MECHANICAL HANDLING - NEBOSH Quick Revision Sheet

Fork Lift Trucks (FLT’s)
Hazards / Controls
  • Accidents:
  • Overturning, due to high speed turns, ramp turns, driving with raised load, uneven road surface (most fatalities);
  • Overloading, unstable loads;
  • Collisions with
-Overhead obstructions
-Racking systems (e.g. Wrexham warehouse);
-Pedestrians, other vehicles.
  • Main causes:
  • Lack of driver training
  • Lack of maintenance (for safety purposes)
  • Horizontal instability:
  • Tyre pressures
  • Centre of gravity
  • Live loads
  • Turning with raised loads
  • Turning at speed
  • Driving across inclines
  • Uneven ground
  • Longitudinal instability:
  • Parallel drops
  • Over loading
  • Braking at speed
  • Inclines
  • Undercutting loads
  • Exceeding safe lift height
  • Other hazards:
  • Fire and explosion;
-Battery re-charging, or;
-Flammable atmosphere (e.g. paint factory);
  • Exhaust gas/fumes in confined spaces;
  • Hydraulic failure on lifting forks;
  • Unauthorised use as a working platform.
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  • Selection of equipment:
  • Type of power source; battery/LPG/diesel
  • Size and capacity
  • Type of tyres; solid, pneumatic depending of surface
  • Height/reach of mast
  • Warning systems fitted
  • Protective systems fitted; ROPS and/or FOPS
  • Operators:
  • Selection e.g. physical/mental fitness and intelligence
  • Training given specific to type of FLT
  • Establishment of:
  • Suitable traffic routes
  • Parking areas
  • Battery charging facilities if applicable
  • Storage of LPG gas bottles if applicable
  • Operational rules for fork lift trucks
  • Procedures for security of keys when not in use
  • Maintenance by competent personnel
  • Well-lit operational areas
  • Segregation of vehicles and personnel
  • Operator pre-use checklists
  • Operator Pre-Use Checks:
  • Safe Working Load (SWL) and size
  • Lights (including warning beacon)
  • Brakes
  • Horn
  • Seatbelt
  • Tyre pressures
  • Hydraulics (leaks)
  • Condition of mast for chains
  • Function of controls
  • Condition of windscreen etc (if applicable)

Hazards / Controls
Pallet trucks
  • Overloading & tipping
  • Collision with other people or fixed object
  • Loss of an unsecured or unstable load
  • Crushing operative between pallet truck and a fixed object; especially if being pulled
  • Hydraulic lift failure
  • Manual handling
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  • Correct SWL for the load to be moved.
  • Equipment subject to maintenance and inspection to ensure it is kept serviceable
  • Pallet loads shrink wrapped to prevent loss of load
  • Safety boots and gloves
  • Training of operatives on safe use

Sack Barrows
  • Manual handling
  • Loss of load
  • Crush injuries
  • Falling objects
  • Mechanical failure
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  • Correct SWL for the load to be moved.
  • Equipment subject to maintenance and inspection to ensure it is kept serviceable
  • Securing load to the barrow
  • Safety boots and gloves
  • Training of operatives on safe use

Lifts and Hoists
  • Being trapped in a lift whilst being operated
  • Mechanical failure
  • Falls from height
  • Because loads lifted to height (e.g. materials hoist on construction site) the loads can fall onto people below if:
  • Unsecured; or
  • People are allowed under hoist while it is working.
  • Manual handling loads onto/off of lift/hoist
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  • Sound mechanical construction - strength & stability
  • Interlocked doors or gates
  • Marked with SWL
  • Operated from 1 position either inside the lift/cage or outside
  • If carrying people fitted with appropriate safety devices to prevent carrier from falling
  • Moving parts guarded
  • Signage and restricted access

Conveyers and Chutes
  • Conveyers:
  • In-running nip between drive-rollers and belt (quarry accidents during cleaning at bottom roller);
  • Entanglement:
-With transmission machinery (chain & sprocket drives);
-Conveyor belt/slats.
  • Loads falling from the conveyer
  • Head impact on overhead conveyer
  • Noise and vibration
  • Manual handling
  • Chutes:
  • Materials spilling out of the chute hitting people etc.
  • Noise
  • Collapse of chute
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  • Conveyers:
  • In-running nip guards
  • Trip devices
  • Bump caps / hard hats
  • Warning signs and restricted access
  • Removal of sharp edges
  • Edge protection for high level conveyers
  • Chutes:
  • Signage
  • Barriers to restrict access
  • Erected by competent operatives
  • Use of plastic construction to reduce noise
  • Have chute feed directly into a protected skip to prevent materials hitting people.

