In an ideal world it would be easy and perfectly safe to get accurate stockpile measurements.
There would be no traffic hazards, no site distractions, workers would have great visibility and the ability to hear clearly, stockpiles would be easy to reach and walk around, and of course the sky would always be blue.
Of course, there is no ‘ideal’ worksite or environment. Construction sites, quarries and other work zones are noisy, busy, and congested areas. Spring and summer weather include lightning, hail, heavy rain and wind. Stockpiles are usually irregularly shaped and located on uneven, rocky or sloped ground. Often there are access challenges or obstructions around the piles.
The construction industry is the most dangerous industry. Nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites across the nation on any given day. The leading safety hazards on site are falls from height, motor vehicle crashes, excavation accidents, electrocution, machines, and being struck by falling objects.
In the United States, The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have developed safety requirements to help prevent injury and accidents.
OSHA’s New Initiative: A Focus on Temporary Employees
Host employers now have primary responsibility for employees at their worksites, including ensuring that hazards in the workplace are communicated to the temporary employees independent contractors. Employees must receive specific safety training that is tailored to the workplace.
Stockpile Safety Steps
To keep employees safe when working around, and with stockpiles and highwalls, MSHA offers five best practices:
- Be aware of overhanging material when loading from stockpiles and highwalls.
- Stay back from the edge and build a berm.
- Stay clear of draw points above surge tunnels.
- Always scale the highwall back.
- Never place yourself between the equipment and the stockpile or highwall.
Construction and Safety Tips
Here are a few reminders of how to reduce risk on-site. They include:
- Always wear appropriate protective equipment: use hard hats, eye protection, and protective footwear
- Only use the appropriate tool for a specific task.
- Reduce your risk of strain and of falling by practicing good posture and balance at all times.
- When operating tools, vehicles, or other heavy machinery, be vigilant for your own safety and that of the people surrounding you.
- Stay alert, and look where you are walking
- Observe speed limits
More great tips and information can be found here from the Compliance and Safety website. State mining organizations, associations and societies resources can be located online here. Another great resource with domestic and international safety links is on the Construction Site Safety Wikipedia site.
The Stockpile Reports system can help you reduce risk. Safety benefits include:
- Promote Employee Safety and MSHA Regulatory Compliance: Collect stockpile data by walking around stockpiles while using an iPhone. Use Site Reports to plan, position and manage stockpiles more safely.
- Increase Productivity: Collect data for each construction aggregates stockpile in minutes. Reduce employee exposure to hazardous conditions.
- Greater Consistency: Collect stockpile data using best-practice processes at every mining, quarrying, rock crushing and aggregates distribution location, every time.
The benefits cut across the entire company:
- Quarry managers and plant supervisors who want to safely optimize the profit performance of their mining, quarrying and rock crushing operations.
- CFOs who want to increase inventory turns of construction aggregates while decreasing operating expenses and risk.
- Construction aggregates sales managers who want to sell every ton of inventory while decreasing stock-outs.
Stockpile Reports’ benefits add up to better decision-making with lower risk, faster inventory turns and lower operating expenses. Contact us to find out how your business can benefit from utilizing our service today.