Overview of OSHA Standard on MATERIAL HANDLING

Handling and storing materials involves operations such as hoisting steel with a
crane, driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks, manually carrying bags, and
stacking drums, lumber or loose bricks. Improper handling and storing of materials
can cause costly injuries. Workers frequently cite the weight and bulkiness of
objects being lifted as causes of their injuries. Bending, twisting and turning are
movements that cause back injuries. Back injuries account for over 20 percent of
all occupational illnesses. The majority of over-exertion cases with lost-workdays
are due to lifting, pushing/pulling, and carrying. Those cases represent 27 percent
of all lost-workday cases. Workers can also be injured by falling objects,
improperly stacked materials or by equipment. Potential injuries include
strains/sprains from improperly lifting loads or carrying loads that are too large or
heavy, fractures/bruises caused by being struck by materials or being caught in
pinch points, and cuts/bruises caused by falling materials that were improperly
stored or by incorrectly cutting ties or other securing devices.

Manual material handling is the largest single cause of lost workday injuries in
construction. One out of every four work injuries happens because someone lifted,
carried, pushed, or pulled something the wrong way, or lifted beyond his or her
capacity. Workers should be trained on proper and safe material handling
techniques either manually or by using mechanical means. The use of correct
handling techniques is one of the ways to help reduce injuries.

INJURIES

The most useful part of your body in handling materials safely is not your back or
legs, but your head. Untrained workers often do the job the hard way and soon get
tired which leads to possible injury. The following are some key potential injury
areas that can occur when material is improperly handled.

BACK PAIN

Back pain, especially low back pain, is second only to colds and other respiratory
problems as the leading cause of lost time on the job. Many workers suffer from
low back pain, much of which results from improper handling of materials.
Fatigue is the most common cause of back pain, resulting from doing heavy,
repetitive jobs for an extended period of time with the body in an unnatural
position. It also can result from light jobs where the body is not in a normal
position, such as bending over a low bench or desk. A short warm-up session
before beginning a heavy task, and occasional stretch breaks can help avoid
fatigue. Sudden, acute pain from a muscular strain may often be easily treated.
Dont ignore any form of back pain. Seek medical advise and treatment as soon as
possible.

HERNIA

A hernia is caused by a weakness in the abdominal wall which ruptures, pushing a

part of the abdominal contents through the wall, causing a bulge or lump. While
most common in males, women too, may suffer hernias. Hernias do not only affect
workers in heavy industry, as most think. Any weakness in the abdominal wall is

susceptible to a hernia when unsafe lifting habits cause overstretching of the

abdominal muscles.

STRAINS

Improper handling techniques can cause strains in other areas than the back.
Strains to hands, wrists, arms, neck, shoulders, and legs are also common.
They too can be prevented by using proper material handling methods. Continuous
straining to any of these areas can lead to more serious problems.

PROTECTING YOURSELF

When you must manually lift an object, consider the following general lifting
suggestions:
Size up the load-Seek assistance if you think you need it.
Get close to the load, with one foot alongside the load, and one foot behind it
for balance.
Get a firm grip on the object, with your palms, not your fingers. If possible,
squat to the load, keeping your back straight-not necessarily vertical, just
straight.
Draw the load close to you, with the weight centered over your feet. Test to
see that its not too heavy

Lift by straightening your legs, avoiding quick, jerking motions. Your legs
should provide most of the power to lift, not your back.

Avoid twisting with a load, shift and move your feet instead.

When lifting above waist height, set the load down on a table or bench, shift
your grip, and then lift again.

Lifting comfortably is most important. Judge the most comfortable position

for yourself.

PREPARING FOR THE LIFT

Stand comfortably as close as you can to the load, with feet apart for
balance.
If the load becomes too heavy or clumsy to lift on your first try, dont
attempt the lift again.
If possible, squat to the load, keeping your back straight. Try to avoid
bending.
Wear gloves that provide a good grip. Grasp the load firmly with your
hands, with your fingers beneath the load if possible. Test it first to see that
its not too heavy.

CARRYING MATERIAL UP AND DOWN STAIRS

Workers carry items up an down stairs many times a day. Some points to consider
are as follows:
Be sure handrails, even temporary ones, are in place.
Check to see how adequate the lighting is even if the job is still under
construction. Take extra time on stairways. Make sure theres no loose nails,

cans of paint, misplaced claw hammers, or similar objects on the stairs to

trip over.
Walk with your knees and feet pointing outward at an angle while
descending stairs, instead of walking with feet and knees pointing straight
ahead. Going straight ahead with feet and legs puts unnecessary strain on the
knees.

