Tips to Make Sure that Stacking Activities Are Carried Out Safely
- Do a risk assessment to assess the hazards involved in the stacking and unstacking of loads. Consider how workers could be hurt if loads were to fall on them.
- Look at industry guidance on the correct method of stacking for your type of loads, and devise a suitable stacking system for your premises.
- Train employees on how to safely stack loads, including the means of lifting the items into place and the gradients to be used. Remember that unstable items should slope backwards at the top to stop them slipping forwards.
- Make sure that the racking and/or pallets used are suitable for the type and weight of the items they hold.
- If there is a risk of items falling, introduce zoned areas with restricted access to prevent people being in the vicinity of the stacked items. An exclusion zone can be sectioned off by barriers, or if this is not possible by painting a zoned area onto the ground.
- Inform workers about the maximum heights that stacks can reach, and undertake regular checks to ensure that these measurements have not been exceeded.
If proper stacking procedures are not designed and implemented then serious accidents can occur if loads fall. Make sure this does not happen on your premises.
Contact Walker Health and Safety Services Limited if you require advice.
