July 10, 2018 - DJ Products

How Much Does a Dumpster Weigh? Are You Unknowingly Putting Employees In Harm’s Way

Are You Expecting Staff to Move Very Heavy Loads in Dumpsters Potentially Causing Injury?

Dumpsters are the most convenient way to handle trash disposal for your business, office building or multi-family property. But how much do you understand about the task of dumpster moving? Are you unwittingly putting your employees at risk of serious injury?

Dumpsters: Small but Mighty

Since dumpsters are on wheels and trash is contained within four sturdy sides, moving them from one spot to another may not seem like a problem. As with many other situations, appearances can be deceiving.

All-purpose dumpsters generally come in sizes of two yards, four yards, and six yards. These numbers sound relatively modest, partly because dumpsters are designed to be compact enough to fit in unobtrusive locations in the workplace.

Volume Does Not Equal Weight

You may be surprised to learn that dumpsters can accommodate weights of 400 to 1,400 pounds of waste. This means that the average male weighing 200 pounds would be moving up to seven times his total body weight.

Another factor to consider is that size and weight are not always proportional. For instance, a sheet of paper on its own is almost nothing so you can fit many of them into a box, but in bulk paper makes a heavy load.

Another example is cardboard boxes, which can take up a lot of space even when they’re broken down, but they’re relatively light. Such a load can be easily outweighed by a small container holding scrap metal.

Electric Dumpster Moving Tugs from DJ Products

Dumpster movers such as our popular WasteCaddyLite let a single employee easily move full dumpsters weighing up to 2,000 pounds with less risk of workplace injuries. Visit our website to learn more from our friendly sales engineers.

Words of Wisdom: Make Sure to Read the Fine Print on the Load Rate Confirmation

Read the Fine Print on Load Rate Confirmations

A number of companies use our terminal tractor to increase efficiency in their yards, but what happens when a facility doesn’t share that sense of urgency? One husband-and-wife owner-operator trucking team recently shared their story of a great job that turned into a disaster to warn about the importance of reading the fine print on the load rate confirmation.

Too Good to be True?

After delivering a load in Phoenix, Gary and Ondena Caraway were left without an outbound job. Ultimately, they found and booked a job for Amazon through Mercer, the carrier from which the Caraways lease their truck. The job required a deadhead into Las Vegas, but the rate seemed to be enough to make it worthwhile.

The first sign of trouble came when the Caraways dropped their trailer at noon for loading. While it was promised for 4 p.m. that same day, it wasn’t ready for pick-up until 4:30 the next morning.

An Unpleasant Surprise

The Caraways left Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon with an appointment to deliver the load to the Amazon facility in Edwardsville, IL at 4 a.m. the following Sunday. On the way, Gary pulled up Mercer’s mobile app to complete the required documentation.

At that point, Gary noticed the fine print stating that unloading time was 12 to 48 hours. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the process ended up stretching out to a full week. Based on the number of bobtails the Caraways saw at a nearby truck stop, they’re convinced that theirs was not an isolated situation.

Move Trailers Safely and Efficiently with the Electric Yard Dog from DJ Products

Time is money, and our electric terminal tractor lets you optimize your operations for maximum productivity. Call 800.686.2651 to learn more.

Are Load-Boards Right for You and Your Fleet?

Could Load-Boards Work for Your Fleet?

In the trucking industry, the process of semi trailer moving is often filled with unknown variables. Reliable machinery, logistics and increased efficiency will improve the working relationships between owners, brokers, and shippers.

The utilization of Load Boards can be a positive tool when used to benefit warehouses, product acquisition, and transactions, but it can also bring added challenges. One quality machine can help bring assurance to all the moving parts involved. The addition of a premium terminal tractor will provide a reliable constant to unpredictable operational hazards.

Who Needs Load Boards?

For start-up companies, new or small business owners, using a Load Board is a simple way to accrue the resources needed to ensure product delivery and acquisition. Deadlines are important for increasing profit margins. A Load Board is utilized to post loads, available transportation for delivery and acts as an extra line of communication between owners, shippers, and brokers.

If you’re a broker and need a load to be delivered ASAP and can’t find a truck, a Load Board can help. But trusting an unknown shipper/truck driver or broker to handle a transaction appropriately can be an experience in uncertainty.

