The Sam Carbis Solutions Group Safety Blog

When your employees load and unload ISO containers at your facility, workplace safety is a top concern. Without the proper safety equipment, workers are at risk of serious incidents that may cause injuries or even fatalities. In blogs one and two of this three-part series, we highlighted specific isotainer safety challenges, including a wide variety of ISO container configurations and a lack of standard safety protocols. In the final blog of this series, we offer safety solutions to help your company protect employees who load and unload ISO containers: Incorporate An Elevating Platform With all the possible configurations and loading scenarios your workers could encounter when handling ISO containers, it’s unlikely your existing loading platforms and other safety equipment have the flexibility to provide safe access in all situations. Railings and safety platforms provide protection from some types of falls, but most loading platforms aren’t able to prevent workers from falling t...

In the 1990s, ISO containers were fairly rare, outside of coastal areas. With the rise of global corporations and international shipping, they have become a common solution for industrial transportation. Once used primarily to transport chemicals overseas to Singapore, China and other destinations, fleets of isotainers and seatainers now supply many facilities within the United States. The growing popularity of ISO containers also presents new industrial safety challenges for companies and their workers. That means it’s more important than ever to provide safe access for loading and unloading this equipment. In blog two of this three-part series, learn more about a critical workplace safety concern associated with handling isotainers: Undefined Loading And Unloading Procedures On the most basic level, loading and unloading ISO containers sounds straightforward. Specially made forklifts move ISO containers to the loading area, where large cranes move them and stack them onto ship...

If your company has taken safety precautions against workplace accidents, it is disconcerting when your workers experience close calls. Employees who fall and injure themselves are likely to miss work for a period of time, or even worse, become disabled. Safety precautions you implemented in the past are not always sufficient when your work environment changes. You need to continually assess, set goals and seek guidance on your workplace safety strategy. The following three best practices help you minimize the risk of dangerous falls at your facility: 1. Assess Your Site’s Current Fall Prevention Capabilities The first step toward building a culture of workplace safety is conducting an honest evaluation of your current fall prevention measures. Ask an impartial expert at your company or an outside advisor to identify the following aspects of your work site: Safety equipment that is currently in place Shortcomings of your equipment, such as a safety cage that makes completing a tas...

Taking a proactive approach to marine safety not only protects your workers from potentially serious accidents, but it also reduces risks for your company, protecting you from costly damages and penalties. Here’s just one example of how a lack of appropriate safety equipment contributed to a tragic accident: A group of four employees was unloading scrap steel from a barge, and needed to release the mooring lines and reposition the vessel to complete the task. One worker climbed up a concrete barricade on the floating dock and attempted to mount the barge. She was halfway across when the barge drifted away from the dock, creating a gap. Her coworkers tried to catch her, but she fell headfirst into the water. The worker was wearing a personal flotation device when she fell into the water. But before she could be rescued, the barge drifted back against the dock, crushing and killing her. According to the OSHA report, the employer was responsible for several factors that contributed to ...

Workplace accidents reduce productivity and can cause injuries that cost more than just missed time. The company's bottom line is impacted by worker's compensation, lawsuits, OSHA violations and fines, and other issues. When appropriate safety procedures aren't implemented, incidents involving flatbed truck loading and unloading hazards continue to occur.  Part of the safety solution might be putting in place a strict set of flatbed tarping practices. Manuals, training, and operating procedures are all excellent resources, but without the right safety gear, a task cannot be completed safely or effectively. If you use flatbeds in your operation, let's quickly review methods to lower the number of accidents that occur on the job site. 1. IDENTIFYING THE ISSUE A truck with an open flatbed without walls or sides on which freight is transported is referred to as a "flatbed truck." These are enormous vehicles with a gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds when fully...

  Falling employees cost companies billions in lost workdays. OSHA requires that any workplace that involves altitude to implement precautionary measures as soon as possible. If a fall hazard cannot be removed entirely, passive systems like guardrails and safety nets provide the next best option to ensure workers remain safe. These devices don't require interaction from workers themselves and are always ready to protect against falls. 1. No Harness or PPE Required Falls are one of the leading causes of fatal construction injuries. Even when workers wear PPE, falls can still result in serious work-related injuries and lost time for all concerned parties. Movement around a worksite is key to worker safety and health, so providing a safe work environment begins with conducting a comprehensive risk analysis and creating appropriate protocols. Employing passive fall protection plans is essential to workplace safety protocols, with passive systems like guardrails and safety netting helpi...