Warehousing involves the movement of products, equipment, and materials. This must be accomplished in a safe manner, as well as protecting the product.

While loading or unloading and moving materials on hand trucks, the following safety tips should be observed:
• When loading hand trucks, keep your feet clear of the wheels.

• Do not exceed the manufacturer’s load capacity rate. (The capacity plate is located on the hand truck.)

• Place the load so that it will not slip, shift or fall, and secure it with straps if they are provided.

• For extremely bulky or pressurized items, such as gas cylinders, strap or chain the items to the hand truck.

• Tip the load slightly forward so that the tongue of the hand truck goes under the load, and then push the tongue of the hand truck all the way under the load.

• If your view is obstructed, ask a spotter to assist.

• Keep the centre of gravity as low as possible by placing heavier objects below the lighter ones.

• Push the load so that the weight will be carried by the axle and not the handles.

• Do not walk backward with the hand truck, unless going up stairs or ramps.

• When going down an incline, keep the hand truck in front of you so that it can be controlled at all times.

• Move hand trucks at a walking pace.

• Store hand trucks with the tongue under a pallet, shelf, or table.

Need further advice on Warehouse Health and Safety then please visit the Health and Safety Consultants

Come back soon for our next Warehouse safety article – Walkie Trucks and Pallet Jack use

We are proud to announce that a Birmingham based Home, Office and Oven Cleaning Services chooses Veritas Consulting as their retained Health and Safety Advisers.

This week a Birmingham Based Domestic, Commercial Cleaning Services contractor appointed Veritas Consulting as their “Competent Person” an affordable health and safety retainer service. Spring Cleaning Services Office Cleaning Services Birmingham offer a superb range of Cleaning services for Domestic and Commercial Sectors and more, much more and we are pleased to support the company.

Matthew Martin (MD) quotes: “Health and Safety is subject that traditionally we have found difficult to manage and maintain so we thought its about time that we employ professional health and safety consultants to advise and assist in our legal duties”.

Here are some of the health and safety services that we will provide;

Health and Safety Policy – Competent person – Risk assessments – Method Statements – and more.

Puzzled by health and safety then we are the consultants who can put the pieces together – get in touch on 0121 249 1281 and we will help you keep you on the right side of the law.

We are proud to announce that a Birmingham based Groundwork and demolition contractor chooses Veritas Consulting as their retained Health and Safety Advisers.

This week a Birmingham Based Groundwork and Demolition Contractor appointed Veritas Consulting as their “Competent Person” an affordable health and safety retainer service. Velcol Groundworks Contractor Birmingham offer a superb range of Groundwork services including Demolition, Excavation, Drainage and Trenching and more, much more and we are pleased to support the company for these high risk activities.

Joe Teirney (MD) quotes: “Health and Safety is subject that traditionally we have found difficult to manage and maintain so we thought its about time that we employ professional health and safety consultants to advise and assist in our legal duties”.

Here are some of the health and safety services that we will provide;

Health and Safety Policy – Competent person – Risk assessments – Method Statements – and more.

Puzzled by health and safety then we are the consultants who can put the pieces together – get in touch on 0121 249 1281 and we will help you keep you on the right side of the law.

CARRYING OUT AN ASBESTOS SURVEY (SURVEYING)

The success and usefulness of an asbestos survey is dependent on a clear understanding of the client’s requirements, the specification and planning carried out and the training, experience and diligence of the surveyor.

It is important that the surveyor has a good understanding of which products and materials are likely to contain asbestos and where ACMs are likely to be located. Experienced surveyors may discriminate between potential asbestos and nonasbestos-containing materials in situ. This initial judgement can be tested by sampling and analysis.

The surveyor should have strong evidence to conclude that a material does not contain asbestos. The surveyor must also look out for evidence of asbestos debris released by previous work, or even during installation or removal work (eg over-spray from sprayed asbestos applications). When an area is not inspected, this must be recorded and presumed to contain asbestos.

The asbestos survey will need to be carried out in a methodical and systematic way to ensure that all visible or accessible areas are inspected. This will usually involve using either a topdown or bottom-up approach for surveying the building and each individual area or room for ACMs.

The outside of the building should also be inspected. Larger premises will require more detailed survey procedures, particularly if there are several surveyors at work. It may also be appropriate to carry out a separate survey on the building services, machinery and any large floor and ceiling voids.

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES

Although the principles of fire development and spread apply to all fire, fires are classified as types A, B, C or D depending on the actual combustible materials involved. This classification is extremely important when deciding which extinguisher should be used in the event of a fire, not all extinguishers are suitable for all fires.

Class A These are fires involving solid materials, usually of an organic nature, in which combustion normally takes place with the formation of glowing embers, e.g. wood, paper and textile fabrics. Cooling by water is the most effective way of extinguishing this type of fire.

Class B These fires involving liquids or liquefiable solids, such as petrol, oil, greases and fats, where the blanketing or smothering effects of extinguishing agents which exclude oxygen are the most effective.

Class C These are fires involving gases such as hydrogen, propane, butane, etc. Fighting fires of this nature should be left to the experts as extinguishing burning gases without cutting off the supply could lead to an explosion if re-ignition occurs. The most effective method of extinguishing the fire is to cut off the supply, where possible, and subsequently deal with other burning materials (if any) with the appropriate extinguishing agent.

Class D These are fires involving metals such as magnesium, aluminium, sodium, potassium, calcium and zirconium, where special materials and techniques are necessary to secure extinction.

It should be noted that there is no classification in the standard for what are erroneously called ‘electrical fires’ as these are really fires in materials where electricity is present. Such fires will fall into one or more of the four classes defined. Therefore, after the electrical supply has been isolated, the choice of extinguisher will depend upon the materials involved in the fire. However, the most suitable types of extinguisher for use on live electrical equipment are Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

Fire Risk Assessment

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