Pit & Quarry - September 2009

y Safety
BY CARL METZGAR
Change the job

Unlike most consumer adver- tising, institutional advertis- ing usually includes useful information. Depending on

the copy, there is a great deal of useful

information in the advertising. There

employee in question or were things

improved for others? Third, and very

important, has the employer looked at

other similar material-handling chores

to make them less demanding?

Material handling is the process that

Safety tip
Sometimes when one change is
made it has a positive effect on
other parts of the job or process.

is always at least some kernel that can

produces a host of injuries. In 2006 in

grow into constructive thought. Some-

stone, “handling material” was respon-

thing in the ad points the direction to

sible for 39. 8 percent of the non-fatal

Remarkable storage

some measurable improvement.

days lost injuries. Consider that using

There was a warehouse. Exemplary ma-

Recently in a nationally distributed

hand tools is mighty close to material

terial-handling equipment for the wide

newspaper, a major workers’ compen-

handling and that accounted for 11. 1

variety of parts stored was readily avail-

sation carrier paid for an advertise-

percent of non-fatal days lost injuries

able. On the first look, there was utter

ment, which included the following:

in stone. With the math done, mate-

and total disbelief at the location of the

“an employee … developed wrist pain

rial handling and hand tools account

very large motors. They were on the top

… our … experts teamed with his doc-

for 50. 1 percent of non-fatal days lost

shelf of the storage racks. Why weren’t

tor. They discovered that changing his

injuries. This makes the generalization they on the floor where all that size

workspace would avoid surgery and let

possible: Material handling and hand-

and weight belonged? Ah! Continuing

him work while he healed.”

tool use combined are responsible for

observation, with mouth shut, showed

First off, note there are no unfamil- more than half of the non-fatal days

the rationale. The racks were substan-

iar code words to complicate the mes-

lost injuries. Manual material handling tial. Not just good but overbuilt. The

sage. The language is simple. Hurting

employee, treating doctor, interested

outsider and a progressive employer

produce a positive result. No surgery,

healing and a complete paycheck are

needs concentrated watching.

Take the work out of the job

Mining is a good place to work despite

the misinformation from the govern-

overhead crane and well-maintained

lift truck provided adequate access and

capacity to manipulate the motors that

almost never had to be moved. The rest

of the storage fell into place.

really three positive results. The insur- ment in the popular media. Opportuni-

Some really talented, insightful su-

ance company was outside the factory

ties for improvement remain. Every su-

perintendent had the stock organized

and could look at a situation (we’ve

pervisor with whom I was on a friendly

by size and frequency of use. Frequently

been doing it that way for 25 years)

basis and would “fess up” was never

used items were close to the delivery

and see an opportunity for change and more than two hours from a reminder

point. Less frequently used items were

improvement.

by his supervisor to “watch your costs.” more remote from the service point.

The ad included a photograph of the

Since injury costs are no higher than

Never mind that this was the same

workplace. The advertisement is very

they are, many senior managers don’t

warehouse where some well-meaning

short and doesn’t include some desir-

maintain the emphasis on manual ma-

clerk took the cable clamps out of the in-

able details that would round out the

terial handling as an area for human

dividual plastic bags that had the instal-

story. First, did the changes improve

savings. Managers with outstanding pre-

lation instructions printed on the bag.

the workflow, efficiency or quality for

the company as well as accommodate

the worker? Sometimes when one

ventive maintenance programs for equip-

ment sometimes miss opportunities for

preventive maintenance for workers.

It takes art and science to move

material. ;

change is made it has a positive effect

From a delightful, little book ( 47 pages),

on other parts of the job or process.

“Moving Heavy Things,” there is the

Second, was the change broad and rel-

stagehand’s axiom: Never lift what you

evant enough to make work easier or

can drag, never drag what you can roll,

more productive for more than just the and never roll what you can leave.

Carl R. Metzgar,CSP, has more than 30 years of safety and health experience in the aggregates industry. He provides consulting services with a specialization in program evaluation, training, compliance and loss control, and can be reached at 336-766-8264, cmetz46840@aol.com.