Safety Meeting Toolbox Topics and Tailgate Talks
Webster defines a pallet as a "support for freight." As a support, it has the potential to take a lot of abuse. A lot of old pallets are never discarded when they should be. They are stacked in a corner and not used except as a last resort when there are no good ones left. Too many times we hear that a pallet has broken and the freight has fallen to the floor.
Material handling accounts for about one quarter of all occupational injuries; the most common injuries being strains, sprains and contusions. The principal causes of the injuries are the mishaps resulting from improper lifting, failing to use available equipment and unsafe work practices.
One of the best ways to avoid suffering a muscle strain or sprain is to use a hand truck. The use of this tool also increases productivity and lessens the chance of dropping and damaging merchandise. Although hand trucks appear to be fairly simple devices, users must remember a few basic safety procedures.