Of all the tasks performed by maintenance men in apartment complexes, moving and storing furniture is probably the one they approach with the most reluctance. On those occasions when I’ve been asked to help, I’ve seen that maintenance men in apartment complexes aren’t equipped to be professional movers. They are sometimes called upon to do this, however, when the other demands of their job make it necessary. If a tenant is evicted, for example, how can these people do their routine cleaning if there is leftover furniture still cluttering the apartment? Moreover, my intention here is not to talk only about the obvious need to lift heavy objects in a safe way. As will be seen, there are specific factors in apartment complexes that call for unique safety measures when moving and storing furniture.
Tip #1 Avoid Direct Contact
Apartment complexes house a variety of people and the varying lifestyles they bring to it. If maintenance men are going to move and store furniture, then, wouldn’t it be in their best interest to wear gloves and make sure they thoroughly wash their hands? This isn’t meant as a personal attack on different lifestyles, but is rather a common sense approach for maintenance personnel who wish to stay safe. Running parallel to the obvious potential for back injuries, the potential for harm from unseen germs and contagious viruses is also a very real issue.
Tip #2 Get Additional Help
Again, because maintenance men in apartment complexes aren’t professional movers, they don’t have the right kind of equipment at their disposal and might be tempted to improvise to get the job done. Does this mean that a heavy chair should just be launched from the third story to the ground? By no means! Tenants might come to believe the sky is falling with predictably disastrous results. Another safety tip, then, for maintenance men who move and store furniture in apartment complexes is to enlist the help of a friendly tenant or other person. Three people are always better than two when trying to safely move and store furniture in apartment complexes.
Tip #3 Avoid Cramped Conditions
As they are called upon to move and store furniture in apartment complexes, maintenance men sometimes face the inconvenience of having to store furniture in their own limited working space until it can be retrieved by the tenant later. This presents another safety concern that is unique to apartment complexes since it is important not to trip over the odds and ends of people’s belongings and sustain injuries.
A final safety tip, then, for maintenance men who move and store furniture in apartment complexes is to avoid cramped conditions, to make sure that this furniture doesn’t overwhelm the working space that is needed for other maintenance activities. This can be accomplished by storing lighter weight objects on top of heavy ones so that the furniture is resting in a vertical direction instead of a horizontal one.
In sum, as I’ve been called upon to help maintenance men move and store furniture in apartment complexes, I’ve seen that there are factors that call for unique safety measures. Maintenance men aren’t professional movers, but can learn to follow certain tips for staying safe.
Source: Personal Experience
