Day: May 26, 2016

Avoiding Injuries in the Workplace

Almost since man began walking there has been a problem area for his body – the low back, otherwise known as the lumbar region. While the lower back may not necessarily be where the trouble begins in jobs that are physical in nature it can certainly be where the problems can end up.

Workers for years have believed it is better to move quickly and, in their haste with lifting heavy weights injuries, can occur that will stay with them for a long time. It can be especially disappointing because some of your most industrious workers may be going too hard at their job and incur this type of injury.

There are many ways to prevent these problems, such as instructions on how to lift and the introduction of gas powered fork lifts. A better product to consider for your warehouse is the battery powered tug that can maneuver push carts, pull carts, and trailers.

These quiet workhorses can pull or push heavy loads up to 6 mph. There is an adjustable, customized attachment that enables the tug to lift a variety of carts. This makes it unnecessary for valuable workers to keep getting out and bending over to attach different mechanisms to different carts in your facility.

In addition to preventing the injuries associated with heavy lifting, there is an ergonomically designed variable speed control feature. This allows your operator to smoothly maneuver your carts and trailers without risk of developing carpel tunnel syndrome.

The tugs from Lindbergh have a 16 hour charge capacity and there are of course no emissions for your employees to breathe. These tugs have the capacity, maneuverability and features to keep your best workers busy at work, instead of at the doctor getting permission for light duty work only.

Introducing New Hospitality Applications for Motorized Carts

Business owners must constantly be preparing for coming changes and watching for new trends and products. That’s the reason this blog devotes space to those issues, as we have in the past week. As the country’s leading manufacturer of ergonomically-designed motorized material handling carts, we’ve learned that staying competitive in U.S. industry requires not only the flexibility and willingness to embrace new ideas, but the innovative thinking to see new applications for your products in the workplace. Innovative applications of DJ Products’ ergonomic carts originally developed for health care and manufacturing markets have opened new opportunities in the hospitality industry. When you visit our website, you’ll find a new product category for Motorized Carts for Hospitality, Hotel, and Industrial Environments. 

DJ Products has found that many of the same tasks performed in hospital and industrial settings are also performed by employees at hotels, motels, resorts and casinos. All must push heavy carts filled with dirty linens or cleaning supplies. All sometimes need to move heavy equipment, whether it’s an EKG machine or a one-armed bandit. All need to move materials and supplies from one point to another, usually through narrow and crowded hallways. And all have to haul trash. With the click of your mouse, it’s now easy to find and examine all of these commonly used material handling products in one place by clicking on the new link to Motorized Carts for Hospitality, Hotel, and Industrial Environments from DJ Products home page.

Our expanded listing of motorized powered carts and equipment for the hospitality and hospital industries includes: housekeeping carts, dirty linen carts, wire carts for clean linens, powered and electric flatbed carts, a motorized dump hopper for trash and debris, and more heavy-duty motorized industrial carts and powered movers for handling bigger, heavier, more unwieldy loads. We even offer a motorized cart retro kit that can be adapted and installed on any cart, turning your old carts into money-saving models of ergonomic efficiency.

All of DJ Products’ material handling products are built to maneuver economically and safely in confined spaces. The ergonomic, walk-behind design of all of our products provides clear sight lines, ensures easy maneuverability and protects the health and safety of operators. Forward-thinking business owners who recognize coming trends are already embracing ergonomics as the wave of the future. To find out more about DJ Products’ ergonomically-designed powered carts and movers, visit our website and talk to one of our ergonomic engineers. At DJ Products, the future is now!

Industry Show to Highlight Innovations from Electric Tugs to Assembly Solutions

The time has come to register for the ProMat 2011 show sponsored by the Material Handling Industry of America.  The Promat 2011 show will have in excess of 700 exhibits of the latest assembly and delivery solutions that will be of great interest to anyone involved in the industrial, manufacturing, distribution or logistics industries.

In addition to the wide array of manufacturers presenting their latest wares, there will also be educational seminars to help business owners make their businesses as safe and productive as possible.  Keynote speakers will cover topics like improving workplace safety as well as the latest innovations in material handling equipment.

