures

Center load on forks and close to mast Do not overload Do not add extra weight to counterbalance Travel with load at lowest position

Materials Storage
Precautions for stored materials
Stacked loads correctly piled and cross-tiered Stored material must not create hazard Areas free of accumulated material In buildings, no stored materials within 6 feet of hoist ways or 10 feet of exterior building walls Store non-compatible material separately

Materials Storage
Stored material precautions (cont.)
Employees in silos, hopers or tanks equipped with lifeline and safety harness Bound material stacked, on racks, blocked or interlocked to keep it from sliding, falling or collapsing Don't exceed load capacity for the structure Post load limits Stacking height Mark walls or posts to indicate maximum height
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Lumber and Brick Storage

Lumber
Maximum stack height
16 feet (manual handling) 20 feet (forklift)

Bricks

Remove nails from used lumber Stacks stable and self-supporting

Lumber storage

Maximum 7 feet high Above 4 feet, taper stacks 2 inches per foot
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Block and Bag Storage

Masonry blocks
Above 6 feet , taper stacks 2 block per tier Stack in interlocking rows Step back at least every 10 layers Remove from top of stack first Keep baled paper and rags at least 10 inches from walls, ceilings, or sprinkler heads
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Bags and bundles

Block storage

Box and Drum Storage

Boxed materials
Hold in place using cross-ties, or shrink plastic

Block cylindrical material (bars, poles, etc.) Use bins or shelves for materials that cannot be stacked
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Box storage

Box and Drum Storage

Drums, barrels, kegs
Stack symmetrically If stored on side, block bottom tiers to prevent rolling If stacked on ends, use planks, pallets, etc. between each tier
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Drum storage

Manual Lifting
Manual lifting precautions
Avoid manual lifting when possible Limit vertical lifting (knuckle-to-shoulder height) Be in good physical shape Plan the lifting operation Get a good grip Keep the load close to the body Do not twist or bend sideways Get help for large or heavy loads

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Manual lifting

Manual Lifting
Recommendations for specific tasks
Grasp opposite corners on boxes, cartons & sacks Use mechanical assistance for barrels and drums Wear leather gloves when handling sheet metal Plate glass Carry with bottom edge in gloved palm, other hand on top edge Never carry plate glass under the arm Use a team for long objects
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Drum jack

2-wheeled hand trucks

Safe hand truck use
Tip load forward and slip tongue underneath Keep center of gravity low Let the truck carry the load - don't Hand truck lean it too far Walk forward - keep load height low enough to see Secure bulky items to the truck Use specialty equipment Drums Appliances Stair climbers 15
Stair-climbing truck

Appliance truck

Drum truck

Conveyers
Conveyer basics
Hazards Nip points (rollers, near frame) Material may fall from conveyor Persons may be caught in the Inclined belt conveyor conveyor Controls Emergency stop button or pull cord Must be reset after use Never ride on conveyor Guards over aisles or work areas Screw conveyors covered, interlocked 16 Screw conveyor

Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts)

Forklift injuries and deaths
100 annual deaths, 95,000 injured Cause of fatality: 42% crushed by vehicle tipping 25% crushed between vehicle and surface 11% crushed between two vehicles 10% struck or run over by vehicle 8% struck by falling material 4% fall from platform or forks 2% accidental activation of controls
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Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts)

Forklift injuries and deaths (cont)
Classic forklift accidents:
Forklift overturns when traveling or lifting a load Trailer moves while being loaded or unloaded, causing the forklift to fall

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Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts)

Forklift safety
ANSI Approved Identifying label Owner modification Only with mfg. Approval New label required Front-end attachments Should have new label
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Classes of forklifts
Electric Motor, Sit-down Rider, Counter-Balanced Trucks (solid and pneumatic tires) Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Trucks (solid tires)

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Classes of forklifts
Electric Motor Hand Trucks or Hand/Rider Trucks (solid tires) Internal Combustion Engine Trucks (solid tires)

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Classes of forklifts
Internal Combustion Engine Trucks (pneumatic tires) Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Tractors (solid and pneumatic tires) Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks (pneumatic tires)

Tractors
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Rough Terrain ExtendedReach Forklifts

Trucks for Hazardous Locations

Explosion proof forklifts are used to control ignition
Example:
DS (Diesel), EE (completely enclosed electrical), or EX trucks where flammable gases or liquids are handled, but contained

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Powered Industrial Truck Safety

Fuel, liquid or gas
Batteries
Handled in accord with NFPA standards Hazards Lifting and handling Forklift battery Acid (electrolyte) Hydrogen produced during charging Precautions Designated battery charging area Spill control, fire protection, ventilation, etc. Mechanical handling equipment No smoking Battery charging station 24

Powered Industrial Truck Safety

Trucks and Railroad cars
Many deaths occur when a truck moves as it is loaded Forklift travel and braking action cause the truck to move away from the dock The forklift falls into the gap and the Wheel chock driver is crushed Precautions Brakes set, wheel chocks (trucks) Wheel stops (railroad cars) Trailer restraints secure the truck to the loading dock
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Trailer restraint

Powered Industrial Truck Operation

Safe forklift operation
Never drive toward a person standing in front of a fixed object No person under any elevated portion Do not place arms or legs in the mast or outside the truck Unattended trucks must be shut off with lowered load Set brakes and wheel blocks when loading vehicles (trucks, rail cars, etc.) Maintain headroom under lights, sprinkler systems, etc. Use overhead guard to protect from falling objects Use load backrest when necessary 26

Powered Industrial Truck Operation

Safe forklift operation
Cross railroad tacks on the diagonal Sound horn at blind intersections Back down ramps, drive forward up ramps Operate at safe speed, avoid quick turns Personnel on loading platform must have an emergency shut-off for truck power Secure dockboards and bridge plates Loads must be stable and safely arranged Disconnect battery before repairing electrical system Replacement parts must be equivalent to 27 original

A dockboard is used to bridge the gap between loading dock and truck/trailer

Forklift Training
OSHA standard, 1919.178(l)
Effective March 1, 1999 Formal training program required
OSHA specified topics Stability, operation, etc. Initial training before use Refresher training (based on observations) Employer must certify proper training

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Forklift Training
Stability Triangle:
B Vehicle Center of Gravity (Unloaded)

Notes: 1. When the vehicle is loaded, the combined center of gravity (CG) shifts toward line B-C. Theoretically the maximum load will result in the CG at the line B-C. In actual practice, the combined CG should never be at line B-C. 2. The addition of additional counterweight will cause the truck CG to shift toward point A 29 and result in a truck that is less stable laterally.

Center of Gravity of Vehicle and Maximum Load (Theoretical)

Forklift Training
Stability Triangle
Load CG
Load CG Vertical Stability Line (Line of Action) Combined CG Truck CG Truck CG

Combined CG

Vertical Stability Line (Line of Action)

The vehicle is stable

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This vehicle is unstable and will continue to tip over

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