Department of Labor and Employment

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER

MATERIALS HANDLING
and STORAGE

BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING

SAFETY CONTROL DIVISION
Objectives:
This module will help you:

 Demonstrate safe method of manual

lifting and handling of materials
 Discuss the different types of mechanical
handling equipment
 Enumerates best practices for material
storage

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MATERIALS HANDLING
SAFETY

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 MATERIALS HANDLING

A technique which
includes the art of
lifting, placing, storing
or moving of materials
through the use of
appropriate handling
equipment and men.

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Take note!

Lifting and moving things at work is

something you probably do every day…

…unfortunately, it’s also an everyday cause

of disabling injuries and even deaths!

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Materials Handling Accidents

National Safety Council (NSC) shows

that improper materials handling
accounts for 20% - 25% of all
occupational injuries.

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Hazards Associated with
Materials Handling
• Failure of the lifting equipment
• Falling load
• Collisions
• Entrapment between materials
and/or equipment

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Materials Handling Injuries

Manual materials handling is riskier than

one might think. It could lead to:
 strains,
 sprains,
 wounds,
 fractures, and
 hernias.

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 CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIALS
HANDLING OPERATION
Manual Handling
• is the of lifting, transporting and packaging of
products using own physical strength.
• Hand operated handling, transporting and
packaging of products.

Mechanical Handling
• pertains to more rigid, powered and non-powered
mechanics mainly for handling bulky and heavy
items

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 MANUAL HANDLING –
MISTAKES THAT CAUSE INJURIES
• Bending Back
• Twisting with load
• Attempting to much weight
(load too heavy)
• Reaching too far
• Failure to use personal
PPE, such as gloves, safety
shoes

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Proper Procedure of Manual Lifting

 Stand close to the load and face the way you

intend to move
 Keep feet apart
 Be sure you have a good grip on the load
 Look forward to keep back straight
 Keep arms straight
 Tighten abdominal muscles
 Tuck chin into the chest

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 HUMAN BODY ANATOMY

Meet you body

Your Back WEAK

Protect it

Your Legs STRONG

Use their power to lift

correctly…. And safely

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LIFTING COMPARISON

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Protective Clothing Needed in
Manual Materials Handling

DO WEAR
 lightweight, flexible, tear and puncture-
resistant clothing,
 safety boots with toe caps and slip-resistant
soles, and
 protective gloves, appropriate for the
materials being handled.

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 Reminders for A Safe Manual Handling

1. Inspect materials for sharp edges, burrs, rough or

slippery surfaces.
2. Get a firm grip on the object.
3. Keep fingers away from pinch points, especially
when setting down materials.
4. Wipe off greasy, wet, slippery, or dirty objects
before trying to handle them.
5. Never attempt to lift that are either too heavy or
bulky to handle safely.

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Seek help -

• When a load is too bulky to

properly grasp or lift
• When you can’t see around or
over the load
• When you can’t safely handle
the load

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Mechanical Materials Handling

As the name suggests, this pertains

to use of rigid, manually or
mechanically-powered equipment
mainly for handling bulky and heavy
items.

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 MECHANICAL HANDLING
Non‐Power Driven
• Wheeler/hand truck
• Wheelbarrow
• Cart
• Drum tilter
• Trolley
• Hand pallet (pallet jack)
• Lever hoist
• Chain hoist

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Manually Powered Materials
Handling Equipment

 to reduce physical effort making the

handling of materials easier and safer
 to provide easy access
 to protect the operator
 to prevent any damage to the
material.

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 POWER‐DRIVEN LIFTING EQUIPMENT TYPES

• Elevators and Dumbwaiters

• Electric Hoist
• Cranes
– Stationary
• Tower Cranes,
• Overhead Traveling Cranes
• Gantry Cranes
– Mobile
• Wheel Type
• Crawler Type

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POWER‐DRIVEN TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT TYPES

• Forklift
• Tractor
• Dump Truck
• Conveyor
• Motorized Pallet Jacks

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Safety Precautions in Crane Operation
• Do not carry or use crane beyond the rated
load
• Never move load over people.
• Never allow personnel to ride on a load.
• Center the crane over the load before
starting to hoist.
• Lift, move & lower loads smoothly.

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Safety Precautions in Crane Operation

• Hoists and Cranes should be inspected

before use, every time.
• Never stand under a suspended load.