Promat 2011 is scheduled to take place starting Monday 3/21 and will run through Thursday 3/24 and registration and attendance to the event is free. 

The importance of providing ergonomically correct material handling equipment is a big part of minimizing workplace injuries and increasing productivity.  That’s why this hot topic will be covered by speakers at ProMat 2011 and why it is an integral part of the design of the electric tugs and other equipment produced by DJ Products.

Electric tugs from DJ come with a smooth, variable speed control which helps to prevent repetitive use injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and makes it easy for employees to control heavy loads.  The ultra quiet operation of the electric tugs from DJ also allows employees to maintain focus on their surroundings as they move heavy carts, minimizing the possibility of accidents that could cause injury.

In order to keep productivity levels high your valuable employees must remain healthy and injury free.  Ergonomically correct and easy to use material handling equipment like the electric tug from DJ Products is essential for environments where employees need to regularly move heavy or cumbersome materials.

Maximize Assembly Line Efficiency with the Trailer Pusher

Manufacturers of trailers, campers and boat equipment have a unique challenge as their products moves down the assembly line getting formed into a complete and saleable unit, it becomes larger, heavier and much more difficult to manually maneuver.

As the trailers and equipment get larger, employees in many plants have one of two options – they can risk serious injury by trying to manually force the heavy equipment where it needs to go, or they can use forklifts, pallet jacks or other material handling equipment that wasn’t specifically designed for the job and risk not only injury, but damaging the equipment and product.

In order to complete any job properly the right equipment is a necessity and in the case of moving trailers, the Trailer Pusher from DJ Products is the best possible choice.  The Trailer Pusher is completely reliable, ergonomically designed and makes moving the largest and heaviest of trailers easy enough that it can be done safely by a single employee.

Using the Trailer Pusher ensures that the employees are kept safe during the entire manufacturing process and that the brand new products won’t be damaged prior to even getting completed.  Once the assembly process is complete, the Trailer Pusher can be used to safely and easily roll the finished product wherever it needs to go prior to shipping  even it if means travelling a good distance over uneven terrain.

Manufacturing large and cumbersome projects comes with inherent dangers; there is no need to maximize the dangers by trying to complete the process without the proper equipment or without any equipment at all.  You can do your part to keep the process smooth and as efficient as possible by providing your employees with the best possible equipment to perform their work and in the case of building trailers and farm equipment it would be hard to find a more appropriate and efficient way to complete the job than with the Trailer Pusher from DJ Products.

Reducing Pain of Worker’s Comp

“Ergonomics and Reducing the Pain in Worker’s Comp” is the topic of a workshop scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20. Sponsored by the Northern Minnesota Safety Council, the workshop will be held at the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at 3801 Bemidji Ave. N, Suite 4, Bemidji, MN. Cost of the program is $25 per person; lunch will be provided. To register or for more information, visit the Center’s website at www.cri-bsu.org.

The workshop recognizes two forces that are coming together to reshape American industry: the high cost of health care and increased governmental regulation of workplace safety. With Congress on the verge of approving a national health care plan and the Obama administration in the midst of reviewing OSHA ergonomics standards in anticipation of ordering more stringent workplace safety standards later this year, the workshop should provide attendees with a more thorough understanding of the impact ergonomics can have on their business. The program will feature Joe Kapaun of Choice Therapy with expertise in onsite ergonomic systems evaluations and industrial rehabilitation.

Ergonomics has been proven to reduce workplace musculoskeletal injuries which account for the majority of worker’s compensation claims. Worker’s compensation claims cost American businesses more than $60 billion annually, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The National Council on Compensation Insurance reports that more than 50% of those claims are for back injuries from lifting, pulling, pushing and straining. Ergonomically-designed material handling equipment significantly reduces worker injury from manual labor tasks, resulting in significant worker’s compensation savings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculated the estimated time-lost cost per injury at $26,000 per incident. Prevention of a single injury by implementing use of ergonomically-designed material handling equipment results in an immediate savings of $26,000. 

