Modular & Manufactured Home Builders

Modular and manufactured homes are built indoors in sections and then moved and set on site. Safety has two parts: the factory line, where workers repeat tasks with tools all day, and the set, where cranes and crews place large modules.

• Factory Workers
• Set Crews
• Transport

Factory hazards

• Repetitive tasks and awkward posture at stations. See Assembly Line Ergonomics.
• Nail guns, saws and staplers used in tight spaces. See Nail Guns.
• Dust, adhesives and finishes. See Wood Dust.
• Material handling with overhead cranes, forklifts and carts.
• Falls from roofs and ladders inside the factory.
• Noise and electrical hazards.

Safe factory practice

• Use jigs, tables and lifts to keep work at a comfortable height.
• Use sequential triggers on nail guns, hearing protection and safety glasses. Keep fingers off triggers when moving.
• Control dust with collection and housekeeping. Vacuum, do not blow.
• Train workers on forklift and crane operation and keep pedestrians separate from vehicle lanes.
• Provide fall protection where workers are on roofs of modules on the line.

Transport and set

• Modules travel on trailers; check the securement, weight and permits for oversize loads. See Oversize Loads.
• On site, a crane lifts each module onto the foundation. A lift plan covers weight, radius, ground conditions and rigging. See Lift Planning and Mobile Hydraulic Cranes.
• Use the module's lifting points designed by the manufacturer, with spreader bars as required. See Below-the-Hook Devices.
• Keep everyone out from under the load. Use tag lines and a signal person.

Set crew checklist

• Check power lines and overhead hazards before the crane arrives. See Cranes & Power Lines
• Ensure the foundation is ready, level and approved
• Use fall protection when connecting modules at height. See Leading Edge Work
• Do not release the crane until the module is connected as required
• Control wind limits; large modules catch wind
• Protect the open sides of modules from weather and keep trip hazards cleared

Last updated: October 8, 2026