The Sam Carbis Solutions Group Safety Blog

There are a great many factors that go into planning a fall protection solution for your truck or rail loading spot.  The time spent planning cuts down on costly delays and expensive rework later. Before getting into the weeds of your project, here are a few top level issues to consider: Weather – Will the vehicle have to be accessed in all kinds of weather? High wind, snow, ice, rain, etc. can make moving products more hazardous and can potentially damage product.  Do you need a canopy structure to protect your operators and products? Time of Day – Will the site be supervised late at night? This is especially important with harnesses and lanyards as the act of hanging from a harness can cause irreparable harm or death. Is there adequate lighting for night work? Is there adequate shade for work on bright days? Frequency of Use – High frequency of use could dictate different types of equipment. A spot used infrequently could, potentially, even use a portable system....

In 2014, 4,679 workers in the United States were killed on the job . To avoid potential workplace accidents and liability, your company should develop an industrial safety plan to help prevent injuries and fatalities. When you make the safety of your workforce a priority, it’s important for your safety equipment to function as a cohesive system. Loading arms and access equipment purchased from different vendors may not always integrate for adequate fall prevention. Sam Carbis Solutions Group is the only safety equipment provider in North America that designs and sources both access equipment and loading arms. These two moving pieces of equipment are engineered to work together without interference. Purchase An Integrated Solution From One Provider When you choose a single manufacturer for your safety solution needs, you are able to reach out to one contact when you experience issues with your equipment. Since your provider designs, manufactures and integrates equipment in-house, c...

When it comes to the important things, like health and safety, you want someone with the knowledge and expertise to help cut through the sales and marketing noise and gain clarity around what is most productive.  There are a lot of companies out there that manufacture fall protection equipment. At first glance, it may appear they are fairly equal in terms of the products they sell. But when you do a deeper dive, how many are focused on the bigger picture and the many factors necessary to ensure a safer work environment? Topping the lists are: The right equipment Proper training Regular maintenance Having developed solutions for truck, rail, and marine applications around the world, Sam Carbis Solutions Group has encountered every challenge imaginable. Through our experience, we have learned to quickly assess what is important and identify the most effective solution for a company’s individual situation. The Best Solution The firm asked Sam Carbis Solutions Group to de...

4 Questions and 3 Answers to Help with Your Marine Safety  Ensuring worker safety can be challenging in any environment. Marine operations present a unique set of challenges , with constant motion, changing tides, and varying vessel sizes and configurations. Whether accessing ships from a dock or loading chemical or petroleum barges, workers must deal with a lot of moving parts, heavy equipment, and changing weather conditions. Potential hazards can lead to a dangerous situation, such as a worker or crew member falling—with the risk of drowning, being carried away by the current, or becoming trapped between the dock and the ship. In addition to causing tragic and unnecessary suffering, accidents are costly and can result in reduced productivity, workers’ compensation costs, and OSHA fines. Protecting workers requires a proactive approach to marine safety. A comprehensive marine safety solution , tailored to your specific operations and work environment, is essential to keeping w...

Customers often come to us with a “simple” request: a new gangway, loading arm, or safety platform, for example. Safety involves many factors, so rather than merely taking payment and shipping out a product, we often ask a lot of questions. By learning more about how the product will be used, we can ensure that our customers get the right equipment in place to keep them operating at maximum efficiency. As Long As it Does the Job, Right? Most of us have, at some point, used the wrong tool for the job. For example, butter knives seem to be the universal substitute for screwdrivers. Unfortunately, the price of using the wrong tool for the job at work can cost a lot more than just a drawer full of bent cutlery.  Making sure you have the right tool is our job. The Sam Carbis Solutions Group team asks the tough—and vital—questions: Have loading patterns changed? Has equipment been maintained regularly? Have employees been properly trained? On the surface, it may seem that orderi...

Managers worth their salt are always looking out for their company’s best interests, seeking the best solutions to operational challenges to keep products flowing and workers safe. While fiscal responsibility is important, the least expensive “solution” may end up being the least effective when it comes to ensuring worker safety—and can end up costing more in the long run. A petrochemical company recently asked Sam Carbis Solutions Group to provide a quote for an equipment upgrade on a loading rack. The upgrade was needed to accommodate additional product handling and switching from tank trucks to ISO containers. After submitting a proposal, we visited the company to talk about the parameters of the project and what else we could do to assist them. When we arrived, we encountered a challenge from the project manager, who questioned why we felt confident enough about obtaining their business to be onsite already. He indicated that our proposal was $10,000 higher than a competitive bid...

Implementing the right industrial safety measures is vital for protecting your workforce from serious accidents that may cause injuries and fatalities. While these consequences are reason enough to improve workplace safety, your company may also be held liable after an accident if your work site does not meet OSHA standards. Fall prevention equipment is a beneficial solution for companies that need a system to access the tops of truck and rail applications safely. Many loading racks are configurable for single or multiple hatches. Depending on your work site needs, you may choose a loading rack that incorporates a combination of the following elements: Platforms Gangways Pumps Valves Loading arms Metering While choosing to protect your workforce with safe loading racks is a simple way to improve workplace safety, designing your custom solution may be more complicated. Learn the three key factors to consider when designing your loading rack based on your company’s...

When it comes to shipping and receiving here in the US, workplace safety is of the utmost importance.  Continually improving the safety of the workplace ensures employees can safely and efficiently operate to the best of their abilities. Not only that, it improves speed and morale as well. One of the best ways to improve safety for your employees working at loading sites is to install a Redi Rack Loading Platform System to your work space. What is the Redi Rack System? Accessing the tops of trucks and rail cars can be a dangerous job if the right safety measures  haven't been taken. Slipping and falling from any height can result in irreparable harm and even death; that's why any and all safety measures must be taken. The Redi Rack Loading Platform System, from Sam Carbis Solutions Group, is in invaluable addition to any loading and unloading site. Top Benefits of a Redi Rack Loading Platform System: Safer work environment Easy access to the tops of trucks, rail cars, and liq...

Perfect for loading a variety of truck and rail car hatch configurations, tracking gangways are heavy-duty and maintenance-free making them an ideal part of your company's fall prevention plan. Gangways are an important part of a company’s fall prevention plan. They provide safety and efficiency when accessing trucks and rail cars. Gangways allow workers to walk safely from a loading platform across to the top of a tank truck or rail car. But what exactly is a tracking gangway and why would you need one? First of all, there are several types of gangways – flat ramp, telescoping and self-leveling staircase. There are also different gangway installation options including fold down, pivoting and tracking. Any of the above gangway models can be mounted on a track that will allow the gangway to roll from one horizontal location to another along the track. Tracking gangways are ideal for applications that take place along a horizontal range and require a variety of truck and hatch c...

Okay, you've purchased loading arms for your company so workers don't have to lug around heavy hoses causing injury and creating trip and fall hazards. But now what? In order to make the most of your new loading arms as far as efficiency and safety are concerned you may want to look at some accessories that can help. API Couplers API couplers make a safe connection between tank truck and loading arm. Using API couplers helps ensure the operation is secure before a worker starts the flow process. Safety features include assurance of a proper connection before the operation will begin. No disconnection will take place either if the valve is still open. This helps create a safer workplace and keeps the environment safe by preventing spills during connection and disconnection. API couplers can be used in the petrochemical industry when dry coupling is required. Constructed using aluminum alloy with hard coated surfaces in areas that are subject to wear. Viton® seals are easy to...