Material Handling and Storage

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Material Handling and Storage
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This material was produced under grant number
46B4-HT15 from the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does
not necessarily reflect the views or policies of
the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of
trade names, commercial products, or
organizations imply endorsement by the U.S.
Government.  
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Material Handling and Storage
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Objectives

• Discuss the basics of ergonomics and functions of
  the spine
• Describe the various types of order picking
  systems
• Describe proper lifting techniques
• Identify material handling hazards associated
  with various warehouse operations
• Transport techniques
• Storage
• Packaging
• Work practices

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Basic Functions of the Spine

• Supports the bodys weight
• Structure for body
• Flexibility to bend and rotate
• Maintains natural S curve for maximum strength

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Proper Lifting Techniques

• No tripping or slipping hazards
• Plan rest stops
• Easiest route
• Avoid stairs
• If it is too heavy - GET HELP!

Plan the Job
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Proper Lifting Techniques (contd)

• A ddress the item
• B end at the knee
• G et a good grip
• R aise with the legs

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Keep the Load Close

• Closer to your spine
• Less force on back
• 10 pound load at arms length is 100 pounds on
  the back

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Lifting Techniques

• Diagonal lift
• Power lift

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PivotDont Twist

• Pivot your feet
• Turn entire body

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Materials Handling Hazards in Warehouses

• Consist of job features which have a potentially
  harmful effect on the body
• Work station layout/environment
• Improper work methods
• Improper tools
• Job design problems
• Poor housekeeping

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Transport Techniques

• Placing boxes on pallets
• Maintenance

See http//www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/grocerywareh
ousing/transport_techniques_animation.html
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Placing Boxes on Pallets

• Repeated bending at the waist to place boxes on
  the lowest level of pallets
• Heaviest units are placed on the bottom layer for
  stability
• Requires employees to lift the heaviest loads
  using their worst body postures

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Solutions

• Raise height of the bottom level
• Provide height-adjustable picking equipment
• Educate employees about the hazards of bending
  while moving heavy loads
• Stack empty pallets on the pallet jack to elevate
  bottom of load
• Place palletizer on forks of pallet jack to keep
  product at waist height
• Utilize power equipment

See http//www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/grocerywareho
using/transport_techniques_animation2.html
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Storage

• Low locations
• High locations
• Double or triple slots
• Reaching
• Aisle width

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Low Locations

• Pallets are stored in pick bins a few inches from
  the floor
• Low racking requires employees to bend at waist
• Is a significant problem since the heaviest load
  is in shortest stack
• Storing pallets in taller slots still requires
  employees to bend at waist

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Solutions

• Elevate pallets within slot bin
• Place empty pallets under load
• Raise bottom level of racking so loads are at
  heights where bending is not necessary
• Provide a forklift with built-in vacuum hoist

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Solutions (contd)
Empty pallets stacked to raise product to waist
height
Raised shelving
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Solutions (contd)
Vacuum hoist
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High Locations

• Reaching above shoulder to access products on
  upper shelves
• Results in stress to back and shoulders
• Requires awkward hand and wrist postures

Reaching above shoulder height
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Solutions

• Use elevated rack locations
• Provide "Pick Sticks" or "Bow Peep" hooks

Bow Peep hook
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Multi-slot Hazards

• Maximizes shelving space
• Increases ergonomic stressors
• Forces workers to bend to access product
• Workers must reach above shoulders to access
  materials

Double slotting
Triple slotting requires elevated reaches to
access product
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Solutions

• Provide full slotting
• Use gravity feed flow rack for slow moving
  product

Full slotting
Gravity fed flow racks
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Reaching

• Product is often removed from the front of
  pallets first
• Leaves remaining product in the back of pallets
• Creates additional stress on the shoulders and
  back

Reaching to the back of the pallet
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Solutions

• Develop product rotation process
• Place pallets on turntables
• Use roller and channel devices
• Provide wider slots for heavier products
• Train stockers to allow sufficient space to move
  pallet during selection

For optimal access, place product on turntable
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Aisle Width

• Insufficient access to faster-moving product
• Creates congestion
• Forces selectors to stop farther from pick slot
  and carry product longer distances to pallet jack
• To save trips, selectors may be tempted to carry
  multiple parcels at the same time

Congested aisle
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Solutions

• Increase aisle width of aisles where fast-moving
  product is located
• Will allow pallet jacks to get closer and reduce
  distance loads must be carried
• Stagger the start times at beginning of day
• Results in fewer selectors hitting the same
  slots at the same time

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Packaging

• Heavy containers
• Inadequate handholds
• Plastic wrapping
• Wooden pallets
• Wrapping pallets
• Opening boxes

5-Gallon (40 lbs)
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Heavy Containers

• Boxes are extremely heavy in cold or freezer
  warehouses
• Weigh as much as 100 lbs.
• Manually lifting places stress on employees
  muscles
• Repeated lifting can result in back injuries,
  muscle strains and disc injury

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Solutions

• Work with suppliers to provide product in
  smaller, lighter containers
• Improve access to heaviest items
• Provide handhold cutouts or handles on all heavy
  products
• Work with suppliers to ensure container integrity
  is adequate
• Load pallets with lighter product in center and
  heavier on outer edges

Some suppliers are willing to modify weight of
packages
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Solutions (contd)
Heavier packages on the outside
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Inadequate Handholds

• Many packages do not have handles or handle
  cut-outs
• Makes heavy cases difficult to grasp
• Forces employees to use awkward posture

Boxes without handles are difficult to grasp
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Solutions

• Encourage suppliers to provide product in stable
  boxes with hand hold cut-outs or handles
• Is especially important for product that is
  extremely heavy

Examples of handhold devices
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Wooden Pallets

• Weigh between 40 and 70 pounds
• Lifted several times during work shift
• Repeated lifting causes stress to lower back
• Splinters from handling wood is also a hazard to
  worker

Workers bend to lift pallets several times
during a shift
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Solutions

• Request lighter, plastic pallets
• Easily nest together to reduce space of stacking
• Eliminates splinters and uneven surfaces
• Provide a pallet dispenser to reduce handling of
  pallets

Pallets weigh 20 to 30 lbs.
Pallet dispenser
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Training New Employees

• New employees may not recognize ergonomic hazards
  or understand effective techniques used to
  minimize these hazards

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Solutions

• Provide general ergonomics and work-task specific
  training at time of orientation
• Explain risk factors and proper work techniques
  to minimize hazards
• Provide video tapes of proper work practice for
  employee review
• Retrain injured employees regarding ergonomic
  risks pertinent to their injuries
• Mentor new employees with experienced workers
• Explain the medical management system

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Summary

• Discussed the science of ergonomics and functions
  of the spine
• Described the various types of order picking
  systems
• Described proper lifting techniques
• Identified various material handling hazards
  associated with warehouse operations
• Transport techniques
• Storage
• Packaging
• Work practices