10-hour Construction Outreach

IDENTIFICATION
TOPIC TITLE: ___Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal________________________
MINIMUM TIME: ___30 minutes__________________________________________________

OBJECTIVES
Terminal Objective:
Given best practices and current OSHA and industry information regarding worksite illnesses,
injuries, and/or fatalities, the student will be able to recognize how to protect themselves from
hazards associated with material handling.
Enabling Objectives:
1. Identify types of material handling equipment.
2. Describe hazards associated with material handling activities (e.g., storage, use, and
disposal).
3. Identify methods to prevent hazards associated with material handling equipment.
4. Recognize employer requirements to protect workers from material handling hazards.

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INSTRUCTOR MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

 PowerPoint presentation: Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal
 Knowledge Check Answer Key: Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal
STUDENT MATERIALS

 Fact Sheet
 Knowledge Check: Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal

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TEACHING PROCEDURES ---Preparation, Presentation, Application, Evaluation

Anticipatory Set (Focus Attention/Gain Interest) Estimated Time: ?? hours

Key Points Methods

Handling and storing materials involves operations such as hoisting PPT slides #1 – #3
steel with a crane, driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks,

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manually carrying bags, and stacking drums, lumber or loose bricks.

Improper handling and storing of materials can cause costly injuries.

Workers frequently cite the weight and bulkiness of objects being

lifted as causes of their injuries. Bending, twisting and turning are
movements that cause back injuries. Back injuries account for over
20 percent of all occupational illnesses. The majority of over-exertion
cases with lost-workdays are due to lifting, pushing/pulling, and
carrying. Those cases represent 27 percent of all lost-workday cases.

Presentation (Instruction)______________________ Estimated Time: ?? hours

Key Points Methods

I. Types of Materials Handling Equipment PPT slides #4 – #5

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A. Conveyors

B. Cranes

C. Slings

D. Powered Industrial Trucks

II. Hazards Associated with Materials Handling Activities

PPT slides #6 – #14
A. Factors cited by workers as contributors to injuries
1. Major contributors – weight and bulkiness of objects
2. Other common contributors – bending, twisting, and
turning movements.

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B. Hazards
1. Improper operation of equipment, such as forklifts,
cranes, and work trucks
2. Accumulated materials or clutter that present
tripping hazards, fire/explosion hazards, or hazards
associated with the harboring of rats and other pests
3. Unsafe conditions of materials or containers, such as
protruding nails, dry rot, or deteriorated containers
4. Flammability or toxicity of some materials
5. Weight of materials in excess of capabilities of lifting
equipment, floors, or storage shelves
6. Improperly cutting of binding ties or other devices
that secure bundles or bound materials

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7. Falling objects from improper handling or storage

8. Lifting, pushing, pulling, or otherwise manually
moving large, heavy items
9. Improperly stacked materials that have a potential to
slide, fall, or collapse leading to struck-by or
crushed-by incidents
10. Struck-by or caught-in/-between hazards related to
equipment, machinery, or falling loads

C. Injuries associated with materials handling

3. Commonly reported injuries
a. Sprains, strains, tears
b. Soreness and pain
c. Bruises and contusions
d. Cuts, lacerations, and punctures
4. Events or exposures leading to injuries include, but

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are not limited to:

a. Contact with objects and equipment
b. Overexertion
c. Falls, slips, trips, or loss of balance
d. Transportation incidents
e. Exposure to harmful substances or
environments
f. Repetitive motion

PPT slides #15 – #34

III. Preventing Hazards Associated with Material Handling
Equipment

A. Cranes
1. Handling and storing materials often involves
operations such as hoisting tons of material, steel,

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and concrete with cranes. Only thoroughly trained

and competent workers are permitted to operate
cranes.
2. Use the following methods to eliminate or reduce
hazards of crane operations:
a. Operators should know how much they are lifting,
how much it weighs, the rated capacity of the
crane, and when a load is safe to lift.
b. Always check for crane load chart and do not
exceed load limits for the operating conditions.
c. A qualified person must inspect equipment that
has been modified, repaired, or adjusted and must
inspect equipment post-assembly and at least
every 12 months; equipment not in regular use
must be inspected if idle for 3 months or more.
d. A competent person must begin visual inspection

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of equipment prior to each shift that must be

completed before or during the shift. A monthly
inspection must also be completed before
equipment can be used.

B. Slings
1. A sling commonly connects a crane hook to a load
and is an important rigging tool.
2. To eliminate or reduce hazards, slings need to be:
a. Inspected every day before they are used and
whenever service conditions change that could
warrant another inspection;
b. Removed from service if they are found damaged
or defective in any way; and,
c. Lubricated in the field to lengthen its useful
service.

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d. Selected for use based on the requirements of the

job. Wire rope slings are used to hoist materials.
Alloy steel chain slings are the best choice for
hoisting very hot materials.
e. Do not shorten slings with knots or bolts or other
makeshift devices and do not kink sling legs.

