5 Vital Warehouse Safety Principles To Keep In Mind At All Times

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As far as warehouse safety is concerned, there are a great many things that people tend to overlook even to this day. As hard as this may be for some of you to believe, it is true for a lot of warehouses across the board. Things only go wrong when certain safety principles and procedures and completely disregarded and more people need to recognise this fact as soon as possible. After all, once the calamity has occurred, the damage is done and there is little one can do about it.

As they say – prevention is better than cure. Many warehouses across the board tend to neglect key aspects just to save money in the short term. However, the costs of neglecting the overall safety of a warehouse could prove to be extremely high in the long run. Unfortunately, a lot of warehouse owners don’t realise this fact until it’s too late.

Having said that, warehouses across the board need to make the implementation of all of the safety regulations a key priority in every sense of the word. Since the warehouse is the centre of every work and business related aspect across the board, one must ensure that it remains safe at all times. On that very note, let us take a closer look at the five most important safety principles of a warehouse:-

Be sure to eliminate all potential safety hazards: This means that there should be no “slip and trip” hazards anywhere to be seen plus the safety check needs to be carried out on a regular basis. Any cracks in the wall and floor plus loose equipment and wiring should be taken care of immediately.

Make sure that safety equipment is used as much as possible: For items that are too heavy to lift manually, all the necessary provisions must be there such as hydraulic dollies as well as forklifts. Other important aspects are emergency exits, roof sprinklers and protective clothing. Not to mention the fact that all your workers should be aware of them as well.

Don’t forget to label any hazardous zones: All the hazardous zones need to be properly designated plus properly-installed safe walkways should be highlighted at every turn. The use of tape or even black and white stripes for this is recommended. This will ensure that no major accident takes place.

Safety lifting techniques are an absolute must: When a heavy load needs to be transported, you can be sure of the fact that the method of lifting needs to be analysed first. Once that is done, you will need to make sure that there are no obstacles in the way plus there is enough space to transport the load to its destination.

The aspect of refresher and training courses: This is to make sure that every member of your staff is up-to-date with all of the necessary practices and regulations within the workplace. In most cases, accidents tend to happen due to the fact that workers are not really that aware of the necessary safety procedures in a moment of crisis. Being aware of the regulations will also mean that they are fully aware of the consequences as well.

At the end of the day, you need to keep in mind that your warehouse needs to be free of any kind of hazards as much as possible. Only then can one expect the best possible work from their employees. And most importantly, educate the men under you about the potential hazards every step of the way. That will show that you care about them and you want to keep them as well-informed as possible in order to minimise risks in general.

 Chemical Hazard Identification – Why Do I Need GHS Labels?

What is hazard communication, and why does it apply to my workplace?

The Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) recently aligned with a global system to simplify workplace safety. Hazard communication is a procedural standard set forth by the United Nations to standardize the identification, communication, and labeling of chemical related hazards.

The globally harmonized system (GHS) of chemical identification and labeling can be a bit complicated, so here we’ll try and dive in to the finer details and help make sense of it all. In order to understand hazard communication (also known as HazCom), first we must differentiate between common workplace containers.

Primary Container vs. Secondary Container Labels

Primary containers come straight from the manufacturer. They come in drums, tubs, pails, bottles, or other larger canisters that are pre-labeled with the chemical identifier. The “primary container” labels are required to include the manufacturer information. The next section is where things are a little confusing.

Often times, workplace operations require transferring chemicals from the original labeled container into a smaller secondary container (beaker, flask, or bottle). Additionally, certain manufacturing processes require hazardous materials to be transferred into larger containers (plating and finishing operations, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, etc.)

Secondary container labels do not require the manufacturer information. HCL Labels, a great source for safety signs & labels, offers chemical resistant GHS labels to help standardize your workplace chemical labels.

Labeling Requirements for Secondary Containers

The secondary containers are required to be labeled with a GHS chemical label, given if any of the following events occur:

-The material is not used within the work shift of the individual who makes the transfer.

-The worker who made the transfer leaves the work area.

-The container is moved to another work area and is no longer in the possession of the worker who filled the container.

-Labels on portable containers are not required if the worker who made the chemical transfer uses all of the contents during the work shift.