To find out how ergonomic material handling equipment can help you reduce worker’s compensation costs, visit the DJ Products website. 

Ergonomic Design Makes the Motorized Cart Workhorse of Future

Ergonomic design, energy efficiency and versatility make DJ Products’ motorized cart the material handling workhorse of the future — or at least the next decade. Our battery-powered and motorized carts and cart movers seem tailor-made for the federal government’s push to improve workplace safety, reduce medical costs, save energy and put more people back to work.

  • Improve workplace safety. The Obama administration is poised to increase governmental regulation of workplace safety issues. Ergonomics will play an important role in creating safe working environments. The science of designing equipment to fit the physical attributes and abilities of the worker, ergonomics reduces discomfort and fatigue and prevents repetitive strain injuries that can lead to long-term disability.
  • Reduce medical costs. With Congress revamping the national health care system, businesses will be working even harder to bring down medical costs. By preventing expensive musculoskeletal injuries, ergonomics helps businesses drastically reduce medical costs, worker’s compensation expenses and medical insurance premiums.
  • Save energy. The President’s promise at the U.N. Copenhagen climate conference to drastically cut the nation’s carbon dioxide production places renewed emphasis on equipment that isn’t powered by CO2-producing fossil fuels. DJ Product’s motorized carts and tugs use clean, green battery or electric power. Just like the Energizer Bunny, our tugs keep going and going, operating through two full shifts on a single charge.
  • Put people back to work. With most of the country starting the year with double-digit unemployment, putting people back to work is the government’s primary 2010 goal. Ergonomic design makes it possible for workers of any size, age or sex to easily operate any of DJ Products’ versatile motorized carts. Intuitive design and conveniently placed controls make for safe operation with minimal training.

To find out more about DJ Products’ ergonomically designed motorized carts and tugs, visit our website.

Corporate Videos Get Their Own YouTube Site

Billed as YouTube for business, eCorpTV.com seems tailor-made for videophiles like DJ Products’ marketing department! As we’re sure you’ve noticed when you visit our website, we’re great fans of video. At DJ Products, we’ve found that while a picture may be worth a thousand words, a video is the next best thing to putting our product in the customer’s hand. Just as realtors have discovered that video tours draw home buyers, DJ Products has discovered that showing customers what our ergonomic powered carts can do is a highly effective way to sell our product.

That’s the idea behind eCorpTV.com. Businesses from Fortune 500s to small start ups can quickly and easily post their product videos on the site free of charge. As the site developers note, more than 68% of American workers aged 25 to 44 will watch online videos this year. Adding online video marketing to your advertising mix just makes sense. Online videos have the potential to attract not only customers, but investors, journalists and potential employees. Corporations don’t have to worry about competing with stupid pet tricks or humorous rants, eCorpTV.com accepts only G-rated legitimate business videos. They aim to become a quality service for the business community.

We think they’re on the right track. Watch one of the DJ Product ergonomic material handling product videos. We’ve found that no amount of text can show quite as effectively as a video exactly how tight a turn our CartCaddy power tug can make or just how our side-steer powered cart can be maneuvered. If you haven’t added video to your product website yet, it’s time to take a page from the future and start filming!

How Ergonomics Is Shaping Our World

Ergonomics gets a lot of buzz in the press when people talk about computer workstations or keyboard design, but few realize how pervasive the science of ergonomics has become in making our daily lives more functional and more comfortable. From the lowly office chair to high tech electronics, ergonomics has become a critical element in product and systems design.

In conjunction with a new exhibit on ergonomics at London’s Design Museum, BBC News Magazine recently took a look at how ergonomic products impact everyday life and highlighted five ways ergonomics is shaping the world we live in.

At the controls. Controls on automobiles, trucks, material handling equipment, machinery and anything that involves a human operator must be designed to be used by people of all shapes and sizes. Steering and brake controls must be equally useable by 6 ft. 7 in. Kobe Bryants and 4 ft. 9 in. Mary Lou Rettons. Multi-adjustable car seats that move back and forth, up and down and even slant forward and backward are just one example of how ergonomic design impacts our daily lives.

