Failure to Secure Palletized Products
Securing palletized products is essential to ensuring workplace safety, especially in environments where pallets are frequently moved, lifted, or transported.
Unsecured Load
Improperly secured products not only pose risks to workers but can also result in equipment damage and product loss. OSHA recognizes the dangers associated with unsecured loads and enforces standards to mitigate these hazards, emphasizing the need for stability and proper arrangement during handling and transport.
- Hazards: Poorly secured products may shift or fall during handling or transportation, endangering workers. Shifting loads can cause instability, leading to forklift tip-overs or falling products.
- Related Standards: OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(6) requires stable and properly arranged loads for forklifts.
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Examples:
- A palletized load of bottled beverages is loosely shrink-wrapped, causing bottles to fall when the pallet is moved by a forklift.
- A pallet carrying loose cartons of electronic devices shifts during transit, resulting in damaged goods and injuries to employees unloading the truck.
- During an inspection, OSHA finds that workers are handling pallets of unsecured items, leading to fines and mandatory safety training.
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1-3. What does OSHA emphasize when handling and transporting pallets?
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