If you use chemicals in the workplace, chances are that you need GHS labels. These labels inform workers of chemical hazards, and keep the company compliant with the HazCom standard.

OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard
OSHA hazard communication federal standard [29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)] states the following:

“Employers must ensure that no worker uses, stores, or allows any other person to use or store any hazardous substance in a laboratory if the container (including bags, barrels, bottles, boxes, cans, cylinders, drums and reaction vessels) does not meet the following labeling requirements in OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard.”

The OSHA standard also indicates the primary aspects of a GHS Label.

-The identity of the chemical and appropriate hazard warnings must be shown on the label.
-The hazard warning must provide users with an immediate understanding of the primary health and/or physical hazard(s) of the chemical through the use of words, pictures, symbols, or any combination of these elements.
-The name and address of the manufacturer, importer or other responsible party must be included on the “primary container” label.
-The hazard label message must be legible, permanently displayed and written in English
HCL Labels, a leading online source for Hazard Communication labels that are compliant with the OSHA/GHS standard, specializes in the creation of secondary chemical container labels. Their website can be found here – www.hclco.com

Sources:
OSHA QuickFacts. Laboratory Safety Labeling and Transfer of Chemicals. Web. OSHA 3410 8/2011. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. www.osha.gov. 19 April, 2017.

Injuries are no laughing matter, and when they happen at the workplace, they can sideline you for weeks or months depending on the severity. The worse an injury is, the more time you will likely need to recover; in that time, you may be wholly unable to go to work. You should not wait until you have already suffered an injury before you learn about workplace accidents. Knowledge is power, and the more you know about common trends in workplace incidents, the better prepared you will be with each passing day.

Here are a few things you need to know about workplace injuries.

Communication Problems

In many accidents, the lack of communication between individuals can be blamed as the cause. Workers who had misgivings did not bring up these issues to their supervisors or managers, while others who were hesitant about completing a duty did not inform their coworkers. It is not uncommon for workers to carry out a task despite not feeling comfortable doing so. If there is communication, the problem can usually be solved with the help of a few different people, and an accident would be avoided. Without communication, employees will have a hard time completing their day to day job duties

You should make it a point to double check with people about anything you feel hesitant about doing.

Be Aware of Falls

Falls are the most common cause of workplace injuries and deaths, accounting for nearly 40% of employee fatalities in 2016, as per the OSHA website. Falls can happen anywhere and anytime – it does not take a lot for a person to fall, merely a loose piece of fabric on a rug or a small we spot on the ground. These falls often take the victim by surprise, and as a result, there may be no time to break the fall.

In some cases, the falls happen near equipment or excess merchandise. Still others happen due to an unreported problem with a staircase or a corridor. As a worker, you should make it a duty to report any issues you find before they become sources for accidents.

Do not fall victim to a trip or slip. You can quickly lose everything if the accident is severe enough.

Construction and Injuries

Construction workers have some of the most dangerous jobs in the country, data which is supported by the OSHA. Even though police officers and firefighters may face more apparent risks, construction workers enter job sites each day surrounded by extremely deadly equipment and low levels of safety. It is not uncommon for construction workers to be struck by falling objects, fall in trenches, or be crushed or harmed by equipment.

These workers need to do everything they can to prevent injury, whether that is undergoing additional training or implementing more safety measures. For all employees, you must not be afraid to voice your opinion if you feel something is dangerous or if there needs to be higher standards of safety and more hands on training.

Other Jobs

You should keep in mind that construction, public service positions, and other similar careers are not the only ones that have risks. Employees in every kind of company suffer injuries at work. Food service workers are usually on the receiving ends of burns, while desk workers in offices are often afflicted with carpal tunnel syndrome.

There is always the chance for injury at a job, whether it is by electrocution, violence, falling objects, falls, or occupational hazards. No job is completely safe, and you should be properly knowledgeable about procedures just in case an accident occurs.

Worker’s Compensation

In many states, the chance to earn worker’s compensation in the event of an injury is invaluable. There are people who suffer injuries that are not their faults, and their medical bills can be taken care of. In some states, like California, there is a no-fault system in place, which deems that you can collect worker’s compensation for an injury you sustained while at the workplace regardless of whose fault it was.

