Pallet Truck Safety – Key Tips

by Lesley Sampson Freelance Writer

If you have just shelled out on a pallet truck, your business will be in line for a whole host of benefits – especially when working in a warehouse.

But using the truck, and letting your employees do the same, is not something you should rush into. Although small, they can be very dangerous, especially when used in a confined space.

Your staff will not need hours of personal training to use the device, though they will need to be wearing the correct equipment. Steel toe-capped boots are a must, but here are some other things to look out for.

 

Load check

Make sure the pallet truck is in good condition and full working order before it is used. The most important thing to check is that the wheels are free from obstructions – something as small as string can be disastrous.

 

Train

Although it may seem like a simple enough task, staff should be trained in how to use a pallet truck. Using the pump to life an object off the floor is the only way it is going to be moved. Make sure they know not to drag the device. Those using the pallet truck should always face the direction they are heading with the truck and load in front of them. The human body is designed to push, not pull, and many emergency workers will have a tale of someone who has put their back out by using a pallet truck incorrectly.

Make sure there is a designated space for a pallet truck when not in use and employees know where this is. A truck carelessly left about a warehouse can be a health and safety hazard and if it is in the correct place, the next person to use it will be able to find it easily.

 

Safety

Although designed to take the strain out of heavy lifting you still need to be careful when using a pallet truck. Make sure the jack is in a neutral position before pulling the truck – this will prevent you getting tired too easily. At the same time, keep all body parts away from a moving pallet truck. The more you’re carrying, the worse the injury will be should something go wrong.

Avoid bumping into walls and other boxes as it will damage both them and the truck. In a worst case scenario, the heavy bump could knock bearings out of place and ruin the device.

 

Don’t overload

You may think that with a Slingsby pallet truck you will be able to carry anything and everything all at once. Although they are designed to take heavy loads, piling up boxes and boxes of heavy items will be precarious and dangerous.

A pallet truck may seem like a fairly innocuous piece of equipment, but allowing your employees to push around huge loads could land you on the wrong side of a lawsuit. It is always best to be as careful as possible. The UK agency for health and safety – HSE – say more than a third of injuries in the workplace are caused by lifting, pushing, carrying, pulling and similar activities.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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