Pallet companies have come a long way in implementing safe practices and personal protective equipment (PPE). In most cases, management understands the moral and economic benefits of preventing injuries. The bigger they are, the more likely companies are to have stringent requirements for workers to wear PPE while on the job.
Workers, too, generally seem to have become more accepting of PPE due to shifts in attitude as well as improvements in PPE comfort.
Comfort has always been a factor when it comes to PPE, and comfort has never been more important. When faced with a choice between the least expensive safety glasses, gloves, and other PPE vs. the most comfortable, better performing, and stylish, which direction will you take? Which would your employees want to wear? Could offering your team higher-quality PPE make a difference in employee turnover? Will the upgrade pay for itself if you can improve productivity by spending more on PPE?
“You can save a lot of money by equipping your team with effective PPE,” said Bennett Lacey, national account manager for HUB Industrial. “It may seem to increase your overhead by spending more to get the better PPE, but if it fits better, lasts longer, and is more readily embraced by your team, you can’t help but save money in the long run in reduced injury claims, better employee morale, and elimination of compliance penalties.”
Gabriel Curry, president of Fuelbox Industrial, made a similar observation. “I’ve seen what the real costs of an injury are in a pallet plant — to the worker and to the company. After 25 years serving pallet businesses, I still hold to the notion that safety is of the utmost importance to your cost savings. It matters in everything you do, from how your workers perform to your company culture. It’s not just getting PPE at the right price; it’s about getting it right for each application in your facility. It’s a ripple effect, and it’s worth the time to talk to industry pros concerned about your company, and your workers’ well-being. If your company is growing, your needs can change. Having someone to help navigate safety compliance with you is really vital.”
Many pallet companies know about the basics. However, they may ignore some areas that are still important to keep workers safe.
“We see a lot of companies that take safety very seriously and are very thorough in the way they equip their team,” said Bennett. “For the others, I would say foot protection is an area ripe for improvement — especially when it comes to protecting against stepping on nails. We have a cost-effective insole that fits inside existing work boots to prevent injuries from sharp objects coming up through the sole. We also have several choices of work boots with a composite plate built into the sole of the boots.”
Protection for hands is another area that is rapidly evolving, noted Bennett, “And we can certainly assist in guiding a client towards some styles that will suit their team without overspending.” A lot of pallet company workers prefer latex-coated knit gloves to the time-honored leather work gloves because they offer equivalent abrasion resistance while affording much better tactility, he said. “Gloves with impact protection built into the back of the hand are also gaining acceptance.”
“We’ve seen a lot of benefits from tool balancers for guys who perform repetitive tasks with pneumatic nailers and the like,” said Bennett. “It saves a ton of wear and tear, not only on the staff but on the equipment. The nailing tools tend to get tossed around a lot if they are not suspended from these devices, which neutralize the tool’s weight.”
Improving the air quality around saws or painting booths is another area ripe for improvement. Some companies need fans to ventilate areas, or masks or gloves for employees involved with painting or spraying pallets. Dust collection is another area that many smaller companies may avoid.
In addition to improving air quality, fans are essential in hot weather to provide a breeze necessary for evaporative cooling and preventing heat-related illness. Giving workers access to hydrating drinks enables them to replace the electrolytes lost through perspiration. “We’re seeing a lot of companies starting to provide their team with freezer pops,” said Bennett, “which have the same benefits as the drinks, and the workers really enjoy them.”
Tyler Rusomaroff, director of sales at Fuelbox Industrial, said his company saw a need for improved hearing protection. “We saw companies overpaying drastically for the level of protection they needed, and sacrificing comfort in some cases,” he said. Fuelbox Industrial designed its own brand of corded and uncorded earplugs with the correct level of hearing protection – 32 decibels.
“They’re extremely comfortable for workers, which was another focus for us,” said Tyler. “This is a disposable product, and it shouldn’t break the bank no matter what you’re using. To our knowledge, we’re the first to offer 200 pairs per dispenser box for both corded and uncorded earplugs.”
“We didn’t think about other industries or uses when we designed them,” added Tyler, “and we really believe the small details like industry focus in what your PPE is designed for can make a difference for your whole program.”
Consider performing an annual safety audit to identify any hazards in your plant that are not being adequately protected. You may also want to chat with your supplier to see how they can improve safety and reduce worker strain. Your managers and employees can discuss the adequacy of existing PPE and how you can improve protection and performance by switching to alternative products.
Every production employee should be trained on and required to use the appropriate PPE for their job. Even if they don’t like it, government officials will hold the employer responsible if accidents occur and PPE is not worn.
PPE/Safety Gear Checklist
The following is a checklist of essential PPE for many companies in the forest products industry. Your individual requirements may vary, and you should develop your PPE approach by consulting with experts, such as your PPE supplier.
