How can you improve warehouse safety with lifting devices?

I feel that anyone in a warehouse setting using any lifting equipment should attend and be certified through an OSHA training facility. But more important, the Safety professional responsible for that employee should attend and make sure the course outline covers the correct training curriculum before sending employees. It is also a good idea to have the Safety professional go through a train the trainer course for yearly refresher training or if there was an event that requires re-training.

One thing that is important is the employee’s health,and level of fitness. Stretching daily,and exercise are components of correct lifting techniques,along with a back belt for repetitive lifting, I can lift 40-50 pounds regularly, not every one can say as such . Habitual lifting of heavy items can pose risks ,that’s why you need tools ,for the job ,and when needed team lifts .

Safety should always be at the forefront of your mind day in and day out. I have seen people in situations using a over head crane not paying attention or trying to rush the job and it does not end well. All training should be certified and tested annually.

I think maintaining the parameters between each materials stocks in warehouses is very important, for example, if the forklift driver doesn’t respect the gaps, they can easily damage the material in the warehouse.

Safe work practices include planning and preparing the lift, checking the load and the device before the lift, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, communicating and coordinating with other workers, following the traffic rules and signs in the warehouse, avoiding distractions and hazards, and securing and storing the load and the device after the lift. Following safe work practices can help you reduce the risk of human error, collision, or injury.

I wold suggest to first train everyone in the work place , MHE operator or not in basic safety knowledge and policy involving MHE. Having everyone aware of the potential risks, hazard and dangers is a must for a safe working environment. Also invest in visual aids, safety signs, training materials and a designated MHE training aria for new trainings, coaching, job related or periodic refresh training.

Remember, training is cheaper than a Work Comp claim. Every year one of the largest expense for a company is in emergency medical and Workmans Comp claims. A lot of that expense can be mitigated by not only proper training but making sure the proper team members are trained.

OSHA and other Safety counsels and rules are in place to make sure that the individuals are trained to operate P.I.T.s. I stress all the time to people that are using lifting PITs that there is always a safe lifting chart on the device and that they should be followed to a tee. Lifting safely prevents issues from happening that could cause a injury or possible death.

Specifically when using a forklift, always remember the "Triangle of Stability", consider your load size and the counterbalance of the backend of the lift to determine whether you have an oversized load on the forks or whether it's within weight specification before attempting to move it.

One of the biggest factors in integrating safety is communication. Maintaining a clear line of communication allows for the work force to maintain an understanding and synchronization, which in turn increases situational awareness leading to increased performance in production and safety management.

I believe that anyone useing lifting equipment should be fully trained in what equipment they are using. It is important that refresher courses are put in place because we all know how easy it is to fall in to bad habits and that's when accidents happen.So we all need that refresher course to keep us on our toes. At the end of the day we all want to go home to our families.

Also make sure the management staff is trained as to sending the operators for training and the operators knows more then management makes management looks incompetent when the workers request or refuse to do something due to safety procedures, please don't allow things like this to happen at your warehouses where work gets put on hold due to safety officer not being around. Let them be on the same level or higher