An Important Safety Reminder — Better Off Safe Than Sorry!

T h e H o r t o n G r o u p

WALKBOARD SAFETY

07SAFETY TIP

By Dave Valentine, Vice President, Network Safety Consultants

In order to prevent back injury, movement or adjustments to thewalkboard should be a two-person procedure.

Verify that the surface of the walkboard is covered with non-skidmaterial, and report any deficiencies or problems to your supervisor.

Keep all materials away from the top and bottom landing areas of thewalkboard to help prevent slip, trip and fall incidents.

The walkboard is a specialized piece of equipment for the moving and storage industry that is crucial for productivity, efficiency and employeesafety.

Proper storage of the walkboard prevents it from being damaged in transit,which is often overlooked as a safety measure. There are plenty of good reasons why a walkboard should be thoroughly inspected for problemsbefore every use. The walkboard could have easily been damaged during itslast utilization or when in transit between locations. When performing asafety check, always verify that the surface of the walkboard is still coveredwith non-skid material, and report any deficiencies or problems to yoursupervisor immediately.

A walkboard’s weight and awkwardness in size must be taken into consideration when moving and properly placing the unit in position. Inorder to prevent back injury, movement or adjustments to the walkboardshould be a two-person procedure. Extra precaution should be taken whenhandling the walkboard during inclement or blustery weather – it is saferfor two people to maneuver a walkboard should it be affected by heavy winds.

Always make certain that the walkboard is attached securely to the trailer or truck-bed. It is wise to double-check that the walkboard is in the properposition before its use. The entire apron surface of the walkboard shouldrest firmly on the tongue of the trailer. The base of the walkboard should bepositioned firmly on a level surface to test its stability before actually usingit for loading and unloading.

Keep all materials away from the top and bottom landing areas of the walkboard to help prevent slip, trip and fall incidents. Remember, thereshould never be any running or jumping off the side of the walkboard, norshould anyone ever jump off the back of the trailer or truck.

It is vital to verify the weight capacity of the walkboard and to not exceedthat capacity – not even once. The unfortunate results of overloading awalkboard are chronicled in far too many accident reports.

The information and suggestions contained in this bulletin have been developed from sources believed to be reliable. This document provides general information about a health or safety topic. The information is intended for use in facilitatingsafety discussions with employees about loss control and safety prevention. It is not intended to address every OSHA , state or local requirement related to the document and its information. The Horton Group accepts no legal responsibility forthe correctness or completeness of this material or its application to specific factual situations. This document is for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice. Questions about this material should be directed to The Horton Group’s Risk Management Services division at www.thehortongroup.com

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