5 Material Handling Safety Tips To Reduce Worker’s Compensation Claims

In certain types of business, one of the biggest concerns is workplace safety, and rightfully so. Material handling is one area that poses a considerable risk to employee safety. That is why OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has put forth important material handling safety guidelines for business owners like you. These material handling safety regulations will help you protect your employees and your business from potential harm. Use the workplace safety tips below to ensure your business meets these regulatory expectations.

Be Reasonable

When creating job duties or scheduling employees, be reasonable with your expectations for employees. Employees are human beings, after all. Keep this in mind when developing roles and delegating tasks for your business. Try to avoid repetitive heavy lifting, reaching and carrying of heavy materials. Being reasonable with your job expectations will help you ensure your business meets material handling best practices and can avoid ever needing to call emergency services to respond to an injured employee.

Provide Assistance

For those jobs that do require extensive pushing or pulling, be sure to provide mechanical assistance to employees. This will eliminate the likelihood of employee injury. Conveyors are extremely helpful in this area. So too are slides or chutes. Consider the mechanical solutions that can help ease the physical demands of job duties at your business. This is one of the best ways to ensure material handling safety for your employees.

Let Employees Ask For Help

You, the business owner, should emphasize the importance of employees asking for help when they need it. Likewise, you should stress the importance of other employees providing that assistance, even if they are busy. If workers have any trouble lifting or carrying materials, they need to ask for help. This is even true for lighter loads. If the employee struggles to carry an awkward load, they need to ask for help. Asking for assistance will help avoid unnecessary strains and injuries. It will also help you avoid costly drops and spills. This is one of the simplest material handling safety tips out there, but for some reason it is the one employees struggle with the most. A security camera could help you make sure they follow this when handling materials during the day.

Make Planing Part Of The Process

Make sure employees understand that planing is a necessary part of process of carrying and lifting materials. Before lifting materials, they should plan out how they will hold the item. They should also make sure the path they plan to carry materials through is totally free and clear of obstacles and potential hazards. This will help prevent needless injuries and ensure that workplace materials are properly held and transported.

Train Your Employees

Provide material handling training for employees. There are many lifting strategies that help lower the instances of injury or strain. Power lifting and power carrying requires special body positioning to avoid injuries. If training all employees is impractical, train designated employees in proper loading and unloading techniques. Then, pay for a forklift certification for another set of workers. Training your employees in these material handling procedures for safety will make your business safer and lower worker’s compensation claims for years to come.

Business owners have a lot to worry about. But, workplace and employee safety is one of the most important areas of business operations. That is why ensuring proper material handling procedures are in place at your organization is so crucial. Follow the material handling safety tips above to hep you make your workplace safer. Your business is sure to benefit in numerous, unexpected ways.

Photo from http://www.span-group.com/index.php/solutions/material-handling-solutions/

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