How They Handle Loads

If you’re working with an inexperienced driver, new warehouse workers, or a large load, our TrailerCaddy can benefit your bottom line. Late drivers and warehouse workers (that need a little help negotiating through unloading/loading) can inadvertently freeze product delivery and thus lower profit.

Efficient use of time in the industry benefits everyone. A TrailerCaddy makes semi trailer moving simple, allowing warehouse workers to move loads where needed and inexperienced drivers more efficient at unloading and loading so they can move on to the next job. Visit DJ Products to discover simple answers to complicated tasks!

Coast Guard Wants to Fast Track Production of New Icebreaker Ship

The Coast Guard is Working to Upgrade Ships

The Coast Guard is eager to design and build the first of six new icebreakers ahead of the previously proposed schedule. The Polar Star is the sole Coast Guard heavy icebreaker still in operation. It was commissioned in 1976 and is now frequently down for repairs.

Suppliers of government and DoD military contract equipment must adhere to (GSA) processes and demonstrate they can produce top quality products efficiently and quickly. There are currently five companies vying for the contract, but bids remain open to anyone capable of completing the project. Rear Admiral Michael Haycock announced in April of 2018 that the Coast Guard hopes to take delivery of the first new icebreaker by the end of 2023.

“It’s a little bit like a marriage”

According to Military.com, the initial plan had a delivery date of 2028. The rough condition of the Polar Star necessitated the delivery date be pushed up to 2023. The Polar Star crew had to contend with numerous breakdowns during the most recent season at sea. Problems ranged from a flooded engine room to a failure of one of the three main gas turbines.

Haycock said he knows it’s going to be a challenge for designers and builders to meet the updated timeline. He compared the situation between the Coast Guard and contractors to a marriage saying, “If you’re equally unhappy, you know you probably got it right.”

At DJ Products, we understand the requirements of companies that produce DoD military contract equipment. We have high standards for our equipment and customer service. We have a wide line of materials and equipment movement solutions that meet military and DOD requirements. Contact us to speak with one of our sales engineers and to arrange a product demo.

Warehouse Execution Systems Use Pattern Prediction for Efficiency Improvements

Data Accumulation Uses Pattern Prediction

Today’s advanced technology can gather unprecedented amounts of data on warehouse equipment, employee activity, inventory movement and other elements of your business. But the information on its own means nothing without analysis, interpretation and action.

Complete your warehouse management system (WMS) and warehouse control system (WCS) with the addition of a warehouse execution system (WES). Here are some of the top ways a WES can help you take your warehouse operations to the next level.

Determine Staffing Needs

Have you ever run into a situation where a project hadn’t been completed, but all allocated hours had been expended? WES software can more accurately predict how much manpower will be needed for specific tasks as well as identify the source of roadblocks that are preventing completion.

Optimize Workflow

Creating the optimal balance of space, labor and inventory can be a real juggling act, but just the slightest change in any of these factors can completely alter the workflow. WES can display performance levels at a glance so you can determine where adjustments need to be made.

Reduce Pick Times

Warehouse travel time is one of the biggest variables affecting productivity. WES software is sensitive enough to pick up on relationships that are often missed in manual analysis, allowing you to make changes exactly when and where they’re needed.

Establish and Track Goals

Productivity improvement is an ongoing process. WES can set and track goals for general performance along with more specific criteria such as putaways, replenishments and fork work.

WES and Warehouse Equipment from DJ Products: A Winning Combination

Our electric movers, tugs and pushers can help you achieve a number of productivity goals in your warehouse, from optimizing manpower to reducing workplace injuries. Call 800.866.2651 for more information.

Recyclable Corrugated Pallets and Their Advantages

In the United States, over two billion pallets are made annually and are the quintessential warehouse equipment. Pallets are vital for maintaining the integrity of a product, for storage and make tasks like moving and loading products much simpler. Still, they don’t last forever and they take up space in delivery.

Disposal of wooden pallets after breakage is costly and time-consuming. When they fail, injury to hard-working employees could occur. Recyclable corrugated pallets are the newer, safer, durable, and more cost-effective solution for multiple warehouse tasks.