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23
OCCUPATIONAL
Industrial Safety Lecture Four SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER 3/4/2016
Safe Working Load shall be plainly
marked on every Lifting Appliance.

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 Industrial Truck Safety
Popular Misconceptions

• “Anyone can drive a lift truck.”

• “They handle just like a car.”
• “They are easier to drive than a car.”
• “You don’t need any training to safely drive a
fork lift.”

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OCCUPATIONAL
Industrial Safety Lecture Four SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER 3/4/2016
 Industrial Truck Safety Facts

• The center of gravity of a lift truck changes.

• Most trucks are “rear steer.”
• Most trucks have no suspension system.
• It is NOT safe to alter the lift truck’s
counterweight!

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 The Center of gravity of a forklift-load
combination can move outside the
stability triangle if the the load is picked
up on the tips of the forks or the load is
tilted forward.

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 Industrial Truck Safety
 Only employees who have been tested and certified should be
permitted to operate.
 Traffic rules must be observed.
 Forklift should be operated with forks or pallet about 100 mm off
the floor.
 On down grades a loaded truck should proceed with the load last,
and on upward grades, with the load first.
 The truck must be so controlled that an emergency stop can be
made within the clear distance ahead.
 The operator’s legs and feet must be kept inside the guard or
operating station of the truck at all times.

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 Conveyors Safety Facts
• To prevent the possibility of an injury, pull cord
designed to stop the conveyor must be
installed at the employee's work station.
• Most injuries for people working on conveyors
involve fingers, hands, and arms.
• Accidents can be prevented if workers are
careful to turn off the power and lock it out if
servicing or maintenance is conducted.

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 MECHANICAL HANDLING GENERAL
REQUIREMENTS
• Operators must be under skills
training and must be authorized.

• Equipment must be regularly

inspected and maintained.

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 MATERIALS STORAGE

Materials should be stored neatly

and orderly. A variety of ways and
means could easily be adopted and
maintained.

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PRINCIPLES OF MATERIAL STORAGE

SAFETY ACCESSIBILITY

ORDERLINESS

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MATERIALS STORAGE ROOM
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
• Storage areas should have at least two exits.
• Should be properly illuminated and ventilated.
• Materials are properly identified and labeled (including
hazard labels).
• Restricted Access

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 MATERIALS STORAGE GENERAL
REQUIREMENTS
• Must have a smooth flow of materials, material
handling equipment and people.
• Storage areas must be kept free from accumulated
materials that may cause tripping, fires, or explosions,
or that may contribute to the harboring of rats and
other pests).
• When stacking and piling materials, it is important to
be aware of such factors as the materials' height and
weight, how accessible the stored materials are to the
user, and the condition of the containers where the
materials are being stored.
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 MATERIALS STORAGE GENERAL
REQUIREMENTS
• Stored materials must not create a
hazard.
• Should have proper danger or warning
signs.
• Materials & material handling
equipments should not obstruct
emergency equipment such as fire
alarm buttons, evacuation map, first
aid kits, fire extinguishers (portable or
fixed) etc.
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 SAFE PRACTICES: STORAGE RACKS

• Storage racks should have

adequate bracing and support.
• Storage racks should have
markings indicating its capacity.
• Storage racks should be bolted
to the ground.

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 Tips on MATERIAL STORAGE

Use mobile storage

Two-Sided
Movable Rack
Rack on Wheels

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 When Storing Materials
• Place large, heavy packages on the bottom and
lighter ones on top.
• Never place materials where they can be tripped
over or where someone could get hurt attempting
to retrieve them.
• When materials are moved to where you are
working, they should be secured so they can’t fall
on anyone.
• Never block a traffic path or prop materials up
against a wall where they might slide over and
cause an accident.

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OCCUPATIONAL
Industrial Safety Lecture Four SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER 3/4/2016
SUMMARY:
Five basic rules for safe storage:
– Keep total weight within the safe loading limits of
the building’s floors.
– Keep passageways clear.
– Control materials so they do not slide, fall, or
collapse.
– Provide cribbing for heavy loads on unstable
surfaces.
– Store materials away from traffic.
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SUMMARY:
Safe Handling Procedure

− Be alert for hazards.

− Follow company safety regulations.
− Take your time and don't take chances.
− Use proper lifting techniques.
− Get help or mechanical assistance.
− Wear protective gear.
− Keep an eye on what others are doing.
− Let other workers know what you're doing

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 Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER

BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING

SAFETY CONTROL DIVISION