HEALTH SAFETY IN THE WAREHOUSE Objectives Identify warehouse

HEALTH & SAFETY IN THE WAREHOUSE Objectives • Identify warehouse hazards • Prevent back injuries • Work safely with material-handling equipment • Protect against accidents on the loading dock • Stack materials safely • Prevent slips, trips, and falls

Warehouse Safety Top 10 Warehouse Citations § § § § § Forklifts Hazard communication Electrical, wiring methods Electrical, system design Guarding floor & wall openings and holes Exits Mechanical power transmission Respiratory protection Lockout/tagout Portable fire extinguishers You have the right to a safe workplace!

Forklifts • Train, evaluate and certify all operators to ensure that they can operate forklifts safely, follow safe procedures for picking up, putting down and stacking loads. • Drive safely and never exceeding 5 mph and slow down in congested areas. • Maintain sufficiently safe clearances for aisles and at loading docks or passages where forklifts are used. • Train employees on the hazards associated with the combustion byproducts of forklift operation, such as carbon monoxide.

Hazard Communication • Employees should be trained on the risks of each chemical being stored • Provide spill cleanup kits in any area where chemicals are stored. • Have a written spill control plan. • Train employees to clean up spills, protect themselves and properly dispose of used materials. • Provide proper personal protective equipment and enforce its use. • Store all chemicals safely and securely.

Electrical safety The first step towards electrical safety is controlling or eliminating factors in your warehouse that pose electrical hazards. Ground fault electrical shock is a common electrical hazard. Employers provide ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for receptacle outlets. Warehouses should provide assured equipment grounding conductor program. Either of these methods can eliminate hazards in ground fault electric shock. .

Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes The easiest way to avoid falls in the warehouse is by eliminating and controlling fall hazards. This can be achieved by the use of fall protection equipment or devices. There are basically two types of fall protection. With a combination of both, you can ensure a safer environment for employees who are exposed to fall hazards. One type of fall protection is the fall restraint; these systems consist of equipment that prevent a free fall, for example guardrails/standard railings, full body harness, and warning lines. The other type is the fall arrest, these systems help by stopping a fall in progress or saving an employee in the middle of a fall, for example the use of safety nets.

Respiratory protection Many accidents occur each year and most of the time it is because of the absence or lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). Employers must provide their employees with proper PPE. Many accidents occur not because of absence or lack of PPE but because employees do not to wear it. This is particularly true of respiratory protection. Respiratory protection is designed to protect the wearer from dust, fumes, paint spray, pesticides and other substances that could bring about long-term or permanent impairment or even death. As with other types of PPE, safety programs provided to warehouse employees must specify the proper ways to clean, maintain and repair respirators.

Lockout/Tagout In the warehouse there is often defective or damaged equipment. It is important that these items are tagged with an “Out of Service” until it gets replaced or repaired. This will keep employees away from items that may cause serious injury or illness. Tag is “a device usually made of card, pasteboard, plastic or other material used to identify a hazardous condition”.

Emergency Equipment – Sprinklers – Fire extinguishers – Evacuation routes – Electrical panels – First-aid supplies – Alarms and phones © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Safety guidelines compliance Warehouses range from product distribution centres to popular retailers that sell oversize and bulk products. Whether it is an industrial, commercial or retail facility, warehouse workers should follow safety guidelines for loading docks, conveyor systems, forklifts and pallet jacks, material storage and handling, and good housekeeping.

Health and Safety Hazards: • Cause physical injuries and accidents • Cause immediate harm • Examples: broken bones, cuts, bruises, sprains or electrocutions Health Hazards: • Cause internal injuries like diseases or illnesses • Cause long-term harm, may take years to develop • Examples: Cancer, heart disease, loss of hearing or reproductive problems

Reducing Hazards • Employers must keep the workplace safe for workers. • There are different ways they can do this. • Some ways work better than other ways.

Employers MUST: • Inform employees about hazards through training, labels, alarms, color-coded systems, chemical information sheets and other methods. • Keep accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses. • Perform tests in the workplace, such as air sampling. • Provide hearing exams or other medical tests. • Post citations, injury and illness data, and the poster in the workplace where workers will see them. • Notify of a workplace incident in which there is a death or when three or more workers go to a hospital. • Not discriminate or retaliate against a worker for using their rights under the law.

Risk Mapping of a Warehouse Store • Risk mapping is a method that employees use to identify hazards by drawing a layout of the workplace. • Label the various hazards that you see in the warehouse. – Physical/Safety Hazard – Biological/Chemical Hazard – Other Hazards

How to Reduce Hazards Handout More Effective (best) ***** *** Elimination Substitution Engineering of Hazard Least Effective (worst) ** Labor Practices/ Administrative Controls (Training & Procedures) * Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Controls Substitution Elimination • The best way to control a hazard is to eliminate it entirely. It is best to do this as early as possible. • Example: use an electric forklift truck rather than a gas operated forklift truck to eliminate carbon monoxide in a warehouse • When a hazard cannot be eliminated completely, the second best alternative is substituting the dangerous condition. • The idea is to substitute chemicals, equipment, or hazardous materials with ones that are less hazardous. • Example: using paint that does not contain lead-based pigments

More Controls, but not as effective Engineering Controls • Engineering controls is another way that technology can be used to change the work environment, a machine, or some equipment in order to reduce the hazard. • Examples: machine guards, backup alarms, guardrails, covers, slip resistant surfaces, and using machine to move heavy objects instead of carrying them. Administrative Controls or Changing Labor Practices • Means changing the way and the structure of how work is done. • Example: instead of one employee exposed to a particular hazard for eight hours a day, the employer could assign four workers to work for two hours each; this could be used for repetitive tasks or for any exposure to a chemical hazard.

