SS100: Overview of Stone-Related Accidents

The Safe Slab Handling Series was created by the Natural Stone Institute Safety Committee in order to create safe working environments for employees and customers.  This 8 part series will provide employers with the ability to review safety policies, provide education and prepare employees for work situations.

SS101: Safe Slab Handling

When learning the basics of slab handling, it is important to understand the dynamics of the stone slab and why they can be unwieldy and extremely dangerous if not handled properly.  This module will discuss the characteristics of stone and what precautions should be taken to insure safe movement of slabs.

SS102: Slab Fall Shadow

The most dangerous area around stone slabs is the fall shadow.  This module will define the fall shadow and discuss what precautions employees and customers should take to insure their safety when viewing and moving slabs.

SS110: Employee and Customer Training

Course Description

If a stone shop, showroom, warehouse or yard is hazardous for trained employees, imagine the hazard to unsuspecting customers!.  This session will discuss the potential hazards in a slab yard and how best to mitigate risk for employees and customers.

SS201: Material Handling Containers

Prerequisite: Introduction to Workplace Safety Module

One of the most dangerous activities in the stone industry involves unloading a container of slabs at your place of business.  Because the container holds multiple slabs, there are several opportunities for accidents to happen if the unloading process is not precisely correct.  This module will review the best practices for extracting materials from containers.

SS202: Material Handling and Flatbed Trucks

When handling slabs in a controlled environment like a warehouse, distribution center, outdoor slab storage yard or fabrication facility, you have the benefit of familiarity both with the environment and associated personnel.  Take the show on the road to another stone facility or job site and it is an entirely different story.  This session will discuss elements you should consider when loading and unloading flatbed trucks at a jobsite or distribution center.

SS210: Handling Slabs with Overhead Cranes

In this presentation, we discuss crane, hoist and sling procedures that are generally accepted as best practices in the stone industry. The procedures have been created to limit your exposure to the hazards associated with overhead cranes, lifting loads and moving suspended loads.  Following the procedures in this video module will help prevent serious injuries to you and your fellow associates resulting from overloading, dropping or slipping of the load, obstructing the passage of the load and using equipment in a manner for which it was not designed by the manufacturer.

SS220: Handling Slabs with Forklifts

There are two major methods for moving slabs in most stone environments – overhead cranes and forklifts. This educational module will focus the dos and don’ts when moving slabs with forklifts.

SS230: Handling Slabs with Slings and Clamps

One of the major causes of serious accidents involving natural stone slab handling is faulty equipment.  Making sure that all tools and supplies used in the process are in good working order is the easiest way to control accidents.  This module will review policies for inspecting clamps, slings, cables, nuts and bolts.