Pros to Corrugated Pallets

Corrugated pallets have many benefits that appeal to the warehouse industries. Here are a few of them:

– They pack well. Unlike bulky wooden pallets, they ship flat taking up less space, which means lower shipping cost.

– Plastic and wooden pallets are weighty and difficult to move efficiently. Corrugated pallets are much lighter in weight, in part because of the alternative material used.

– The recyclable corrugated pallets are very customizable. They even come with water-resistant options. This works well for those who require warehouse equipment that can be adjusted to fit specific needs.

– Because they are recyclable, disposal of the corrugated pallets lower cost and the risk of injury by deconstruction.

Reliability Pays Dividends

In the same way, the right battery powered machinery can prevent injury by allowing for less employee-to-equipment contact, upping efficiency, and lowering labor costs.

Like the reliability, durability, and problem-solving of corrugated pallets, DJ products are tested and trusted to create simple solutions to tough problems. If you are seeking ways to keep your valued employees safe on the job, ease the workload with high-quality warehouse equipment that stands up under the weight of the load. Click here to find out more!

World’s Shipping Industry Sets Aggressive Goal to Obtain by 2050

Are you using an eco-friendly electric terminal tractor to handle your semi trailer moving needs? The global shipping industry has fully embraced a green mandate with an agreement to cut carbon emissions in half by the year 2050.

Seeking an International Solution to Carbon Emissions

The landmark deal was finalized on April 13 by members of the UN International Maritime Organization. Plans call for a minimum 50 percent total reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions against the benchmark measure of 2008.

During the two-week discussion period held in London, not all of the organization’s 173 member nations were initially in accord. Saudi Arabia and the United States raised objections to earlier drafts, while some members, including the Marshall Islands and the EU, lobbied for higher reduction goals.

In the end, stakeholders expressed satisfaction with the final terms of the agreement. Peter Hinchcliffe, secretary general of the International Chamber for Shipping, called it a “clear signal” for the shipping industry to develop zero carbon dioxide fuels.

The Fight Against Global Warming

The United Nations Paris climate agreement of 2015 did not include aviation and shipping. While the aviation industry subsequently forged its own emissions plan, shipping’s reliance on bunker fuel to run long-distance ships presented a greater challenge.

Shipping currently produces approximately two percent of carbon emissions worldwide. Experts at the World Bank have warned that the figure could eventually reach 15 percent if steps are not taken to halt growth.

Go Green with the Electric Yard Dog from DJ Products

Our battery-powered TrailerCaddy terminal tractor easily accommodates semi trailer moving up to 100,000 pounds. The Yard Dog is ergonomically designed and includes a number of safety features to reduce the risk of workplace injuries.

Call 800.686.2651 for more information.

Three Tips to Keeping Your Warehouse Staff Cool in Summer’s Heat

Workers In Distribution Warehouse

Heat is a good thing when you’re lying on a beach near some refreshing water, but not so much when you’re working indoors in scorching summer temperatures. With doors frequently opening and closing, relying strictly on air conditioning can be a losing proposition. Keep warehouse staff productivity up on hot days with these “cool” tips.

Make sure your warehouse has the proper amount of insulation. This will also help the building stay warm during the winter.
Adding a coat of white paint to the roof deflects the sun’s rays, reducing the amount of heat building up in the warehouse.
Stagnant air feels much warmer. Ceiling and floor fans keep the air circulating so that it feels cooler. Ceiling fans have seasonal settings so that air blows downward in summer and gets drawn upward in winter. Industrial ceiling fans use high volume and low speeds to compensate for the frequent opening and closing of doors.
Use vinyl strip doors on the docks to allow easy in-and-out access while reducing the movement of air. Place solar film overlays across windows to cut down on heat.
While using exhaust fans to dehumidify the air will reduce heat, misting fans and evaporative coolers are also helpful.
Encourage your employees to drink plenty of water regularly, not just when they’re thirsty.

Excessive stress and strain on the job can intensify the effects of heat on your warehouse staff. Battery-powered tugs like our CartCaddy 5WP allow your employees to easily move heavy, awkward loads. Call 800.686.2651 and let our knowledgeable Sales Engineers help you find the best solution to increase your warehouse productivity.

Day: July 10, 2018