Assessing Safety at Your Facility

By: ProGMA

Safety is a priority of most material handling and distribution facilities, so it’s very likely there is already protective guarding installed within your operations. However, safety, particularly protective guarding, can have many definitions depending on the application; from columns guarding the building from being damaged, to netting that prevents objects from falling and striking workers. Because of this wide range, safety measures in certain areas of the facility can be overlooked. Or maybe the operations have changed in scope, which may cause some new safety hazards. Or the safety equipment from the prior application is being used, which doesn’t fit the new system.

It’s important for all safety managers to do a walk through and review the protective guarding at least once a year. The assessment must include both inside and outside the building, as well as reviewing each level on which employees work. Reviewing all of the ANSI codes and OSHA regulations is a good place to start. Then, use a checklist to help you review each area; a checklist created by the Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA) is a great tool to help assess each area within the facility for locations that may need protective guarding equipment to make the operations safer.

The Protective Guarding Checklist includes every area within the facility and offers a list of the protective guarding solutions that may be needed; it was developed to guide safety managers through the assessment process. The checklist includes a review of protective guarding throughout the facility, and links to resources like images and a list of the manufacturers that offer that type of guarding.

Regardless of the tools you use for your assessment, take time to review each application with a safety lens.

Outside the Facility

About one quarter of all industrial accidents occur in the loading dock area; this can range from a forklift truck driving off the dock to a truck backing into a building, and many others in-between. Protective guarding can help to ensure employees are safe from falls, and that the building will be protected from the impact of a vehicle.

Checking around the major facility structures can ensure the building is protected. Look at the columns, curbs and traffic patterns to make sure the proper guarding is in place, noting if any buffers are needed. Guardrails and barriers like safety gates should be used along any ledges of the actual loading dock if it’s elevated, and installed on lift gates that are used by employees to transport material. Doors and stairways should also be safeguarded, and the use of access control cages can be very helpful if access to the building must be limited.

Make notes about any potential hazard or questions you have about safety outside of the building. A representative from a ProGMA member company or industry consultant can help you determine the best guarding for each area.

Inside the Facility

Start at the ground level where employees enter to start their work day. Review the entry procedure, taking into account any access control cages and look at the aisles employees walk along. Make sure that employees have defined areas that separate them from traffic, especially automated vehicles, robots or machinery. Check the area around any automated equipment to ensure the presence of perimeter guarding, which prevents employees from coming into contact with this type of equipment.

Vehicles can also damage fixed structures like in-plant offices or work cells, electrical equipment and sprinkler system mainlines. Make sure that these areas are protected from all vehicle traffic.

Check around the pallet rack, or any other shelving system that is used for storage or pallet drop areas. Column protectors and corner guards can protect rack systems in high traffic areas or at the end of rows. If items are being stored in the rack system, guarding like netting or wire mesh can prevent loose objects from falling into walkways and work areas.

On upper levels, all walkways must have a guardrail for fall protection. If the facility features pick modules, rack systems or other elevated pallet drop areas where employees work, those openings must have safety gates that secure the area and provide fall protection for both employees and products. Doors and openings on the upper levels must be guarded to prevent falls. Guarding under overhead conveyors also prevents product from falling into work areas. An annual safety audit can be the difference in preventing injuries to employees working in your facility. WMHS

A checklist can be downloaded free of charge from the Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (https://www.mhi.org/progma). Visitors can also find a wide number of resources including a protective guarding search tool, videos and case studies. To access the free ProGMA facility safety checklist, go to: https://www.mhi.org/downloads/industrygroups/progma/Protective-Guarding-Checklist.pdf