Storage & Lifting Attachments

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1 Storage & Lifting Attachments Are they safe? ZERO HARM FORUM 22nd NOVEMBER BENCHMARKING SURVEY 2012 SWIVEL SEATS NEEDED ON MOBILE PLANT 2012 Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 1

2 What s this Month? Welcome to our October edition of Safety Action! This month, our feature article looks at Storage and Lifting attachments, are they safe? We also have some key findings from this year s annual safety benchmarking survey. Please find further information in relation to the Zero Harm Forum being held next month, Thursday 22 nd November on page 8 for full details. Stay Safe! Gary Rowe, CEO Storage & Lifting Attachments Are they safe and compliant? In recent times we have noticed considerable confusion in relation to the safety requirements for things like; storage racking, lifting chains & slings, forklift attachments and other lifting devices. Essentially, every structure or piece of equipment which lifts or supports loads above ground level must be rated for the load and have the safe working limit (SWL) clearly displayed. Note: Sometimes you will see the term working load limit (WLL) used on newer lifting equipment, however, the current harmonised WHS Regulations still uses the term safe working limit (SWL) e.g. in Reg. 219, so either term is acceptable until regulations prescribe a single term to be used. In this article we focus on the key placarding requirements only for: Mezzanine storage areas; Storage racking; Cranes & hoists; Lifting slings and accessories; and Forklift attachments. If you desire more information on the technical safety matters then refer to the plant safety regulations and relevant codes of practice or call Safety Action for advice on T Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 2

3 Mezzanine Storage Areas We are often asked is this mezzanine safe for the load placed there? There is no immediate or universal answer to this question unless the mezzanine is placarded with its safe load capacity e.g XXkg/sqm, or the structural drawings for the structure are available and indicate the load carrying capacity for the structure. Therefore, every mezzanine should have displayed in a prominent place the safe load carrying capacity in order to avoid inadvertent over-loading or unnecessary questions about its appropriateness for the storage. If there is any doubt about a mezzanine platform you should consult an appropriate engineer for clarification of safety and load limit. Heavy storage on mezzanine platform SAFE LOAD CAPACITY=100KG PER SQUARE METRE Sample mezzanine signage for safe load capacity Storage Racking Most storage racking in the workplace these days are made of cold formed thin section steel legs and beams. There is an Australian Standard (AS 4084 Steel storage racking) which governs the design, construction and loading of steel storage racking. Every set of storage racking should have displayed in a conspicuous position (e.g. end of each bay) a permanent corrosion-resistant plaque at least 125mm long x 250mm high with lettering at least 25mm high about 2m above floor level with the following: Cantilever type storage racks i) Permissible working unit load limit; ii) Permissible total working unit load for each pallet beam level; iii) Permissible total working unit load for each bay; iv) Designer s name; v) Manufacturer s name, supplier s name and trademark (if any) and installation date; vi) Maximum distance from base plate to first beam level and maximum distance between first and second beam levels. In addition, every set of racking must have readily available in the workplace, the racking configuration e.g. as-built drawings and specifications, including any special damage limitations Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 3

4 Cranes & Hoists All cranes and hoists must have their safe working limit (SWL) clearly displayed on: - The supporting structural member(s); - The hoist or crane mechanism; and - Any associated lifting slings or chains etc (see following section). No SWL label on beam Note: The crane or hoist must not have displayed a higher SWL than the supporting structural member(s). If structural member(s) have lower capacity than the crane or hoist then the crane or hoist should be de-rated and the lower capacity displayed on the hoist to avoid risk of being accidentally over-loaded. Lifting Slings & Accessories Typical overhead hoist SWL 3.2t All lifting attachments must have a tag attached to indicate the manufacturer, date of manufacture, date put into service, and safe working limit and any limitations or precautions for use. Lifting accessories include among other things; soft slings, steel wire and chain slings, shackles and hooks. Lifting eye bolts must also display their essential details including the SWL. Eye bolt without SWL or manufacturer details A soft sling with manufacturer tag correctly attached and safe load capacity clearly displayed. WorkSafe Victoria recently issued a safety alert ( on soft slings, i.e. fabric lifting slings, as these can more easily be damaged in storage or use and fail unexpectedly. Soft slings should not be the default choice as they are susceptible to mechanical, chemical and UV damage, and should only be selected when the risk assessment shows other slings are not appropriate Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 4

5 Forklift Attachments We have seen forklift tine extensions and other home-made forklift attachments which lack an identification plaque to confirm the manufacturer, date of manufacture, safe working load and any limitations or precautions. The harmonised Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations (Reg. 218) require that all forklift lifting attachments must be: a) Suitable for the load to be lifted; b) Operated in a manner that ensures that any risk is eliminated or minimised as far as reasonably practicable. Therefore documented instructions on connect use (e.g. operating instructions) should also be supplied with all lifting attachments. Home-made attachment on forklift tine with no manufacturer s tag, SWL and not secured to the tine. WHS Regulation 219 also requires equipment used to lift or suspend loads to be specifically designed to lift or suspend the particular load. This would require the manufacturer s plaque and safe load capacity to be displayed in order to confirm compliance. Note: All lifting attachments must be securely attached and not loose on the forklift tine. The key standards and references for this article include; the WHS Regulations 2011, AS 4084 steel storage racking, Guide to 10 year major inspections by Crane Industry Council of Australia, WorkSafe Victoria soft sling safety alert & mobile crane checklist. If you would like a Fact Sheet on this topic or more information on specific lifting attachments or storage safety call Gary Rowe at Safety Action T or enquiries@safetyaction.com.au. Elevated Work Platforms Pre Use Checks An employer in WA was recently fined $12,000 after two employees fell from an elevated work platform (EWP). The investigation by WorkSafe found; safety harnesses were not worn or supplied, the stabiliser legs lacked the spread plates, the controls were faulty and a safety switch was taped down. These defects would have been detected if the proper pre-start checks were conducted to ensure the EWP was safe for use. The court was also told the employer had absolutely no regard for the safety of his employees, as a follow up inspection by WorkSafe six months after the accident found the replacement EWP had a safety interlock switch held down with a cable tie Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 5

