Tag: ergonomic material handling

MHEDA Convention For 2014 What To Expect?

What qualities does it take to provide SUPERHERO LEADERSHIP in today’s material handling industry? Get the answers to this question and many more at the 2014 MHEDA Convention being held at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando, FL from May 3-7.

This year marks the 59th occasion of the annual event, which brings hundreds of industry professionals together for four days of education and networking opportunities. The theme for this event is uncovering your own Superhero Leadership qualities in order to strengthen your people management skills.

The convention officially opens on Monday with a keynote address by Medal of Honor winner Sal Giunta, who will illustrate The Importance of Teamwork, Sacrifice and Leadership with stories of his experience as a patrol leader in Afghanistan. Activities for the rest of the day includes an exhibitors’ showcase and a series of roundtable discussions centered on the most compelling challenges and opportunities facing the industry today.

Tuesday’s schedule is jam-packed with a variety of workshops offering real-world strategies and tips to address your most pressing concerns. Topics range from Best-in-Class Contractor Management to Revenue Drivers to Increase Your Profitability. You won’t want to miss Rebooting Leadership: Managing Employees in the New Workplace which ties in perfectly with the convention’s main theme.

It won’t be all work and no play during this event. Saturday and Sunday will feature a variety of social activities for both you and your spouse. Enjoy the attractions of the Orlando area while getting a valuable chance to network.

DJ Products is proud to be part of this vital and energetic industry. Contact our Sales Engineers at 800.686.2651 to learn more about our quality material handling solutions.

Use NIOSH Equation to Determine Safe Lifting Parameters

Are you familiar with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation? The lifting equation provides valuable guidelines for performing and evaluating two-handed manual lifting tasks in the workplace. It defines the recommended weight limit as the weight of a load that can be lifted by a healthy worker repetitively over an extended period of time (such as an 8-hour shift) without risk of developing musculoskeletal trauma injuries such as lower back pain.

Under ideal conditions, the maximum weight that the average healthy worker can safely lift with two hands is 51 pounds. Of course, in the real world, conditions are never ideal, and the physical ability of each individual worker will also limit maximum lifting weights.

NIOSH identifies a number of lifting conditions that must be taken into account in computing the recommended manual weight limit for a particular task, including:

  • Horizontal and vertical location of the load. The optimal horizontal and vertical lifting position is directly in front of the worker, close to the torso, and between the knees and shoulders, with optimal height being hip height. 
  • Distance the load must be moved. Obviously, shorter distances place less strain on workers.
  • Balance of the load. An asymmetrical load places unequal stress on the worker’s body, requiring greater effort to balance the load during transport. The more symmetrically balanced a load, the easier it will be for a worker to carry.
  • Frequency of the lift. The more repetitions required, the greater the cumulative stress placed on the worker’s body. The amount of time between repetitions is also important. The shorter the time between repetitions, the greater the risk of muscle damage.
  • Hand coupling available. Designated handholds assist with lifting, balancing and controlling an object as it is manually transported. When handholds are not provided, additional strain is placed on muscles during lifting and carrying.
  • Length of time over which lifting will occur. In addition to the number of lifts and amount of time between each lift, the total length of time over which lifting must be performed will also affect worker performance. Repetitive lifting through the course of an 8-hour shift will be create greater risk of injury than lifting for two hours alternated with other activities.

It is important to take these conditions into consideration when determining the recommended weight limit for manual lifting tasks in your workplace. However, given the wide range of variations in both worker physical capabilities and workplace conditions can be realized by utilizing powered carts to move equipment and materials previously handled manually. By replacing manual tasks with powered material handling equipment, companies can realize considerable savings in both production efficiency and lift-related worker injuries. Contact the ergonomic experts at DJ Products for more information.