Safety Tips & Information

Safety Tips & Information from
Nee Safety Training Courses Galway, Mayo , Ireland

Forklift Operation Safety Tips Galway Mayo

Safety Tips & Safety Information.

Welcome, and thank you for visiting my website. the aim of this page is to provide you with a few safety tips / information, so whether your at home doing some DIY or your working in industry, retail, etc, hopefully you will find these safety tips useful.
I plan to add some safety tips on a regular basis, so call back at anytime to keep updated....

Forklift Operation Safety Tips

Here are jus a few safety tips to keep in mind when operating a forklift, all operators of forklifts are required by law to have undergone formal training, which identifies all risks that a forklift operators may encounter.

We now live in a time where you can order anything online and it will arrive at your door step within a few hours or days ( for this to happen warehouses are busier than ever, so warehouse floor space is very valuable, ware houses are stocking higher and closer to avail of every inch of space.

This puts increses pressure on forklift operators, as they have to drive and operate in very tight areas, ensuring their safety, safety of others and avoiding damage to stock.

Here are a few Tips to keep you safe:

Carry out a pre use check, ensure the forklift is safe for use.

Keep it Slow and Keep it Low.
( Drive in a controlled manner avoiding speed and keep the load low to the ground to keep your centre of balance stable )

Always use three points of contact when mounting and dismounting the forklift.

Always wear your seat belt

Always look in the direction of travel, ( when going forward look forward, when going backwards look back )

Never carry passengers

Never use the forklift to lift people ( MEWPS are the prefered was to lift people )

You must know your forklift, know its limitations, what weight it can carry safely ( never overload, read the manufactures operators book before operating )

Ensure the data plate is installed on the forklift, ( this will give you your height, weight, load centres, and what attachments are approved for your forklift )

Never operate a forklift with your limbs outside the cab or safety frame.

Never travel with a raised load. If you can't see where your driving, driven in reverse or get a watch out person.

Avoid putting yourself in a situation where the forklift may tip-over.
( Avoid tip-over by: Not speeding, keeping the load low, not turning with a raised load, avoid driving on uneven ground, inclines, kerbs, sharp sudden steering, etc. )
In the event of a tip-over,
Lean in the opposite direction of the tip-over,
Brace yourself: hold the steering wheel tight and brace feet to floor
Stay in the seat, DO NOT JUMP

Always face the load up hill

Never travel across and incline

Watch out for end swing

Watch out for pedestrians ( they have right of way )

Give several short beeps when approaching blind corners

Check you load, is it secure, is the pallet in good condition,

Check the racking, is it in good condition, any damage, what is the load rating on the racking.

Always keep a minimum of 3 forklift truck lengths between forklifts. ( if ground conditions are wet, icy, a further distance is needed due to braking conditions )

When parking, ensure you dont block emergency exits, fire points, etc.

Always remove the key when parking, this is to prevent untrained people using the forklift

Report any known defect, so it can be repaired before further operations.

All forklift operators must be trained, and be issued with a written authorisation.

There are just some of the safety tips, book an Accredited RTITB Forklift Training Course with us, we would be delighted to see you on a course in the near future.



Abrasive Wheels

What do Angle Grinders/ Consaws / Bench Grinders all have in common ?
They all have abrasive wheels fitted

What is an abrasive Wheel ?
An Abrasive wheel is a cutting implement which is made up of abrasive grain which is bonded together. Abrasive wheels come in all shapes and sizes, some are used for cutting and more are used for grinding and polishing, some wheels are designed to cut metal / steel and others are designed to cut stone, more are designed for grinding operations.

When buying an abrasive wheel there are a few things you need to know:

What am I going to cut ? Metal / Stone or am I going to be grinding
What kind of finish do I need? Do I need a fine finish or course finish
What size is my grinder ( machine ) ? What diameter disc will fit the machine with the guard in place.
What speed rating will the disc need to be ?
What is the expiry date on the disc ?
Have I got the correct eye protection / face protection ( PPE ) ?

As you can see from the disc / abrasive wheel to the right, this disk is for cutting metal, the disc part number for cutting metal would start with the letter A Aluminium Oxide ( the letter A indicates that the disc is designed to cut steel / metal )

If the disc had a part number beginning with the letter C Silicon Carbide, the disc would be for cutting stone / concrete ( the disk may have stone printed on it )

The disc part number can tell you a lot of information, such as the material it is designed to cut, ( metal or stone ) the size of the abrasive grain ( course cut, fine cut or polishing ) the bond ( the strength of the bond holding the abrasive grain together )

A typical abrasive wheel part number would be A 24 S BF
A = Aluminium Oxide           = Metal
24= Grain Size                      = Coarse
S= Grade / hardness         = Medium / Hard
BF= Resinoid Reinforced

You must know the diameter of the disc that fits your grinder, disc come in all shapes and sizes ( remember the smaller the diameter of the disc the higher the RPM ) eg a 12'' inch disc may be rated at 5500 rpm, a 6'' inch disc may be rated at double that speed 11,ooo or 12,oo0 rpm. You must know the max speed of your machine and ensure the disc is capable of a higher RPM that the machine.
All discs have the max operating RPM wrote on them, and a speed stripes eg Red speed strip indicated the disc rotates at 80 m/s ( meters per second )
All grinder have a data plate, this indicated the max RPM of the grinder

Never use a grinder with the guard removed, the guard is there to protect you. It acts as protection to keep the abrasive wheel ( disc ) that's rotating at thousands of RPM away from you. It deflects the sparks ( which are steel or stone particles, particles of abrasive grain and bond particles ) away from you and it will contain / deflect the disc fragments away form you in the event of a disc exploding.