6 Swivel Seats Needed on Mobile Plant Following a fatality involving a road roller, the South Australian Coroner has recommended a national strategy to improve design of inherently unsafe mobile equipment. Whilst the issues of the particular incident are many and varied, essentially a road roller reversed over a worker when the operator got confused about direction of the controls and stabbed at a non-existent foot brake instead of lifting his foot off the dead man s control. We all know how important it is for our motor vehicle foot pedals to be in exactly the same location and order, so we can correctly apply them in an emergency. This becomes more difficult when the operators have to frequently twist around and remember where all the controls are and the correct direction to operate them. This issue could have application on some forklifts or other common workplace equipment. The Coroner concluded I simply cannot accept the present unsatisfactory state of affairs where a driver has to spend half his day reversing a vehicle and twisting to look over his shoulder to do so.... Let s hope designers and manufacturers eventually introduce mobile plant with swivel seating and controls to avoid these types of unfortunate incidents. Commonwealth Amend H&S Rep Training The Commonwealth has amended the WHS Regulations (Reg. 21) to allow existing health and safety representatives to attend a short bridging course, instead of completing the full 5-day approved course. The safety authority will still need to approve the shorter bridging course (duration not prescribed in the amendment Regulations). Note: The entitlement to a 1-day annual refresher course, following completion of the approved initial course, remains unaltered. Safety Performance Survey Key Results Thank you to everyone who participated in this year s annual safety benchmarking survey. Organisations representing nearly 80,000 employees provided data, allowing us to prepare the best possible benchmarks for safety performance for Australia and New Zealand. All participants will receive a free copy of the report shortly, however, some of the key safety performance indicators from the 2012 survey include: MTI Rate: 21.6 LTI Rate: 7.0 Workers Comp. Premium/Employee/Year $1,054 Days Lost/100 Employees/Year: 21 For further information, please contact Gary Rowe on T or Gary at enquiries@safetyaction.com.au 2012 Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 6

7 Old Plant & Equipment Licences Expire End 2012 WorkCover NSW has issued a reminder for workers who hold a high-risk-work licence (to operate plant and equipment) that any older licences (received before 1996) will expire and require conversion and renewal before 31 December 2012, in order to comply with the (relatively new) national standards. Workers in other states with pre-1996 licences (e.g. forklift & crane) should also ensure they have converted their high-risk-work licence to the new format, which now expire every 5 years. Changes to Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act Amendments that will "strengthen" the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 and protect workers from bullying have been announced by the Tasmanian Attorney-General Brian Wightman. The amendments will expand the prohibition on conduct to that which: Offends; Humiliates; Intimidates; Insults; or Ridicules another person. Another amendment provides protection against discrimination for people on the basis of their gender identity and intersex status. Book now for Leadership Training 2 Day Safety Leadership Course Safety Action Boardroom, Melbourne $990+ GST per person Wednesday 7 th & Thursday 8 th November 2012 This 2 day course is run as a small and interactive group, providing participants with practical training to help you become a true safety leader. A comprehensive manual is provided for each participant. To book your place, contact Danielle on Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 7

8 Zero Harm Forum Phil Kamay Associate Director Ross Gibson Senior Consultant Our good friends at Toyota are working with Safety Action to hold another Zero Harm Forum Increasingly, organisations are adopting zero harm or similar safety visions, but few understand the implications of this or know how to go about it effectively and with credibility. Date: Time: Location: Thursday, 22 nd November 8.15am, for an 8.30am start closes at 4.30pm Toyota Head Office, 155 Bertie Street, Port Melbourne. Bookings by voluntary donation of $300 to one of o one of three charities nominated by Toyota. A number of eminent speakers from some of Australia s leading companies have agreed to present at the Forum including: Andrea Rowe Safety & Risk Advisor Andrew Douglas, Partner, M+K Lawyers Bruce Kemp, Metro Trains Richard Dovison, Landmark Australia Tony Smith, East Gippsland Water (internationally registered author) Mike Ramsay, Boeing Australia Steve Jackson, Kmart Duncan Thompson, Amcor Lainie Cassidy, Safety Manager for Toyota Australia will explain an interesting program on visualisation of hazard issue mapping. Katie Weber Safety & Risk Advisor Emily Carter Graduate Safety Advisor Places are limited, please RSVP to Danielle Smith, either on T or via danielle.smith@safetyaction.com.au Kirill Kouzmin Stephen Weber Danielle Smith Is there anything in our newsletter you would like to comment on, or a topic you would like to see included? Please contact our administration, by ing: enquiries@safetyaction.com.au or by calling T Safety Action Pty Ltd Page 8