Life or death. The 1979 core meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power station in Pennsylvania highlighted the extreme danger posed when complex systems intersect human error. Ergonomic redesign of the complex control panels that contributed to the accident created safer nuclear facilities.

Eye candy. With its emphasis on utility, people don’t associate ergonomics with beauty; but the sleek good looks of Apple’s iPod, iPhone and other electronics products owe their beauty to good ergonomic design.

Wrap rage. Poorly designed packaging is the bane of everyday existence. Consumers are injured everyday trying to remove impenetrable wrappings. Ergonomics has sent clamshell plastics packing in favor of cardboard CD wraps and added screw caps to milk cartons.

At work.  From chairs, keyboards and computer mice to material handling equipment that moves supplies, equipment, trash and more, ergonomics has profoundly impacted the workplace.

Time to Review Your Corporate Ergonomic Plan

October is National Ergonomics Month and a good time to review your company’s ergonomic plan and assess new ergonomic needs. Ergonomics protects the health and safety of your workers, increases worker productivity and dramatically reduces on-the-job injuries and their associated costs. Ergonomically designed equipment and procedures seek to minimize muscle-straining manual pushing, pulling, reaching and stretching activities. Ergonomic equipment is proven to reduce potentially debilitating musculoskeletal injuries. Implementation of an ergonomic program and use of ergonomic equipment is also proven to reduce absenteeism, lost man-hours, direct medical costs and disability claims.

A long-time national leader in the innovative design and manufacture of ergonomically-designed material handling equipment, DJ Products can offers expert assistance in meeting your company’s ergonomic needs. To aid you in developing an ergonomic program, we provide a handy Ergonomic Load Calculator on our website. Use it to calculate the amount of force necessary to move typical loads in your work environment. Our expert ergonomic sales engineers can suggest ergonomic solutions to your material handling problems.

Want to learn more about the benefits of implementing an ergonomic program in your workplace? This year’s National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition will be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas November 17-20. Focusing on the importance of ergonomics during economic recovery, ErgoExpo will sponsor educational programs on managing ergonomic programs to maximize return on investment, accommodating the aging workforce, and using ergonomics to increase safety in the workplace. A free webinar from 2-3 p.m. (Eastern) will be offered on Wednesday, October 7, to explain and highlight educational programs to be offered at the expo. Webinar participants will receive a special discount for ErgoExpo. For more information on the conference and to sign up for the webinar, visit the ErgoExpo website.

Making the Responsibility Revolution Work for You

Hand in hand with the “go green” movement, the “responsibility revolution” is changing the way Americans shop. Everyone from the companies that supply your parts and materials to the end product consumer is watching how corporations use resources and interact — with the local community and the world at large. Ethical consumerism is on the rise and savvy business owners are paying attention.

An outgrowth of our raised consciousness about the interrelationship of environmental systems, people are paying more attention to how companies are interacting socially with their environment. It’s not enough these days to decrease your carbon footprint and lower your energy consumption, people expect a certain level of social responsibility from the companies they buy from and invest in. The marketplace is replete with examples of companies that have suffered for their lack of social consciousness. Nike attacked for unfair overseas labor practices. Wal-Mart boycotted for unfair labor practices at home. Rabid consumer groups have been quick to call attention to practices they find unethical, tarnishing corporate reputations, forcing management changes and even putting companies out of business.

Smart corporations are working to demonstrate to consumers that they care about the planet and the people they share it with. Implementing a strong ergonomic program and switching to ergonomic equipment that protects the health and safety of your workers is one immediate step companies can take to show their concern for others. Many Americans are looking for improvement and changes in their own back yards. Using local suppliers, contracting with local transport firms, supporting local events and charities, improving the lives of the people you hire — both on the job and off — these actions speak louder than words. They show people that you are a responsible corporate partner in their community and an asset in their daily lives.