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In Boston a worker who was on the job for only two weeks was killed when asked to brace himself up against some slabs while his co-workers removed another slab.
In Tallahassee, Fla., a 7-year-old boy was killed when several A-frames fell on him while his parents were looking for granite for their new home.
In Livingston, N.J., a truck driver was severely injured when asked to help hold some slabs while they were being unloaded.
In Calgary, Alberta,Canada, a 53-year-old man received pelvic and arm injuries when a granite slab fell on him.
In New Jersey a 48-year-old man was crushed to death by a falling 700-lb. slab of granite.
In Mercer Island, Wash., a 22-year-old man was killed when several slabs fell off a forklift and hit him in the head.
These are just a few incidents involving improper handling of stone that have been reported. As more and more stone fabrication shops open up, the rate of accidents are also on the increase. OSHA has recently released some guidelines for handling and storing these heavy slabs. (Guidelines can be downloaded at surfacefabrication.com/online/fabricator_section.jsp.) Trade organizations, such as the Marble Institute of America, have also begun to address these issues, but unfortunately this information is not popularly known amongst the thousands of fabrication shops throughout out the United States and Canada.
The following are some guidelines I recommend to avoid these injuries and deaths in and around the stone shop.
Delivery
Proper handling of stone slabs starts long before you receive any slabs. There are numerous tasks that need to be completed before you can consider unloading, storing and accepting slabs in your yard or shop.
Forklifts
In order to unload and move slabs around your shop and yard, you will need a forklift that is capable of lifting and moving these heavy pieces of stone. A single stone slab can weight up to 1,000 lbs. I would recommend that you rent or purchase a forklift that will lift a minimum of 5 tons. Why such a big forklift? The slab only weighs ½ ton. Forklifts are rated at how much they can lift while the forks are on the ground. This means as the slab is lifted, the capacity that the forklift can lift decreases. If you're going to lift a slab up and over another slab, off a truck or onto a table, you will need a forklift that can handle this weight.
Here are some additional tips for forklift safety:
- All forklift operators should be certified in forklift safety training. Training is available from many forklift dealers and independent safety companies.
- Your forklift should be equipped with a fire extinguisher and a seat belt.
- You should perform a forklift safety check everyday. Walk around the forklift and check the following: tire damage and proper inflation, and check the mast to make sure the chains are in good shape, the rollers aren't overly worn, the hydraulic hoses aren't leaking and that the mast is straight.
Slab Storage
It absolutely amazes me how many shops do not store slabs safely. There are more accidents from improper storage than anything else. There are several ways to store slabs, including an A-frame or a vertical storage rack.
A-frames
The following are some requirements when storing slabs using A-frames:
- Frames should be constructed so the slabs rest at an angle to prevent tipping over.
- Slabs should be strapped to the A-frame and secured.
- It is highly recommend that the A-frames be anchored and fixed.
- The maximum load capacity of each A-frame should be marked and displayed.
- The A-frames should be spaced so that removal of slabs can be accomplished without hitting other A-frames.
- Slabs should be stored on A-frames evenly.
- A-frames should be inspected daily for cracked structural members, deformed or bent structural members, splits in wooden supports and cracked welds.
Slab Handling Equipment
There are many devices available today for lifting and moving slabs. One very common method is the overhead bridge or gantry crane, which is a crane that travels along a track to allow slabs to be moved around an indoor storage area. The following is a brief description of some additional methodologies.
Clamps: The clamping device is probably the most popular device for lifting slabs. The device works by pinching the slab as it is being lifted. These clamps are designed to lift one slab at a time. I have seen shops try to lift two or more and this is a major mistake. Care must be taken to inspect the clamp for wear and at no time should any person be under the slab as it is being lifted or moved — I have seen weak slabs break. These clamps are available in various lifting capacities. There are also several variations of these clamps including the scissor clamp.
Vacuum lifters: A little more expensive than standard clamps, these lifting devices use suction cups that are powered by a vacuum pump that is mounted to a forklift. These lifters are great if you don't have a tilting table because they allow you to set the stone down flat on a table. Make sure you buy the proper lifter for the type of stone you are handling. Some vacuums will not work on honed or flamed stone. Also be careful when the stone is wet because the suction cups may fail. Many lifters now come with alarms that will alert you when a cup is about to fail.
Both the vacuum lifter and the clamps can be mounted to a forklift boom or an overhead or jib crane. When purchasing a boom for your forklift, make sure it is rated and there is a sticker on it that lists the capacity. This is required by OSHA.
Hand-held lifters: If you have a lot of muscle around the shop, there are also devices for moving a slab or smaller pieces of stone by hand, such as hand-held vacuum cups. There are also various carts and dollies made for moving stone around the shop. However, make sure they are rated for the correct weight and meet safety standards.
Regardless of the type of equipment you use to move slabs, be sure that safety is first. Make sure to abide by all OSHA requirements and make sure all equipment is inspected daily.
Resources
There are a number of additional resources available on safety when handling slabs, such as www.ntc-stone.com's OSHA safety training and guardian angel program; www.OSHA.gov; www.marble-institute.com's safety videos; www.surfacefabrication.com; and www.forkliftsafety.com's forklift training information.
About the author:
Frederick M. Hueston runs the National Training Center for Stone & Masonry Trades, Asheville, NC 28806; www.ntc-stone.com; and can be reached at Fhueston@aol.com.
author: By Fredrick M. Hueston