PLACING THE MATERIAL

Placing and storing the material properly is important. Consider these points:
Face the final resting spot for the load your carrying with your whole body.
Do not twist the load into its final place.
Dont forget where your fingers and toes are.
Allow enough room to place the load so you can move all of you out of the
way. Put one corner of a box or similar item down first, so your fingers can
be removed from beneath the load.
Reverse the lifting motion by bending your knees and squatting down with
the load, keeping it close to your body, again without bending your back.
Test the item for stability were you place it before you leave it.
PUSHING AND PULLING

Pushing and pulling objects are preferable to lifting and carrying them. But, there
is still potential for injury. Consider the following:
Push whenever possible instead of pulling.

Push or pull at waist height and try to avoid bending.

Be sure you can see over and around the material being moved.

 Avoid steep ramps whenever possible. On all ramps, back down

POSSIBLE MEASURES TO ELIMINATE HANDLING HZARDS

Forklift
Train employees in proper use and operation
Center the load on the forks and close to the mast
Avoid overloading
Place load in lowest position for traveling
Keep arms and legs inside truck
No riders
Dont drive with raised forks
Crane
Train employees in proper use and operation
Check load chart in the cab and abide by load limits
Inspect frequently
Never lift people
Avoid overhead power lines
Insure area of travel is clear
Have competent person inspect, as required

Sling
Inspect slings each day before use and where service conditions warrant
Ensure hooks, rings or other attachments have a rated capacity at least equal to
the chain to which they are attached
dont use job or shop hooks or makeshift fasteners
Lubricate ropes and chains

Remove worn equipment from service, if damaged or defective

Secure material stored in tiers by stacking, racking, blocking or interlocking to
prevent from falling
Post safe load limits for floors
Keep aisles and passageways clear
Dont store materials within 6 feet of a hoist way or floor opening
Wear fall protection when working on stored materials in silos, hoppers or tanks
Dont stack bricks more than 7 feet high and taper a loose brick stack after it is 4
feet high
Remove nails before stacking lumber
Stack lumber so it is stable and self-supporting
Keep storage areas clear of accumulated materials that cause tripping, fires or
explosions, or may contribute to harboring rats or pests
Do not store potentially hazardous materials or incompatible materials; ensure
they are properly disposed of

OTHER LIFTING SITUATIONS

Dont stretch from the ground.

When lowering an item from shoulder height, push against it first to test its
weight and stability. Slide it as close to your body as you can, and hold the
item close while lowering it.
When lifting items from or to high places, use a safe ladder. Do not stand on
boxes or other stacked material.

 Rounded objects such as gas cylinders, drums, and small tanks can shift
suddenly, as their contents may slosh back and forth or the rounded surfaces
may begin to roll. Be extra careful.
Partner lifts can best be accomplished when two individuals who are about
the same size pair up. Have lifting signals so you can both move in unison.
Good communications is extremely important.

STORING MATERIALS

Where and how material is stored affects both safety and the efficiency on a
jobsite. Size things up first and plan ahead when finally storing the material.
Instead of just putting material here and there on the jobsite, try to use logic as to
where materials, tools, equipment, and other items should be unloaded and stored
for safety and convenience. Especially watch the storage of materials in tiers:

Secure various layers to prevent falling.

That includes wood and bricks, and skid loads of such as tiles, shingles, and
plumbing supplies.
The unloading of building supplies can be one of the most dangerous tasks at
the worksite. Never allow new workers to do the unloading alone.
Instead, someone with rigging and mobile equipment experience should
supervise unloading and loading activities to assure materials are stored
properly.
Key suggestions are as follows:

Store materials, equipment, and tools out of the way, in the most convenient
location possible.

Keep aisles and passageways-outside and inside from being blocked by

supplies. Stored materials must not block exits and emergency equipment.
Used lumber, when stacked, should have nails removed first.
Combustible/flammable materials should be stored in a manner that will
minimize any fire potential.
They shouldnt be in the way of mobile equipment, or in a place where
worker might perform any hot work. All smoking should be prohibited. A
fire extinguisher must be readily available.
Scaffolds and work platforms must not be used to store or accumulate piles
of material or debris. There should only be as much material stored as can be
used by the immediate operations
Plan difficult storage moves well in advance.
Always arrange stored material in a secure manner.

