As simple as a wheelbarrow might be structural, it is one of the most convenient and easily available hauling equipment. Whether you want to haul sand, bricks, or gravel across locations or if you want to ferry some heavy object from one point to another, a wheelbarrow will be of great help.
It helps protect fragile objects and materials such as tiles whenever you ferry them from one point to the next. However, never neglect your safety while using a wheelbarrow. There is a proper way to use this farm equipment that you can master with just little training or guidance.
Check out our list of the 5 Safety Measures for Using a Wheelbarrow to help keep you well protected and safe while tackling your chores.
Inspection of Parts
Safety in using a wheelbarrow starts with carrying out a proper inspection before you can use it for any activity. Every time you want to use your wheelbarrow make sure you inspect all its parts to determine any unsafe characteristics that might lead to accidents or cause injuries. Take your time to inspect every single part to see if it's in the right condition.
Repair or Replace
Repair or replace all the worn out parts to give your wheelbarrow its perfect shape. A defective wheelbarrow is more and f a disaster waiting to happen, and should not be used in its defective state. Being such a simple structure, repairing or replacing any of its parts won't cost you much. Proper maintenance will help keep your wheelbarrow in the right condition for handling the weight of the objects being hauled, the distance, and the terrains. That would also mean minimum accidents or injuries that might be caused by inefficiency.
Avoid Overloading
User ignorance causes a substantial number of injuries or accidents that users suffer while using wheelbarrows. Before you use your wheelbarrow for hauling any object or material, make sure it has the proper capacity for the load. Overloading reduces balance besides causing strain on various parts of the equipment. Pushing an overloaded wheelbarrow might lead to a costly destruction of the best wheelbarrow, the object, or a serious injury when it overturns due to imbalance. Before you put a new load onto the wheelbarrow, empty it completely and make sure it is cleared of all debris.
Check the Pathway
Because of the small size of the wheels, its small capacity, and the method of movement, a wheelbarrow will easily overturn or lose control if it hits an object on its path. For the sake of your safety and that of everyone else nearby, check the path and clear it of any underlying source of disaster that might be on it. Inspect the pathway where your wheelbarrow will be moved and tell everyone to steer clear and let the barrow pass through. Riding your wheelbarrow through a rugged unstable ground is a disaster waiting to happen. Make sure the ramps have adequate blocking under them first to avoid rolling over.
Put on Proper PPE
Wearing a proper and complete personal protective equipment while hauling the load with your wheelbarrow will minimize cases of injuries. You need a hard hat, cover-all clothing, safer goggles, heavy-duty gloves, and safety shoes.
You need to wear the right personal protective equipment for wheelbarrow use. With these safety tips, you and other workers can stay protected, and your wheelbarrow will be able to provide you with excellent performance.
Rasel Khan is an internet entrepreneur