It doesn’t matter what industry you belong to; when you are dealing with heavy loads, it is crucial for you to follow the right safety protocols for everyone’s safety. Material handling is something that a lot of factories and warehouses have to deal with on a daily basis and is a common part of a worker’s job. However, this simple task can become quite dangerous if you are not following safe material handling techniques. That is why it is vital for every company to provide their workers with guidelines and equipment that can help them move materials safely. In this article, I have mentioned a few material handling tips that can help you make your workplace safer; let’s have a look:
Design the Workplace Right
The workplace design plays an important role in material handling and can make your workers’ job easier if done right. That is why it is recommended that you design an ergonomic workplace to keep the risk to a minimum. The main ergonomic risk factors include forceful extensions, poor postures, and repetitive motions. Pushing and pulling materials or repeating the same motions repeatedly can cause injuries and long-term health damage among workers. You can improve the ergonomics of your workplace by focusing on a design that is best suitable for your industry and will make things convenient for your workers.
Invest in Conveyor Systems
Another great way of mitigating material handling risks is to invest in conveyor systems. If your warehouse or factory is moving a considerable amount of materials every day, then it is only wise to invest in conveyor systems. By installing conveyor systems at your workplace, you can streamline the process, making things easier for workers. You will also not need the same amount of man force once you have installed conveyor systems. Also, not only it helps you save resources, but it also saves you plenty of time by transporting goods from one place to another in a very small amount of time. If you want to boost your ROI by saving resources and time, you must consider investing in conveyor systems. You can check Mainway Handling to learn more about conveyor systems and how they can help with material handling.
Provide the Right Protective Gear
It is the responsibility of the management to provide their workers with the right protective gear. Accidents happen all the time, and not all of them can be avoided. Having the right protective gear can protect your workers from serious injuries. That is why it is strictly recommended that you provide all your staff with complete gear that can protect them in case of an accident. You should provide them with the following equipment:
- Eye protective gear, i.e., safety goggles
- Steel Toed Boots
- Forearm Pads and Knee Pads
- Thick Gloves for Finger protection
- Metatarsal guards for Foot safety
Make wearing protective gear mandatory for all the workers in the workplace. It is vital that you implement this rule strictly so that the workers won’t act irresponsibly.
Educate Your Workers about Body Mechanics
It is vital for your workers to understand body mechanics and avoid postures and movements that can cause them long term injuries. You must teach them about body mechanics to ensure that they are moving the right way and are at no risk of any serious injuries. You can do this by providing them booklets with instructions, and you can also arrange training seminars for them. You should also make every new worker go through a short training process to teach them how to do their job safely.
