A Summary of Safe Materials Handling Practices

A Summary of Safe Materials Handling Practices

In today's factories and warehouses, equipment such as hand trucks, forklifts and other materials handling equipment do much of the heavy lifting. Nonetheless, manual labor in both the office and factory accounts for as many as a quarter million musculo-skeletal injuries in the U.S per year. Many of these injuries could have been prevented.

NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has addressed these health and safety issues with the publication of guidelines for ergonomics in the workplace. These recommendations include guides and outlines for the use of ergonomically designed equipment and for safe manual materials handling procedures.

NIOSH points out that although there are costs involved in improving working conditions and in education, these costs are offset by improved productivity. When workers are less fatigued, they can perform their duties more efficiently. Statistics also show that when working conditions are improved, there is less absenteeism due to illness and injury. In addition, worker's compensation claims drop significantly when work hazards are eliminated.

Awkward lifting practices, repetitive movements, heavy lifting, stationary postures and extensive pressure point contact such as grasping or leaning against sharp edged surfaces are the 5 main causes of materials handling injuries, according to the guidelines. Other causes include exposure to heat or cold, loud noises and air pollutants. All of these are causes of fatigue, illness and accidents.

Ergonomic materials handling equipment will not have hard or pointed handles or other pressure points. Replace equipment or get ergonomically designed replacement parts for older equipment. While noise is unavoidable, ear protection that passes OSHA safety standards will protect workers from harmful levels of noise. Provide particulate respirators for breathing in dusty conditions and air purifying respirators when fumes are present.

Encourage workers to come forward with any complaints or concerns they have about their working environment. Workers often don't speak out about these issues because they are afraid of losing their jobs or are hesitant to sound like complainers. Also, look through your records and see if you can identify any common reasons for workers' taking time off because of injury.

Once you have identified the health and safety issues, you will find ways to handle them. In the case of repetitive strain injury and other injuries caused by repeated movement or lack of movement, changing the workers' routines to give them more variety will help reduce RSI and related injuries. When workers must lift heavy loads repeatedly, encourage them to work in pairs or get the proper equipment to do the lifting for them. Give employees instruction in the proper ways to lift and manually move materials.

NIOSH and OSHA provide more comprehensive data about materials handling safety. To learn more, contact these organizations.

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