Handling and storing goods are challenging tasks. It involves various activities like loading bulky materials and handling them carefully. It also includes storing the goods safely.
The managers and labor play an active role in the procedure. Some organizations have their material handling team, while some outsource the task.
A. J. Stephenson Removals has the appropriate equipment and skill expertise to provide unparalleled storage services. Its service Container Storage Essex stores your goods in safe hands.
However, if you perform the goods handling and storage on your own, you should follow some safety tips. The article discusses four safety tips for you.
Know access point
Firstly, make yourself aware of the place where the good is placed at present. If it is at the top of a tall storage space that is not easy to reach, you have the risk of dropping the package on your head. It also increases the risk of falling and damaging it. Try to find a ladder to reach the material and pick it up safely.
While handling loads, attach handlers or holders to them. It reduces the possibility of your fingers getting smashed or pinched. You should use appropriate protective equipment while handling.
Do not forget to wear gloves or forearm protection gear for handling loads with rough or sharp edges. You can also wear safety boots or steel-toed shoes to prevent foot injuries.
Estimate weight and height
Estimate how much goods’ weight you can carry at a time without putting stress on your body. Also, ensure that you distribute the weight equally on your body. It will prevent your body from throwing to the right or left due to wrong weight distribution.
Make sure you remove nails from the used lumber before stacking. Check the height limitations while stacking materials. For example, a lumber stack should not be more than 16 feet high when handled manually. Keep 20 ft as the maximum height for stacking on using a forklift. Similarly, a pile of loose bricks should not exceed 7 ft.
Pile up bundles in rows that are interlocking. Doing so will keep you safe. Do not store rags of more than 18 inches closer to the walls or partitions. Store materials safely in bins or shelves that you cannot stack due to their shape, fragility, and size.
Handling materials mechanically
While using conveyors for material handling, watch out for an emergency button or pull cord. Conveyor belts that are accessible continuously should have a stop cable. It extends through its entire length so that you can access the cable from a point in the belt. Please never ride on a materials-handling conveyor.
Make sure to cover the screw conveyors completely except at loading and discharging points. Guards on conveyors will protect you from touching the moving screw. The guards are movable and ensure interlocking them.
While using cranes, equip them with boom angle indicators. Always check the crane’s load chart before loading materials to prevent overloading. Take extra precautions while you operate around power lines. Keep ropes and hoisting chains free of twists or kinks. Please attach materials to the load hook with fixtures and slings.
Watch out for hazards
Ensure maintaining visibility of your surroundings while handling larger chunks of materials. You can paint walls or paste stripes to specify the maximum height for stacking. It will prevent the materials from falling and your injury.
Look out for hazards like wet surfaces to avoid falling accidentally. Store structural steel or poles in blocks or stacks to prevent tilting. Take special precautions while handling and storing combustible and flammable materials. Separate flammable materials from others with a firewall. Store other combustibles in an area that prohibits an open flame, smoking, and spark-producing device.
Use clear and wide passageways to move materials manually or mechanically. It will not trap you between fixtures like racks, walls, and other machines. Sufficient clearance will protect you from hitting an obstacle and falling.
Make all passageways free from tripping hazards or obstructions. Try not to store excess supplies for immediate operations in carrying the materials.
Conclusion
Safe material handling and storage includes focussing on the work environment, workstations design, controls, safety devices, and tools. It should ensure the workers’ safety at all costs. Apart from that, workers should also take precautions. The above safety tips for handling and storing goods will help you understand the appropriate measures.
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