Safe material handling and storage is essential for many businesses, and construction companies are not exempt. Some materials found on a construction site are poisonous and others contain flammable gases. Coming into contact with these materials can leave you seriously injured or even killed.
Furthermore, when exposed to different climatic conditions, some construction materials may lose their usefulness. This is why it is necessary to develop some effective strategies to help you avoid these accidents.
Therefore, if you want to keep your building materials safe and maintain their usefulness, it would be beneficial to read this article because you will learn simple yet effective strategies. When implemented correctly, they can help you handle and store building materials properly. Read.
Definition of material handling and storage
Material handling is the process of moving, protecting, storing and controlling materials throughout the construction process. It includes the steps taken in handling construction materials, from delivery to the construction site to disposal. On the other hand, material storage is a subsection of the handling process. It involves keeping building materials in a safe place until they are needed during the construction process.
Material handling and storage can be facilitated by using forklifts to help with movement and using polypropylene (PP) bags to cover them. Woven polypropylene bags help ensure materials are easy to handle. They also act as a safeguard for building materials against changing weather conditions.
However, for pp fabric bags to serve you best, they must be of the highest quality. This is why you need to partner with a reputable pp woven bag manufacturer company for supplying high-quality woven bags. Using high-quality bags is one of the best ways to ensure you get the best value for your money. This becomes possible because they can serve you for as long as possible.
Handle and store construction materials with care
To ensure safety when dealing with construction materials, it is necessary to establish some policies and procedures for everyone on the construction site to follow. Proper implementation of these policies ensures that both workers and materials remain safe throughout the construction process.
For proper handling and storage of construction materials, employ the following strategies:
1. Train your workers
As noted earlier, there are many risks involved in handling and storing materials, and some of them are dangerous and can cause harm to workers. However, training your workers on best practices can help eliminate some of the risks and hazards involved.
Therefore, before starting the construction process, it would be helpful to have safety training programs in place to ensure that workers are equipped with sufficient knowledge about handling all materials on the construction site.
Furthermore, worker training must be an ongoing process and any new employee recruited must be trained before starting their duties. Training allows workers to know how to handle and store materials. This allows construction materials to maintain their usefulness and prevents workers from getting injured.
2. Store similar materials together
Some building materials and chemicals can react with each other when placed together. For example, some are highly flammable and can react with each other. This represents a danger for both workers and the material itself.
When fire consumes building materials, it attracts more costs to your construction project as you will be forced to return to the workshop to replace those lost. This is why it is necessary to store materials and chemicals in different locations.
3. Properly dispose of waste construction materials
Sometimes disposing of waste construction materials can be stressful and tiring. One of the best ways to manage your construction waste is to ensure it doesn't go uncollected for too long.
When you do not dispose of waste in time, it can interfere with the smooth running of the construction process. They can also injure your workers. This is why it would be helpful to have measures in place to help properly dispose of waste construction materials.
When developing your construction waste management and disposal strategies, be sure to identify who is responsible and how they will dispose of the waste. Additionally, it would be helpful to train construction waste handlers to ensure they are safe.
4. Choose storage space
The quality of most construction materials can be affected by various weather conditions. Therefore, to ensure that their quality is maintained, it would be helpful to store them at room temperature and cover them carefully.
Additionally, it would be helpful to ensure that your building materials are not placed on bare ground. This ensures that they do not absorb moisture, which can affect their quality. Also, make sure not to place your building materials in uneven areas as some building materials are fragile and can break easily.
5. Know each storage weight limit
Each building material has its storage weight limit, which is usually indicated on its outer cover. Failure to do so can pose a great risk to workers, as these materials can easily fall. It can also cause some materials to break. You can avoid this by following recommended weight limits.
6. Consider the safety of your construction site
Most building materials are expensive and if lost, you will spend a substantial amount of money to replace them. That's why you need to ensure your construction site is protected from thieves and other intruders.
If your construction site is unsafe, you may consider storing your construction materials in a different location where security is tight. And if you have to store your construction materials at the work site, it would be helpful to implement security measures like installing CCTV cameras to keep an eye on your materials.
Despite this, you can ensure that no worker can enter the construction site outside of working hours. This ensures that workers do not steal from you or collaborate with others to steal from you.
