Supervise the safe stacking of timber and board materials
Overview
This standard covers the skills and knowledge required to supervise the safe stacking of round timber, sawn timber and board materials.
It includes:
- Accident prevention
- Safe stacking
- Stability of stacks
- Access to stacks
- Location management
This standard is aimed at supervisors and managers.
Because timber and board materials are heavy, when accidents occur they tend to be serious. Falling timber-based materials are one of the main causes of fatalities and serious accidents within the woodworking industry. Despite this, the risks posed by stacked timber are often not fully appreciated. Stacked timber is often given less attention than other more obvious risks such as those from machinery. A high proportion of falling timber-based material accidents involve propped up boards or doors. Injuries occur when the mass of boards or doors topple over as an attempt is made to withdraw a single board or door.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- conduct a risk assessment covering the relevant health and safety regulations and legislation
- devise safe working practices for the safe stacking of timber and board materials following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check stacking/storage areas are organised with racking systems health and safety regulations and legislation
- check safe stacking and unstacking procedures are followed at all times health and safety regulations and legislation
- locate storage areas away from pedestrian and vehicle routes following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check appropriate machinery and equipment is used to stack and unstack timber and board following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check that stacks are stable and packed following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check access to packs is carried out safely following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check rebuilding of stacks is carried out following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check stack height and quality meets health and safety regulations and legislation
- check packs are banded health and safety regulations and legislation
- check ground conditions meet health and safety regulations and legislation
- check bearers and separating sticks meet health and safety regulations and legislation
- check site layout meets health and safety regulations and legislation
- check precautions are taken to avoid public access following health and safety regulations and legislation
- check all personnel use required personal protective equipment following health and safety regulations and legislation
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- relevant health and safety legislation and regulations
- risk assessment process
- safe working practices for safe stacking
- requirements for safe storage/stacking areas
- location requirements
- machinery and equipment used
- stability requirements
- access requirements
- rebuilding process
- height and quality requirements
- ground conditions
- banding requirements
- bearing and separating stick requirements
- site layout requirements
- public access precautions
- personal protective equipment used