It is important that you learn more about worker’s compensation in your state, but it is also equally important that you obtain the information from your employer. The lack of a visible sign detailing worker’s compensation benefits and procedures can be an offense. You should be aware of your rights ahead of time instead of attempting to figure out what you can do after an injury already happened.

Pain and Suffering

Speaking of worker’s compensation  did you know that you are generally unable to sue your for pain and suffering or noneconomic damages? The majority of cases end in award settlements for compensation of medical bills and reimbursement of lost wages. There is usually an agreement that is signed upon hire that disallows employees from suing for these damages. It is to be expected, as pain and suffering can net a fairly sizeable amount of compensation on its own.

Deaths in the Workplace

In 2016 alone, over 5,000 employees were killed n the workplace for various reasons. Many of these incidents could have been prevented by using some of the tips discussed above. It is a complete tragedy to see a worker pass away due to a job-related incident or injury.

No matter what kind of occupation you hold, whether you are a truck driver who may be at risk driving while tired or a factory worker who is in danger of developing lung problems because of the smog, you should take care of yourself and do everything in your power to stay safe.

Independent Contractors

Independent contractors do not always have the same set of rules that employees do. For example, someone who has been contracted to do construction is not an employee of the business doing the contracting, and the company cannot be held responsible for any injuries. In other cases, such as with Uber, this is not true.

Uber initially claimed that its drivers were independent contractors and the company was not liable for any accidents that occurred while the driver was on the clock. This was later changed after a law was put into effect; now, Uber carries insurance policies for its drivers that allow them to recover compensation for damages in the event of an accident. There may still be some confusion at times, however: these Uber accident lawyers claim that some Uber drivers are still curious if they can earn worker’s compensation in the event of a crash or if they have to rely on the insurance coverage from Uber. The short answer is the latter; Uber will not provide worker’s compensation benefits for its drivers.

What to Do Next

Workplace injuries are serious incidents, and the amount of information present on standards, laws, statistics, and more is near limitless. There are many outlets for information, and we recommend finding out as much as you can. It is better to be well prepared before anything happens than it is to be rushing for help in the wake of an accident.

Material Handling Tips for Safe and Efficient Work Performance

The way materials are managed in a warehouse determines operational efficiency and profits. A poorly organized warehouse with wrong shipments results in too much or too little inventory that is being over-handled. When too much weight is being handled manually, workers can become excessively fatigued, maximizing the risk of injuries and minimizing productivity. This creates the need for a well-managed warehouse that is ergonomically designed to ensure worker safety and efficiency.

Potential Hazards for Workers Handling Materials Manually

Lifting and carrying bulky objects is a major factor that is responsible for back injuries since it involves lot of bending, twisting and turning. Improperly stacked materials and falling objects also pose hazards to worker safety. Lifting loads that are either too large or too heavy can also result in strains and sprains. Cutting ties wrongly and securing devices incorrectly can invite cuts and bruises. Injuries also occur due to exposure to moving machinery parts, collisions and nip points. In fact, according to a study published by the National Safety Council, material handling alone accounts for 20-40% of all occupational injuries. But all of this can be avoided when supervisors train workers on proper techniques and enforce the best practices that minimize risk and maximize efficiency.

How to Improve Material Handling Quality, Worker Safety and Efficiency at the Same Time

Protect your employees from injuries with well-designed operations that are both safe and efficient. Review the following 10 areas and use the insights to redesign tasks and reduce the risk of material handling:

1. Instead of pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying equipment manually, use hand trucks, slides, lift trucks and conveyor belts.
2. Reduce the force needed for moving the equipment and loads.
3. Keep the load small and reduce the distance between the hands and the body when pushing and pulling loads.
4. When carrying load, provide grips and handles for comfort and safety.
5. Any load that needs lifting or lowering should be kept between the shoulder and the knuckle.
6. Bending can be easily eliminated by placing materials at work level.
7. Twisting can also be eliminated by providing adequate space for the entire body to turn.
8. If objects are being handled manually, reduce their size, keep the load close to the body, and eliminate all reaches that go beyond 16 inches.
9. When pushing and pulling objects, reduce the distance and lessen the force.
10. Ensure that the loads are carried while keeping arms straight down.

