Safe Slab Handling: Overview

This course is part of the Silica & Slab Safety Certificate. Track your progress towards completion of the certificate in your course library or with our downloadable checklist.

Description:

Stone slabs can be unwieldly and dangerous if not handled properly. A typical slab can weigh from 800 to over 1,000 pounds. When grouped together in a bundle of five or six slabs, the weight can go up to 5,000 pounds or more. Gain a better understanding of the safety precautions needed when moving and working with slabs in this introductory course. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand a slab’s physical properties, including size, weight, and center of gravity.
• Identify safety precautions that should be taken when moving a slab, including the number of people that should be involved, number of slabs that can be moved at one time, and the importance of the fall shadow.
• Recognize hazards that can occur and how to avoid them, including slip/fall, crushing, wind, and remnants.
• Understand the importance of and requirements for PPE.
• Understand that there is no place for complacency in the stone industry.