Regardless of the type of industrial job or the ladder/lift being used, it is essential that employees be provided with safety tips. In fact, any employee that will use ladders and lifts for work should also understand current regulations. After all, not following safety rules and regulations not only puts the employee at risk for injury but it also puts the company at risk for fines from OSHA. The following information could be shared with employees at your company so productive goes up and injuries go down.
Lifts
We will first look at lifts for industrial purposes. This type of equipment is large, heavy, and potentially dangerous. Once employees operating lifts are properly trained, they should not fear the equipment but they should respect it. For many companies, lifts are essential to run business, allowing employees to reach places where ladders cannot go.
For starters, the person operating the lift should always do a pre-safety check before using a lift. This means looking for any broken or damaged parts, making sure the mechanisms have no signs of wear and tear, that the lift does not have areas that are cracked or rusted, and most importantly, all controls should be checked for proper operation.
Additionally, lifts always need to be parked on an even surface. That way, employees would have a flat and stable surface from which to work without worrying about slanting or even materials or supplies slipping. If the lift would be used outside, it would also be important that the ground be secure, especially if there is rain or snow on the ground.
Finally, anyone authorized and trained to run industrial lifts should understand what to do in an emergency. For instance, if the equipment were to malfunction or an employee was lifted high and something were to happen, the operator needs to have 100% confident in making the right decision.
Ladders
Just as it is important to understand safety for industrial lifts, the same applies to industrial ladders. Sadly, some 300 people in the US die each year from a ladder-related accident and another 130,000 people experience Product Competitors injury. Because of this, safety is always the number one focus. The most common hazards specific to ladders includes instability, electrical shock, and fall but with the right information, this can be avoided.
For one thing, employees need to be working on the right type of ladder for the job. If you have to invest in a new ladder, then this would be the right decision to avoid potential danger. For one thing, always use a fiberglass ladder if possible, especially around any electrical source since this is the only material that does not conduct electricity. Additionally, the ladder needs to be approved for weight capacity for the person but also equipment and supplies.
In addition to choosing the right industrial ladder, employees need to be taught to place the ladder correctly so they never have to overextend when reaching. The ladder should have rubber feet to avoid …
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