• Safety Glasses
• Hearing Protection (Ear plugs or muffs)
• Heavy Duty Gloves
• Work/Safety Boots
• Leggings/Shin Guards
• Hard Hats/Helmets
• Back Braces/Safety Harnesses
• Face Shields
• Push/Pull Bars
• Pallet Tables
• Tool Balancers
• First-aid Kits (In production buildings)
• Hydrating Drinks
HUB Industrial
Call: (800) 743-9401
HUB’s Pallet Program Savings Guide includes 31 pages of safety-related items. David Miller, strategic account executive for HUB Industrial, explained, “Our safety program is unique because it offers pallet companies a huge variety of options in our Savings Guide, and every one of those choices are proven to be appropriate to the pallet industry. The big vendors may offer more variety, but not everything they offer works well for this industry.”
The following are a few key products that HUB highlights to help pallet companies and sawmills improve safety.
Puncture-Resistant Shoe Inserts
This is a combination comfort insole and barrier to protect the wearer from being injured when stepping on a nail. They come in a variety of shoe sizes. These insoles are competitively priced.
String-Knit, Latex-Coated Palm Work Gloves
These abrasive resistant gloves offer equivalent protection to leather work gloves but are washable and more comfortable to wear. Hub’s top-selling version is a basic string-knit glove.
Hellberg® Active Listening Ear Muffs
HUB’s hearing protection runs the gamut from its value-priced disposable ear plugs to noise-canceling earmuffs. The earmuffs allow the wearer to hear instructions and be aware of their surroundings while attenuating the noise that causes hearing damage.
Saw Service & Supply
Call: (800) 735-5604
Saw Service & Supply is a saw blade distributor and manufacturer specializing in the pallet industry. The company has a 24-page product catalog that includes six pages devoted to consumable PPE safety supplies.
“We try to make our catalog precise, specific to industry needs, and simple to use,” said Gary Snyder, vice president of Saw Service & Supply. “This approach works great for a small business with one or two managers having to think about all the business issues, including safety.”
Gary highlighted the following products from the company’s catalog as considerations for safety supplies for pallet and lumber companies. “We can also supply any additional safety products for you and ship the same day to your site,” said Gary.
Three Levels of Safety Glasses
Saw Service & Supply offers three major varieties of safety glasses. The primary differences are durability and price. A quality line of disposable glasses, which may be lost or used only a handful of times, is very inexpensive. They come in various colors and feature scratch-resistant, 100 percent polycarbonate lenses. Some colors, such as amber, work well in low light situations. Saw Service & Supply also provides mid-range to high-impact lens glasses.
Work Gloves
Many varieties of work gloves are available at competitive prices.
Aprons and Bibs
Safety aprons can act as a shield against various hazards in a plant. Saw Service & Supply offers both cotton and leather aprons. Leather aprons are more durable and can provide a greater degree of safety. Aprons are available in waist length or full torso lengths.
Hearing Protection
Earmuffs and ear plugs, corded or cordless, are available.
Other PPE items available for same day shipping:
• dust masks
• safety vests
• hard hats
• Kevlar protection sleeves
• back supports
Fuelbox Industrial
Call: (904) 685-9323
Fuelbox Industrial’s Pallet Program includes 13 pages of industry specific PPE, all highlighting the best uses and applications for pallet industry workers. President Gabriel Curry said, “We don’t offer a huge variety because we’ve tested each product in our safety line in pallet facilities across the country for what works best for them, and we take the feedback our clients give us very seriously. We’re consumed with offering them the right products and making sure their team loves what they’re using.”
The following are a few tried-and-true staples in their safety line:
Fuelbox Industrial® Disposable Earplugs
For both corded and uncorded earplugs, the Fuelbox brand offers 200 pairs per dispenser box, each individually packaged in its own polybag. Designed for a high level of comfort that provides safety compliance at 32 decibels of hearing protection, bright orange color for your program’s visibility, and tests in accordance with ANSI S3.19-1974, EN 352-2:2020 (# E1 / # E2)
Hi-Vis High Impact Gloves
A glove offering hi-visibility TPR on the back of the hand for high impact resistance that is still breathable, light, and offers a strong grip in both wet and dry environments. It features moisture wicking material that maintains flexibility for the wearer with an adjustable velcro-closure at the wrist. Gloves test in accordance with ANSI Cut Level A6 and Puncture Level 4. (# G80 – # G86)
Anti-Fog Foam Lined Safety Glasses
These lightweight safety glasses don’t fog for those experiencing heavy lens-fogging and working in dusty, humid environments. They feature OptiFit™ foam technology that’s tapered for a fit that is molded to the face without being overly tight. Venting channels in the foam lining allow breathability for fog protection while effectively preventing dust and debris from falling into workers’ eyes. Safety glasses meet ANSI Z87.1+ and CSA Z94.3 standards. (# S3G / # S4G)
