Injury occurs when the physical demands of a task exceed the physiological capabilities of a worker. In a hospital, pushing or pulling a rack of dinner trays, a portable x-ray machine or a patient bed may present minimal risk for a healthy, 25-year-old, 5′ 10″, 160-pound male. However, the same task can cause serious injury in a 50-year-old, 5′ 3″, 135-pound female.
Height, weight, age and general health all affect a worker’s physical ability to accomplish various hospital tasks. Different workers will need to exert different amounts of force to move the same piece of equipment. Injuries are most common when initiating and stopping motion. Those movements require application of the greatest amount of force, compared to the relatively low amount of force required to keep an object in motion.
Injuries are also common when maneuvering equipment around turns, up or down inclines, and into or out of tight spaces, such as elevators and next to hospital beds. No matter what a person’s body type, injury is apt to occur any time body posture is thrown off center, as when maneuvering a piece of equipment around a corner. Over-extension of the muscles in the arms, legs, shoulders, back and neck during maneuvering is another frequent cause of worker injury.
The CartCaddyLite Puller takes the physical strain out of moving hospital carts and other equipment. The smallest, most maneuverable tug on the market, the CartCaddyLite Puller is powerful enough to handle most push or pull applications, including linen carts, hospital carts, maintenance carts and hospital beds. Capable of performing fine maneuvers in tight spaces, the CartCaddyLite Puller allows any worker, no matter their size or age, to move equipment without injury.
Click here to watch a video of DJ Products’ dynamic hospital CartCaddyLite Puller in action. You’ll notice how easily the powered CartCaddy attaches to a bank of carts, allows the worker to pull it out, maneuver and then replace it.