Health and safety in the workplace is one of the most important factors for any business owner or employee to take on. Not only must the working conditions provided be safe they must also provide employees with the necessary training to carry out tasks safely, employees must also take it upon themselves to ensure that they are using equipment in the way that they have been shown. This article will tell you some of the key points when it comes to pallet mover safety in the workplace.
The Importance of Safety
Health and safety are both extremely important in the workplace, so much so that if an employee where to get injured at work due to a neglected health and safety system, then the company could be held responsible and could even get taken to court. There are many laws out there to help protect employees in the workplace.
How to Plan for Safety When Using a Pallet Mover
It’s always important to plan for safety and whilst not all workplace injuries can be predicted, it is essential to make sure that any obvious violation of health and safety are dealt with.
Inspect Pallet Mover Before Every Use
- Visually inspect the pallet mover to check for anything that may be out of the ordinary/any noticeable damage.
- Look over the controls and ensure you know what they all mean – some pallet movers can be different than others.
- Look over the wheels to ensure that none are worn out or damaged. Damaged wheels can make a pallet mover harder to control and puts it at risk of becoming unstable.
Plan Your Journey
- Always ensure that the path you need to take is clear and watch out for any obstructions or uneven surfaces before beginning your journey.
- If the load you are carrying is large and obstructing your view, then ask a co-worker to guide you.
- Stick to the correct sides of the warehouse, many will have a system put in place to
Tips for Safe Operation
- Avoid moving loads up or down ramps.
- Do not let anyone ride on the truck.
- Centre the forks under the load to maintain good balance.
- Don’t overload the truck.
- Ensure the load is stable.
- Use both forks when trying to lift a load.
- Pull instead of push for increased mobility.
- When moving loads make sure that the pallet mover is in the neutral position to make it easier for the operator.
- Park the pallet mover out of areas that are busy and have a lot of traffic, in a safe, level place with the forks lowered.
- Handle should be left in the upright position to help ensure that tipping hazards are minimal.
Maintenance
It is also essential to properly maintain your pallet stacker, ensure that it goes through its required maintenance checks and that any problems that may get flagged up are dealt with.
