Page 82 - OHS, July/August 2020

FACILITY SAFETY
Understanding Key Safety Regulations for Materials Handling
For most companies—particularly those involved in materials handling— concerns about safety regulations go well beyond mere avoidance
of government fines or censure.
BY WALT SWIETLIK
Compliance with safety regulations is per- petually top-of-mind for industrial facil- ity managers, and understandably so. Af- ter all, noncompliance can lead to unsafe
working conditions for employees, costly fines, work stoppages and, in a worst-case scenario, revocation of the licensing and certifications that companies need to conduct business.
Most facility managers know that the benefits of compliance with safety regulations far outweigh the time and costs of implementing those regulations. For most companies—particularly those involved in ma- terials handling—concerns about safety regulations go well beyond mere avoidance of government fines or censure. Today’s executives are constantly looking for guidelines and best practices that will help them increase their plants’ and warehouses’ productivity, en- ergy efficiency and, perhaps most importantly, safety.
In the U.S., the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) covers virtually any physical workplace in the country. OSHA is responsible for enforcing these codes. Here are a few of the most widely applicable for materials handling:
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.176: Materials Handling (U.S.) What it says:
1910.176(a). Use of mechanical equipment. Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances shall be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard. Permanent aisles and pas- sageways shall be appropriately marked.
1910.176(c). Housekeeping. Storage areas shall be kept free from accumulation of materials that constitute hazards from tripping, fire, explosion or pest harborage.
76 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2020
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