Every worker should be specifically educated on handling oddly-shaped objects that are bulky and they should be directed on safe practices for handling heavy objects.

The Importance of Using the Right Material Handling Equipment

Material handling equipment is available in a wide variety ranging from robust lifting platforms to heavy-duty conveyor belts. There is a specific solution for every conceivable set of material handling requirements. While manual material handling is laborious, risky, and time-consuming, using the right material handling equipment makes the task quick, efficient, safe, and easy. It not only reduces the risk of injury when carrying heavy items but also eliminates the possibility of musculoskeletal problems. When it comes to safety, conveyor belt systems bring massive benefits for handling various weight loads of all sizes and styles. Apart from conveyor belts systems, material handling equipment is also available in the form of storage equipment likes shelves, racks, pallets, and containers, automated equipment for handling moving materials and bulk material equipment like trucks, drums, silos, and grain elevators.

An important thing to ensure when handling automated equipment is to provide proper training to employees. When operators know how to handle the equipment safely and correctly, no damage is caused and efficiency is improved.

Author Bio:

Kevin Hill heads the marketing efforts at Quality Scales Unlimited in Byron, CA. Besides his day job, he loves to write about the different types of scales and their importance in various industries. He also writes about how to care for and get optimized performance from different scales in different situations. He enjoys spending time with family and going on camping trips.

Trucking Safety Tips

Safety is a subject that all truckers need to keep at the top of their list of things to think about when on the road. Truck driving is a profession that not only comes with a decent salary, but it’s also one that comes with risks for injury and even fatality in the line of work. According to the FMCSA, there were more than 4300 fatal accidents involving large trucks and buses as well as more than 87,000 involved in accidents that resulted in injury in 2015.

Below are tips to keep truckers and motorists on the road safe from harm on the road.

1. Stay Alert! Truck drivers need to stay alert and keep an eye on their surroundings. When traffic is heavy and congested, check for safe ways to slide out of line to avoid a crash. To stay alert, it’s important to get enough sleep before jumping behind the wheel. Fatigued driving is a huge contributor to fatal crashes and can be avoided with rest and paying attention when driving.

2. If a trucker needs to park the truck, it should never be parked on the side of the road without using flashers, safety triangles and flares to alert other drivers that the truck is parked. Unless the truck is having a mechanical issue and is not able to pull off the road at the next exit, it should not park on the side of any road where the speed limit is higher than 30 mph or where it will obstruct the view for other motorists to safely drive. If the truck breaks down, it is best to contact a licensed heavy duty truck transporter to make sure it can be safely moved off the roadway as fast as possible to reduce the risk of an accident.

3. Slow Down! Big trucks simply do not maneuver like a small sports car will around a curve and they certainly won’t stop on a dime if someone abruptly stops in front of them. Truckers need to watch their speed and reduce it around curves, in work zones and when traffic is congested to avoid a crash.

4. Blind Spots. All vehicles have blind spots, but for a big truck, it can be difficult to see small vehicles on the road. Truckers need to check their blind spots frequently because cars often do not realize that there are certain areas that truck drivers just cannot see them. For car and small vehicle drivers, truck drivers may not be able to see you when your vehicle is positioned in the following areas around the truck:

• Behind the truck.
• Beside the truck at the front of the cab.
• Beside the truck but in a bad location that is too close for the side mirrors to see.

5. Weather Updates! Whether the sun is bright and shining when you head out in the truck or you see cloudy skies ahead, a trucker always needs to stay updated on the weather report for all areas the truck will be driven. Knowing what the weather has in store can help a driver know what to expect and allows the driver to plan on how fast the truck can be driven and how long a delivery may take.

Are you a licensed truck driver who works long hours on the road each day? If so, it is up to you to take safety seriously and stay on top of the things that can cause crashes and pose a risk to your safety and the safety of other motorists on the road.

Lead testing in the workplace: why is it so important?