Discs have an expiry date, you will find the expiry date stamped on the steel ring in the centre of the disc, Never use a disc which has expired, never buy a disc which has expired ) would you buy a pint of milk that's expired to have with your tea or coffee? No
Why would you buy an expired disc that maybe rotating at thousands of RPM within inches of your body !

Always were PPE personal protective equipment when operating an abrasive wheel, eye and face protection is vital. The recommended grade of eye protection / face protection is EN 166B standard

Remember to risk asses before cutting / grinding, ensure there is no fuel ( petrol / solvents that are flammable around or bins full of paper ) ensure there is no other people around that may get injured. ( do I need a hot work permit ? )

For further information on the use of abrasive wheels, training coursers are available thought Galway / Mayo and nationwide.

Manual Handling Safety Tips Training Courses in Galway Mayo.

What is manual Handling ?

Manual Handling is done by everyone on a daily basis, whatever you role in the workplace is, Manual handling is Pushing, Pulling, Lifting, Putting Down, Carrying and Moving a load.
Lots of people link manual handling to people working in warehouses, construction, industrial workplaces ( were people are Pushing, Pulling, Lifting, Putting Down, Carrying and Moving heavy loads ) and this is correct but it also effects people working in shops, farming, ground-works , offices, people on production lines carrying out repetitive tasks, the list is endless.

The key thing to remember about manual handling is the load doesn't necessarily have to be heavy to cause an injury ( e.g ) If you work in a office and you need to pick up a small bale of photocopying paper to put in the photocopier you could injury yourself and be out of work for a few days or weeks with a back injury.

Manual handling is a life skill, you are carrying out manual handling tasks all day everyday even outside of work, when your shopping, when you pushing the trolley, when your lifting the shopping bag into the car, when you lifting or carrying a child, when you putting a child into a car seat, when your hovering, when your gardening, etc.
By taking the skills you learn at a manual handling course and adapting them in you home life will reduce the chances of injury.

Why must employees , employers and self employed people attend manual handling?

Almost 35 % of work place accidents result from manual handling activities, were people may lift incorrectly , they may miss judge the load and environment. Manual handling injuries are not necessarily always to the back or spine, the injuries can be to your neck, feet, knees, toes, hands, fingers, shoulders, etc.
The Health and Safety Authority recommend that employees , employers and self employed people wheatear fulltime / part-time or new to an organisation accomplish manual handling training on a regular basis normally every three years or sooner if there is a change in work practices / procedures or if there is any increased risk to the individuals.

Correct Lifting , is a natural skill
If you every see toddlers picking something up off the floor you'll see that keep their back straight they bend their knees and lift the item using the power of their legs.. they lift correctly from when they can walk, but as they get older the pick up bad habits from looking at their parents, siblings, etc, lifting incorrectly ( bending or stooping forward to pick something up )

Back Care
Your spine is very strong, your spine gives you posture, it supports your upped body, it protects your spinal cord, it allows for movement, its made up of vertebrae and discs.                                Each vertebrae is separated by discs,( intervertebral ) the discs act like shock absorbers, discs have poor blood supply and poor nerve supply ( which mean they wont repair themselves and you could be damaging them unknown to yourself )
Ligaments theses connect bone to bone, Tendons these attach muscles to bone.

Manual handling training will give you an understanding of how to protect your back, to minimise injuries on your discs, ligaments, tendons, muscles, etc.
Good posture is vital for back care.

The term TILE is used in manual handling, T.I.L.E. stands for

T: Task
I : Individual
L: load
E; Environment

The TASK : What movements and body postures put pressure on the back ? ( what do I have to lift, push, pull, carry, move, put down, where do I have to put it ? )

The INDIVIDUAL: What characteristics of a person make them more at risk? Am I able to lift, push, pull, carry, move, put down, the load, do I need help ?

The LOAD: What characteristics of the load increase the risk? is the load to heavy, to bulky, is the load hot / cold is it unstable, is the hazardous ?

The ENVIORMENT: What aspects of the environment will increase the risk? Is there adequate lighting, is there trip hazards, is the floor uneven, wet, slippery, etc.

Remember you must risk assess, before preforming a manual handling task, if possible eliminate the risk by using a mechanical aid such as a trolley, forklift, conveyer, etc.
Ensure YOU can preform the task, only you know your limitations, you know what you can lift, push, pull, carry, move, put down.

For further information on Manual Handling training coursers are available thought Galway / Mayo and nationwide call today.

Nee Safety Training , Rosmuc, Connemara, Co Galway Ireland Tel 087 4384582

Always use 3 points of contact for mounting and dismounting

Always have load facing uphill where possible

Never Jump in the event of a tip over, lean away from tip-over, brace by holding steering wheel and feet firm on the floor.

Traveling tips

Know your height

Get training ( its the law )

You must know all the possible dangers around you

This is a metal disc, it may have '' Metal'' wrote on it.. but to be certain it will have the letter '' A'' at the start of the part number.

If for Stone / Concrete it will have the letter ''C'' at the start of the part number