It is important to know the meaning of the word handling in order to better understand its role.
In this article, you'll find all you need to know about its significance, its tasks and the risks involved in handling it.
What does handling mean?
First of all, handling refers to all operations involving transport, load support and so on. Handling requires physical effort and entails a number of health and safety risks.
Handling involves the lifting, carrying and moving of a product by a person, which means it's physical work. Handling can be carried out in different ways, either by a person or using electrical equipment such as a Pallet truck or forklift.
What are the main tasks of the handling department?
Today, materials handling takes place mainly in warehouses, factories and stores. Until a few years ago, materials handling was a manual activity involving the movement of materials or goods. Today, however, it's a much different story, since it's now possible touse high-performance electrical machines such as forklift trucks to lift fairly heavy goods.
Here's a summary of a handler's main tasks:
- Storage of goods
- Loading and unloading goods
- Cleaning of goods storage areas
- Reporting goods in poor condition
In short, handling is an integral part of logistics, and today many companies use warehouses to manage the storage of their goods.
Handling is also important in other fields. In the care sector, for example, staff sometimes need to be able to lift and move a patient. Handling is therefore an integral part of a carer's life. In hospitals, most transfers are also carried out with the help of electrical equipment, which takes the burden off caregivers.
How do I handle materials?
You can do this job with or without a diploma, but if you want to use electrical equipment such as a Pallet truck, you absolutely must take a training course to obtain a certificate. This training is called CACES (Certificat d'Aptitude à la Conduite En Sécurité). The use of electrical equipment such as forklift trucks or Pallet truck trucks entails a number of risks, so it's vital to take this training to avoid them.
What's more, if you're looking for a job in this field, it won't be difficult to find a vacancy.
What are the risks involved in handling?
Manual handling can be the cause of MSD (Musculoskeletal Disorders). It is therefore important for companies to take preventive measures to avoid these potentially dangerous risks. Thanks to the arrival of an electric machine, companies can significantly reduce the risks associated with this manual activity.
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