Granite and Marble Slab Transport Poses Hazards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration earlier this month issued a bulletin to alert employers and employees to the hazards associated with transporting granite and marble rock slabs; remind employers that devices for transporting these materials need to be properly designed and maintained; and emphasize the importance of training employees in safe rock slab handling procedures.

Transported vertically on storage racks strapped to the bed of flatbed trucks, often on A-frame racks made of metal or wood, the rock slabs can vary in weight from hundreds to thousands of pounds, and can shift or fall when being unloaded.

A review of OSHA data confirms that there have been a number of injuries and fatalities associated with the handling and transporting of these slabs when workers are caught in between them or struck by them when they shift or fall. An average individual truck load can weigh between 30,000 and 40,000 pounds.

In many cases, the A-frame racks have not been designed to take into account the weight of the slabs or to prevent shifting of other slabs when another slab shifts during transport or is removed, the bulletin warns.

The restraining devices or tie-downs used to secure the slabs can also be a problem when they are removed if the frame has not been designed to prevent shifting. The slabs can also shift or fall if the restraining devices fail or have been improperly placed.

The OSHA bulletin advises that the following procedures will minimize the potential hazards to employees and truck drivers who may be involved in off-loading these slabs:

1. Design rock slab transportation devices to withstand the loads and forces that are imposed on them. If storage racks other than A-frames are used, they should be designed so that if one or more slabs shift or are moved, the other slabs will stay in place. This can be accomplished by designing individual compartments for each slab.
   
   
2. Effectively secure the storage racks to the truck.
   
   
3. Periodically inspect and properly maintain the storage racks.
   
   
4. Restraining devices and tie-downs, if used, should be properly applied and removed. The restraining devices and tie-downs should be inspected before being applied and prior to being removed. Restraining devices and tie-downs that do not pass inspection should be removed.
   
   
5. Implement correct loading procedures and follow all the safety related work-practices.
   
   
6. Train employees in the correct loading and unloading procedures and to identify fallen or shifted slabs that may present a hazard.
   
   
7. If employees use forklifts or other equipment to load and unload slabs, they must comply with relevant OSHA provisions.
   
   
8. Truck drivers should visually check the racks for any damage during transit.
   
   
9. Visitors and customers should be kept away from the area while slabs are being loaded or unloaded.
   

For more information, e-mail Rob Matuga at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8507.

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