Lifting Equipment
Definition of Lifting Equipment / Definition of Lifting Accessories
  • Work equipment used for lifting and lowering loads including attachments used to fix or support the equipment (e.g. runway on an overhead crane)
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  • Equipment for attaching loads to machinery for lifting

Equipment Examples
  • Cranes – mobile and tower
  • Workplace passenger and goods lifts
  • Construction hoists
  • Dumb waiters used in restaurants
  • Scissor lifts
  • Vehicle tail lifts
  • Bath hoists
  • Telehandlers and industrial lift trucks
  • Vehicle lifts
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  • Slings textile and chains
  • Hooks
  • Shackles
  • Eyebolts
  • Ropes used for climbing or work positioning
  • Spreader bars

Hazards with the Use of Cranes / Control Measures in the Use of Cranes
  • Mechanical failure / collapse
  • Failure of lifting ropes, slings etc
  • Uneven, unstable ground
  • Overturning
  • Overloading
  • Collision with people
  • Collision with fixed/stationery objects
  • Unauthorised operation
  • Swinging loads as a result of:
  • High winds
  • Slewing the crane jib too fast
  • Driving with the load suspended.
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  • Every employer shall ensure that every lifting operation involving lifting equipment is:
  • Properly planned by a competent person
  • Appropriately supervised
  • Carried out in a safe manner
  • Person planning the lift should have practical and theoretical knowledge
The Lift Plan:
  • The plan will need to address the
  • Risks identified by the risk assessment
  • Resources required
  • Responsibilities
  • Plan to ensure that the equipment remains safe
  • Degree of planning will vary considerably and depends on:
  • Type of lifting equipment used
  • Complexity of operation
  • Consideration of weight / size / centre of gravity etc. of load
  • Where two or more items used simultaneously for lifting a written plan is required
Carrying the lifting operation:
  • Outriggers to be extended sufficiently to ease load on vehicle springs
  • Area of slew by crane jib to be kept clear at all times
  • Crane not to be left with load suspended
  • Vehicle not to be driven with load suspended
  • Crane to be stowed safely away prior to movement of vehicle

Routine Lifting Operations
  • Planning usually a matter for the people using the lifting equipment e.g. Slinger or Fork Lift Truck(FLT) operator.
  • An initial plan may only be required once but reviewed occasionally e.g.
  • FLT in warehouse
  • MEWP
  • Vehicle tail lift
  • Suspended cradle for window cleaning

Thorough Examination and Inspection
Equipment (Prime Mover)
  • 12 monthly thorough examination/inspection
  • If used for lifting people will 6 a monthly thorough examination/inspection
  • Visual inspection daily before first use
  • A daily inspection is required to be recorded at least once every 7 days (in reality it generally gets recorded every day)
/ Accessories (sling, strop etc.)
  • Thoroughexamination/inspection 6 monthly.
  • Visual inspection before every use (could have been damaged during its previous use)
  • Lifting Accessories will not normally require an inspection as long as they receive a thorough examination
  • Will need a proper pre-use check by the slinger/ signaller

Rope Faults / Textile Sling Faults / Chain Faults
  • Broken wires;
  • Worn wires;
  • Corroded wires;
  • ‘Bird Caging’ of wires;
  • Kinked wires;
  • Crushed wires.
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  • Webbing damaged by heat, chemicals, rot etc.
  • Cut or nicked webbing;
  • Abraded webbing;
  • Stretched and deformed webbing.
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  • Deformed links;
  • Stretched links (noticeable thinning of chain) usually from using above its Safe Working Load (SWL)
  • Cracked links;