For a long time, lead appeared to be something of a miracle metal. One of the earliest metals discovered by humans, it’s soft, malleable, and has a low melting temperature, making it perfect for a variety of applications. Back in the days of the Roman Empire it was used to build water pipes, aqueducts and even cooking pots (apparently to enhance the flavour of food!), whilst the ancient Egyptians used it as an ingredient in kohl, a cosmetic applied to the eyes. In more modern times, it was used in ammunition, ceramic glazes, paints and protective coatings.

Unfortunately, in the late 19^th century it was discovered that lead is actually incredibly toxic to mammals. A potent neurotoxin, it accumulates in the bones and soft tissues of the body. This can eventually lead to convulsions, coma and even death at dangerously high levels. This was a huge health hazard. For instance, it was often used as an additive in paint, which it oddly gave a sweet taste to. This made tasting lead paint very tempting for young children, leading to childhood lead poisoning becoming endemic in certain areas. It’s also since been theorised that the Roman’s fondness for lead hastened the Empire’s downfall!

Children are most susceptible to lead poisoning simply because their bodies are smaller. However, bans and regulations around the world mean children are now unlikely to come into contact with lead in their day to day lives. In fact, the group now most at risk of lead poisoning are adults working in the smelting, refining, alloying and casting industries.

Lead is impossible to smell, see or taste, so until symptoms of lead poisoning appear it’s hard to know it’s there. This means lead testing is essential in high risk workplaces to protect against long-term health problems. If it’s present, adequate guidelines should be put in place for the healthy, safety, and general wellbeing of the workforce. Paint Inspection Ltd have created this handy infographic which goes into more detail about the dangers of lead in the workplace…

The Economic and Health Implications of Workplace Stress

Did you know that about four in ten working adults, or 44% employees, said in response to a survey that their current job affected their overall health? In addition, more than four in ten people also mentioned that their job had a major impact on their family and social life, their weight issues, eating patterns and sleeping habits. This was found in a survey of working adults in the US, conducted jointly by Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Work-related stress among employees is known to have an adverse effect on their health, the well-being of their family as well as economic implications for the business and the nation as well.

Stress Impacts the Health of an Employee

• Psychological Disorders – Depression and burnout, as a result of work-related stress, can have a negative impact on the health of a worker and can even affect personal relationships.  “It’s not just your body that is affected by stress, your relationships and overall life satisfaction are also significantly impacted,” says an expert at Nature’s Wellness.

• Alcohol and Substance Abuse – The onset of depression, due to workplace stress, has also been known to act as a trigger for alcohol and substance abuse in an individual. Working erratic shift timings, putting in excessively long working hours, taking up more than one job and constant job insecurity are some of the main reasons that drive people towards becoming heavy drinkers and using drugs for the perceived ‘stress-relieving’ effects, which any physician will tell you is a false notion.

• Chronic Diseases  –  Constant levels of stress, be it because of an inability to strike a perfect work-life balance or any other reason, can have long-term health complications, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

How Workplace Stress Affects the Bottom Line

• Economic Costs of Workplace Stress –  In the United States, an estimated one million workers are absent every day from work due to stress, according to survey findings published by The American Institute of Stress (AIS). The AIS goes on to report that this last-minute absenteeism tends to cost companies, on an average, around $602 per worker each year, which in the case of large companies could even reach $3.5 million annually.

• Loss in Productivity –  It is interesting to note that loss in productivity is not only due to absenteeism but also occurs in the case of what is known as “presenteeism” or a situation where workers are reporting to work but are not working at their optimum levels because of stress-induced medical conditions like depression.

• Workplace Injury –  Whether it is an individual’s inability to handle stress or the prevalence of stressful working conditions, it could lead to low levels of concentration and result in workplace injuries. In fact, in 2014 alone, there were more than 3 million work-related injuries and more than 4,800 occupational fatalities, costing the US exchequer a sum of $50 billion, according to Glorian Sorensen, Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

The AIS survey findings cited above estimate that the US economy loses over $300 billion annually on account of absenteeism, reduced productivity, workplace accidents, healthcare costs and workers’ compensation. It, therefore, becomes important for employees experiencing work stress and the company they are working for to work in tandem and find ways to lower stress through identifying the causes and working on solutions. This in turn would have a positive impact on the well-being of the employees and the financial health of the business.