FEATURE WORKPLACE SAFETY
GO LEAN FOR IMPROVED safety and productivity
The risk of industrial injuries can be reduced in manufacturing, warehousing or retailing applications by simplifying the processes involved. This can be achieved by optimising workstations and handling equipment for ergonomic work using modular component systems. At the same time, it is often possible to remove complexity and improve productivity to generate a return on investment
fficial statistics published annually by the HSE show that one of the biggest causes for work absences is due to manual handling related accidents and injuries. Despite progress over the past decade these types of accident still lead to 28% of ‘over seven day’ injuries each year (based on figures to 2015, the last available data). Bearing in mind that these are the accidents and injuries that are reportable by law the number of less serious – but equally disruptive to the individual or employer – injuries is likely to the much higher. Malpractice and lifting items that are heavier than the limits recommended by the HSE are the cause of some of the most serious injuries. However, many injuries result from the repetitive handling of relatively small items. Generally categorised as ‘musculoskeletal’ disorders (MSDs) these include repetitive strain injury, muscle sprain, back pain, and problems with upper and lower
O Safe lifting advice...
Whenever manually lifting, make sure you can do so without exceeding your physical capabilities. For guidance, women should carry a maximum of 16kg, and men 25kg, both at knuckle height. The load itself should not be too heavy, or a bulky shape that is difficult to hold or which obscures your vision. It should also not contain something that is likely to shift while being carried. Make sure the way ahead is clear, even and well-lit. Stand with feet
shoulder-width apart, with the heaviest part of the load the closest towards you. Slightly bend your knees, hips and back to crouch down to the object. Keeping the load close to your body, grip the object – making sure it’s not just on the fingers – and straighten up to standing, elbows close to your sides. Hold the load at waist height and smoothly walk to your destination. When lowering the load to the destination, make sure your back is straight, and place the object in its desired position. For warehouse work transporting palleted goods on pallet trucks is common.
As good practice, first check the pallet truck for damage, ensuring that the hydraulic pump is working, and the wheels are in good condition. Put the truck in a neutral position when approaching the load, and face the forks towards the gaps in the pallet. Before moving the pallet, check that it isn’t damaged, and that the load is securely fixed to it. Grip the handle and slide the forks into place underneath the pallet, and pump the leaver downwards, moving the
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handle backwards and forwards to lift the load. With the goods loaded, take a route that is clear of overhead and side restrictions. Neutralise the lever and pull slowly while facing the direction you’re going. When setting the load down, lower the pallet load by pushing the lever upwards, and put into a neutral position before removing the forks. Mechanical handling equipment such as powered stackers, which do the lifting of the pallets for you, come with their own list of lifting and Health and Safety regulations, which should be observed at all times. When using powered stackers, it is essential not to start work on slopes or soft ground. Ensure that the truck has the correct capacity before proceeding. The load itself should be evenly distributed on the pallet, and secure, to remove the risk of toppling. Approach the load as you would with a pallet truck, balancing the weight on the centre, across the two forks. Most stacker lifting mechanisms are controlled by a single lever, which dictates the upwards and downwards movement. Raise the forks so the pallet clears the floor, and guide the stacker to your destination, keeping hands and feet clear from the equipment and load at all times. Travel slowly, without a quick change of direction. To set it down, raise the forks until they are 25mm above the surface you are placing it on, and move forward until the pallet can be gently lowered in place.
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limbs. HSE figures suggest the total number of MSDs in 2014/15 was 553,000 out of a total 1,243,000 for all work- related illnesses with 169,000 new cases reported during the year. These resulted in 9.5 million working days lost at an average of 17 days per case. To alleviate the risks associated with
manual handling the HSE recommends eliminating the task altogether wherever possible. In many instances this is not practical because handling or manipulating items is inherent to the process whether this is item assembly, order picking or sales fulfilment. Instead the next best option is to simplify the process and eliminate the unnecessary movements, over-stretching and unnatural postures that raise the risk of injuries. This is generally the field of ergonomics and it is an area where best practice and lean processes converge. Removing waste and improving processes is fundamental to lean
concepts including Six Sigma and 5S. In any environment that involves frequent lifting and handling basic improvements can be made by positioning items in convenient positions where they can be reached easily and without the need to stoop, bend or stretch. In practice it is not too difficult to design a production cell, workstation or picking face to meet these objectives but building the installation can be slightly more problematic. A lean approach requires adaptability so that structures can be modified when the process or handling requirement changes to maintain ergonomic and operational efficiency. Standard equipment rarely provides a total solution and bespoke fabricated structures can be expensive and inflexible. Many manufacturers, warehouse operators and retailers have realised that modular handling and storage systems, such as Graphit from the Tube & Bracket
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