Manual handling accounts for the largest number of accidents classified in the three day category. Much can be done by use of appropriate lifting aids. Some items will require the use of cranes, and handling equipment and individuals should not attempt to lift heavy or awkward items in excess of 20Kg. Look at your site, are there areas where people have to lift or manoeuvre heavy or awkward loads? What can be done to reduce the risks?
Vacuum lifts such as these can be used to lift bags and stone without damage to the materials being lifted.
Maintenance of mobile plant is an area where overhead cranes or engine lifts can often be used in workshops.
In rough site areas then telehandlers or lorry mounted or mobile cranes should be used.
Lifting should only be done from recognised lifting beams. Here a walk way has been used to attach the lifts, note the deformation of the decking. Proper access is always required during lifting. Proper scaffold, scissor lifts or as in this case suspended platforms should be used. Any edge must have handrails and under no circumstances should personnel walk the steel. Before a load is lifted you must ensure that it is within the capacity of the lifting machine. Here an excavator tried to lift a large boulder, way beyond the capacity of the machine. To lift it, it was pushed into the raised body of a 50 tonne dumper and the skip powered down. The dumper slipped forwards, and the stone rolled back, causing the whole front of the dumper to lift about 3m of the ground, severely injuring the drivers back when it crashed back down. Unblocking crushers by hand should never be practiced. There are many types of aids that can be used instead. For example hydraulic arms with or without hydraulic hammers, hydraulic ramps etc.
Proper access is always required during lifting.
Proper scaffold, scissor lifts or as in this case suspended platforms
should be used. Any edge must have handrails and under no ircumstances
should personnel walk the steel.
Before a load is lifted you must ensure that it is within the capacity
of the lifting machine. Here an excavator tried to lift a large boulder,
way beyond the capacity of the machine. To lift it, it was pushed into
the raised body of a 50 tonne dumper and the skip powered down. The
dumper slipped forwards, and the stone rolled back, causing the whole
front of the dumper to lift about 3m of the ground, severely injuring
the drivers back when it crashed back down.
Unblocking crushers by hand should never be practiced. There are many types of aids that can be used instead. For example hydraulic arms with or without hydraulic hammers, hydraulic ramps etc.
Under no circumstances should a wedge or machine tooth be used. Many crusher operaters have been killed or seriously injured when one of these has been ejected.
A mini excavator has been installed on a platform to unblock this crusher.
Hydraulic hammer fitted to mobile crusher
Hydraulic plate to push material onto feeder plate