Least Effective Control: PPE Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): • This is equipment or clothing to protect the worker, such as respirators, eye goggles, gloves, knee pads, hard hats, steel toed shoes, harnesses.

Personal Protective Equipment – Hard hat – Eye protection – Hearing protection – Dusk mask – Work gloves – Safety shoes – Cold weather gear

Back Safety – Lifting – Reaching – Standing – Pushing/pulling – Bending – Carrying © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Safe Lifting Technique • • • 1. Stand close to the load 2. Squat down next to the load 3. Pull the load close 4. Tighten your stomach muscles 5. Raise with back straight

Forklift Safety: Pedestrian Traffic – Look – Listen – Be visible – Keep your distance – No rides – Use PPE – No horseplay

Forklift Safety: Operation – Check weight and stability – Inspect – Follow traffic rules © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Manual Pallet Jacks – Inspect pallets – Stabilize load – Watch your back – Keep load under control – No horseplay! © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Hand Trucks – Choose the right hand truck – Stack so you can see over the load – Secure

Safe Hand Truck Operation – Keep a good grip – Watch fingers – Push, don’t pull – Lift safely – Maintain proper control

Loading Dock Safety – Lifting – Congestion – Trailers – Dock doors – Jumping – Early departure © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Safe Operation of Forklifts On Loading Dock – Wheels chocked – Nose supported – Floor safe – Dock plate secure – Away from edges © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Stable Pallet Loads – Stabilize – Keep low to the ground – Take damaged pallets out of service – Do not use as scaffolding

Safe Stacking – Heavy items on bottom – Big loads under small loads – Even stacks – Nothing sticking out; clear aisles

Handling Drums Safely – Use the right lifting tool – Forklift attachments are available – Pallets may be used – Stack safely – Keep incompatibles apart

Slips and Trips – Wrapping – Straps – Cords/hoses – Boxes/pallets – Spills

Falls from Elevation – Ladders – Stairs – Shelves/racks /stacks – Manlifts

Housekeeping • Good housekeeping is good for safety. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 1012

Legislative Decree 81/2008 It is a law that regulates people's health and safety at the workplace. It includes the Decrees 626/94 and 494/96. The above mentioned decree introduced: - the identification of the factors and sources of risk; - the obligation for companies to draw up documents on security (POS, PSC. . . ); - control of companies who do not respect safety parameters; - other important innovations for workers’ health.

WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT ARTICLES OF THIS LAW? ART. 2 RECOGNISES AND GUARANTEES THE INVIOLABLE RIGHTS OF THE PERSON; ART. 32 SAFEGUARDS HEALTH AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT ART. 35 THE REPUBLIC PROTECTS WORK IN ALL ITS FORMS AND PRACTICES.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ITALY WAS GOVERNED BY EUROPEAN DECREES 626/94 AND 494/96. IN 2008 THESE LAWS WERE INCORPORATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE DECREE 81/08. IT IS DIVIDED INTO 13 TITLES. DECREE 106/09 WAS ISSUED IN 2009. IT WAS AN ADDITION TO THE DLgs 81/08 AND IT INTRODUCED THE PENALTY POINTS BUT IT HAS NOT STILL BEEN APPLIED.

WHAT ARE THE EU MAIN CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED BY THE STRATEGIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH FRAMEWORK 2014 -2020? • IMPROVING THE EXISTING LEGISLATIONS • IMPROVING THE PREVENTION OF WORK-RELATED DISEASES • TACKLING DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE AS THE WORKING POPULATION AGED BETWEEN 55 AND 64 IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE

WHAT ARE THE 2014 – 2020 PROPOSED ACTIONS? • FURTHER CONSOLIDATION OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES • SUPPORT FOR MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES. • SIMPLIFICATION OF EXISTING LEGISLATION • ADDRESSING OF THE AGEING OF THE WORKFORCE • IMPROVEMENT OF STATISTICAL DATA COLLECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFORMATION BASE. • BETTER COORDINATION AMONG EU MEMBER STATES • INCREASE OF INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

HAVE YOU GOT ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BRITISH REGULATIONS REFERRING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK? HEALTH AND SAFETY IN GREAT BRITAIN IS GOVERNED BY ACT 1974. BEGINNING FROM THIS LAW HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) AND LOCAL AUTORITHIES ISSUED NUMBERS OF OTHER ACTS AND STATUTORIES. THESE COVER A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS.

WHAT ARE HEALTH AND SAFETY EMPLOYERS’ TASKS? • TO DECIDE WHO WILL HELP THEM WITH THEIR DUTIES • TO WRITE A HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY • TO CONTROL THE RISKS AT HIS WORKPLACE • TO CONSULT HIS EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDE THEM TRAINING AND INFORMATION • TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT FACILITIES • TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR FIRST AID, ACCIDENTS AND ILLNESSES • TO DISPLAY HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW NOTICE

HAVE YOU ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE WORKERS? YES, WITH PLEASURE I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I THINK! ACCORDING TO ME THEY CAN: • FOLLOW THE TRAINING RECEIVED • TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND OF OTHER PEOPLE’S HEALTH AND SAFETY • CO-OPERATE WITH THEIR EMPLOYER • REPORT TO THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES IF THEY THINK THEIR WORK ACTIVITIES ARE PUTTING ANYONE’S HEALTH AND SAFETY AT SERIOUS RISK.

Key Points to Remember! • You need to be aware of the hazards in warehouses. • Always practice safe lifting. • Use material-handling equipment safely, and watch out forklifts. • Stack and store materials properly. • Practice good housekeeping, and wear required PPE.

Any Questions?