C. Forklifts
1. The four main causes of injuries involving forklifts
include:
a. Forklift overturns
b. Forklift striking workers on foot
c. Persons crushed by forklifts

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d. Persons falling from forklifts

2. It is illegal for anyone to operate a forklift if they are
under 18 years of age or over 18 years of age and
not properly trained and certified to do so.
3. Use best practices for forklift operations, including:
a. Driving the forklift
i. Slow down and sound the horn at locations
where vision is obstructed.
ii. Look toward the travel path and keep a clear
view of it.
iii. Don’t drive up to anyone standing in front of a
bench or other fixed object.
iv. Don’t drive with the work platform elevated.
v. Use seatbelts with ROPS.
vi. Don’t raise or lower the forks while the forklift

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is moving.
vii. Maintain safe distance approximately three
truck lengths from the truck ahead.
b. Elevating workers
i. Don’t use a forklift to elevate workers who are
standing on the forks.
ii. Only lift personnel with approved lift platform.
iii. Elevate a worker on an approved lift platform
only when the vehicle is directly below the
work area.

iv. Whenever a truck is used to elevate

personnel, secure the elevating platform to
the lifting carriage or forks of the forklift.
v. Use a restraining means, such as rails, chains,

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or a body belt with a lanyard for the worker(s)

on the platform.
c. Driving on grades/ramps
i. Use extreme caution when driving on grades
or ramps.
ii. Do not turn on grades or ramps.
iii. On grades, tilt the load back and raise it only
as far as needed to clear the road surface.
iv. When ascending or descending grades are
greater than 10%, drive loaded trucks with
the load upgrade
d. Operating speed – operate forklift at a speed that
will permit it to be stopped safely.
e. Exiting the forklift
i. When dismounting, set the parking brake,
lower the forks or lifting carriage, and

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neutralize the controls.

ii. Exit from a stand-up type forklift with rear-
entry access by stepping backward if a lateral
tip-over occurs.
f. Riding on the forklift – do not allow passengers on
forklift trucks unless a seat is provided.
g. Avoiding excess weight – do not handle loads that
are heavier than the weight capacity of the
forklift.
h. Avoiding struck-by or crushed-by hazards.
i. Don’t jump from an overturning, sit-down
type forklift.
ii. Stay with the truck, hold on firmly, and lean in
the opposite direction of the overturn.
i. Training – do not operate a forklift without proper

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training and licensing.

j. Reporting damage – any damage or problems that
occur to a forklift during a shift should be reported
to the supervisor.

4. When dock boards are used to bridge a loading dock

and a truck so the forklift can load or unload
materials, follow these requirements:
a. Use appropriate weight-rated platform to bridge
space.
b. Secure portable dock boards so that they will not
move.
c. Ensure that dock boards have handholds or some
other effective way to lift, manage, or move them
safely.

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D. Earth-Moving Equipment
1. Includes heavy equipment such as cranes, scrapers,
loaders, crawlers, bulldozers, off-highway trucks,
graders, and tractors.
2. Must be equipped with seatbelts. Anyone sitting in
the equipment must wear the seatbelts.
PPT slides #35 – #36
3. Any equipment with an obstructed view to the rear
cannot be used in reverse gear unless that piece of
equipment has a back-up signal alarm or an
employee signals that it is safe to do so.
4. Operator must be properly trained.

IV. Employer Requirements

A. Comply with OSHA standards related to materials

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handling, including
1. Training requirements
2. Inspection requirements

B. Comply with manufacturers’ requirements and

recommendations for materials handling equipment.

Application (How students apply what they learn) __ Estimated Time: ?? hours
Key Points Methods

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Identify hazards in worksite photos and discuss possible solutions. PPT slides #37 – #39

Using small items (little boxes, small blocks of wood, little bags of
beans, or similar items) have students practice placing
materials in tiers using an acceptable method to prevent
sliding, falling, or collapse
(i.e., stacked, racked, blocked, interlocked, or otherwise
secured).

Using empty boxes, have student demonstrate proper lifting

techniques.

Evaluation/Summary Estimated Time: ?? hours

Key Points Methods

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Knowledge Check: Materials Handling, Storage, Use and Disposal. PPT slides #40 – #43

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References

OSHA Standard:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owasrch.search_form?
p_doc_type=STANDARDS&p_toc_level=1&p_keyvalue=Construction
 1926 Subpart H – Materials Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal
 1926.250 – General requirements for storage
 1926.251 – Rigging equipment for material handling
 1926.252 – Disposal of waste materials

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OSHA Publications:

 Material Hoist Collapse (2014), OSHA Fatal Facts,

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3718.pdf

 Materials Handling and Storage (2002 – revised), OSHA #2236,

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2236.pdf

OSHA References/Resources:

 Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift) (2008), OSHA eTool,

https://www.osha.govSLTC/etools/pit/index.html

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 Wood Products: Sawmills – Lumber Storage (2002), OSHA eTool,

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/sawmills/lumber.html

 Materials Handling and Storage (1996), Construction Safety and Health Outreach Program,
https://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/mathan.html

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