Pipe handling can be a very dangerous task due to pipe weight, length and the fact that they are round, allowing the load to roll. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, there were a large number of pipe-related fatalities. Many of these deaths involved loading and unloading pipe with forklifts. Pipe handling fatalities in FY 2018 had several causes, but they all demonstrate the inherent hazards of handling pipe and round stock. When handling pipe, the danger area includes the loading or unloading area, the path of travel, the destination and any area the pipe could travel if not controlled.
Pipe handling safety tips
• Train employees to recognize pipe hazards and understand safe pipe handling procedures before beginning work.
• Establish and discuss safe procedures before beginning work. Identify and control all hazards of the work to be performed, including the methods to properly protect people.
• Wear appropriate PPE, which may include but is not limited to steel-toed boots, a hard hat, safety glasses, a reflective vest and work gloves.
• Ground personnel should be highly visible, and unauthorized persons kept clear of the area. Ensure personnel are properly positioned and protected from hazards while performing each task.
• Examine work areas during the shift for hazards that may be created as a result of the work being performed.
• Ensure equipment operators such as forklift operators and crane operators are trained (and certified, if required) and familiar with the hazards of handling pipe.
• Ensure loads on trucks, forklifts and cranes are secured.
• Avoid parking under, or in close proximity to, overhead power lines.
• Use a properly trained spotter, and establish a means of communication, such as hand signals.
• Establish and identify a safety zone around the loading/unloading area. Ensure the area is clear of all personnel except those involved in the loading or unloading process.
• Ensure hitches and slings are in good condition and suitable for the material being handled.
• Don’t exceed the capacity of the equipment, material handling devices and rigging being used.
• Unload materials on level ground and in a safe, controlled manner. Turn off the truck, set the parking brake and use chocks to prevent movement during loading and unloading.
• If parking on a slope because a flat surface is unavailable, personnel should remain on the uphill side of the truck and trailer.
• Evaluate the stability of the material before unfastening a load. Pay particular attention to loads that may have shifted or become unstable during transport.
• Don’t get between the trailer and the forklift or load while loading or unloading.
• To prevent pipes from falling when the load is unfastened, you may need to install secondary supports such as side stakes of adequate height and strength before releasing tie-downs, or secure the pipes with the equipment being used to unload them, such as a forklift in place to prevent roll-off.
• Only unstrap the section or tier of pipe needed for off-loading. Unstrap the next tier once the top tier has been unloaded.
• The last strap released on a load or tier of pipe should be at the end of the truck, not the middle.
• Stand clear of items that may become off-balanced while being loaded or unloaded.
• Use tag lines of sufficient length to adequately protect persons and guide materials.
• Monitor personnel routinely to determine that safe work procedures are followed.
• Don’t work under a suspended load or pass loads over personnel.
• Ensure loads are centered on forks, and cranes or hoists are positioned directly over the load, to prevent unbalanced or swinging loads.
• Ensure pipe sections remain properly restrained throughout the loading, unloading and transporting process.
• Keep ground personnel clear of the truck (including all sides of the truck and trailer), as well as the load and equipment used to unload the pipes.
• No person should be on the backside of the loading or unloading operation except for the operator seated in the cab of the backstop forklift.
• Block pipes from rolling by using chocks or pipe cradles.
• Workers should not walk on pipes or pipe racks.
• Never put your feet or hands between pipe during loading or unloading.
• Don’t stand on the trailer or back of the truck while loading or unloading.
• Stack, block and secure materials in a manner that won’t create a hazard of falling materials.
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