QUALITY CONTROL AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION

Quality, Crosby emphasized, is neither intangible nor immeasurable. It is a
strategic imperative that can be quantified and put back to work to improve the
bottom line. 'Acceptable' quality or defect levels and traditional quality control
measures represent evidence of failure rather than assurance of success. The
emphasis, for Crosby, is on prevention, not inspection and cure. The goal is to
meet requirements on time, first time and every time. He believes that the prime

responsibility for poor quality lies with management, and that management sets the
tone for the quality initiative from the top.

Crosby's approach to quality is unambiguous. In his view, good, bad, high and low
quality are meaningless concepts, and the meaning of quality is 'conformance to
requirements'. Non-conforming products are ones that management has failed to
specify or control. The cost of non-conformance equals the cost of not doing it
right first time, and not rooting out any defects in processes.

'Zero defects' does not mean that people never make mistakes, but that companies
should not begin with 'allowances' or sub-standard targets with mistakes as an inbuilt expectation. Instead, work should be seen as a series of activities or
processes, defined by clear requirements, carried out to produce identified
outcomes.

Systems that allow things to go wrong - so that those things have to be done again can cost organizations between 20% and 35% of their revenues, in Crosby's
estimation.

His seminal approach to quality was laid out in Quality is Free and is often
summarized as the Fourteen Steps.The fourteen steps
1. Management Commitment: the need for quality improvement must be
recognised and adopted by management, with an emphasis on the need for

defect prevention. Quality improvement is equated with profit improvement.

A quality policy is needed which states that ' each individual is expected
to perform exactly like the requirement or cause the requirement to be
officially changed to what we and the customer really need.'
2. Quality Improvement Team: representatives from each department or
function should be brought together to form a quality improvement team.
These should be people who have sufficient authority to commit the area
they represent to action.
3. Quality Measurement: the status of quality should be determined throughout
the company. This means establishing quality measures for each area of
activity that are recorded to show where improvement is possible, and where
corrective action is necessary. Crosby advocates delegation of this task to
the people who actually do the job, so setting the stage for defect prevention
on the job, where it really counts.
4. Cost of Quality Evaluation: the cost of quality is not an absolute
performance measurement, but an indication of where the action necessary
to correct a defect will result in greater profitability.
5. Quality Awareness: this involves, through training and the provision of
visible evidence of the concern for quality improvement, making employees
aware of the cost to the company of defects. Crosby stresses that this sharing
process is a - or even - the - key step in his view of quality.
6. Corrective Action: discussion about problems will bring solutions to light
and also raise other elements for improvement. People need to see that
problems are being resolved on a regular basis. Corrective action should
then become a habit.

7. Establish an Ad-hoc Committee for the Zero Defects Programme: Zero

Defects is not a motivation programme - its purpose is to communicate and
instil the notion that everyone should do things right first time.
8. Supervisor Training: all managers should undergo formal training on the 14
steps before they are implemented. A manager should understand each of the
14 steps well enough to be able to explain them to his or her people.
9. Zero Defects Day: it is important that the commitment to Zero Defects as the
performance standard of the company makes an impact, and that everyone
gets the same message in the same way. Zero Defects Day, when supervisors
explain the programme to their people, should make a lasting impression as
a 'new attitude' day.
10.Goal Setting: each supervisor gets his or her people to establish specific,
measurable goals to strive for. Usually, these comprise 30-, 60-, and 90-day
goals.
11.Error Cause Removal: employees are asked to describe, on a simple, onepage form, any problems that prevent them from carrying out error-free
work. Problems should be acknowledged within twenty-four hours by the
function or unit to which the problem is addressed. This constitutes a key
step in building up trust, as people will begin to grow more confident that
their problems will be addressed and dealt with.
12.Recognition: it is important to recognise those who meet their goals or
perform outstanding acts with a prize or award, although this should not be
in financial form. The act of recognition is what is important.
13.Quality Councils: the quality professionals and team-leaders should meet
regularly to discuss improvements and upgrades to the quality programme.

14.Do It Over Again: during the course of a typical programme, lasting from 12
to18 months, turnover and change will dissipate much of the educational
process.
It is important to set up a new team of representatives and begin the programme
over again, starting with Zero Defects day. This 'starting over again' helps quality
to become ingrained in the organisation.