Tag: Ergonomics. Safety and Ergonomics

Warehouse Ergonomics Reduce Worker Injuries

Warehouse Ergonomics Reduce Worker Injuries
Warehouse Ergonomics Reduce Worker Injuries

Warehousing and storage may not sound like a particularly risky industry. But in fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in this segment suffer musculoskeletal injuries twice as frequently as those in general private industry.

Improve workplace safety and reduce injuries by implementing sound ergonomic principles for the more common physical tasks.

Placing and Picking

• Teach proper body alignment so employees aren’t forced to twist their back.

• If possible, organize the workplace so employees don’t have to reach up or bend down to perform activities.

• Use a dumpster puller or other battery-powered mover for heavy loads.

Packing

• Make sure employees maintain a neutral posture: straight neck and back, shoulders down, elbows at right angles, wrists straight.

• Minimize the need to apply force such as pinching, pushing, pulling or gripping.

• Use carts and conveyors to reduce manual movement of items.

Shipping and Receiving

• Enforce proper lifting techniques to engage knees and legs rather than the back.

• Use mechanical assistance whenever possible.

• Keep loads in the zone between knees and shoulders. Particularly heavy loads should be between knuckle and elbow height.

Boost Workplace Safety with a Dumpster Puller from DJ Products

Surprisingly, the trash room is the most dangerous spot in a workplace. Injury risks range from overexertion due to moving heavy loads to pinching fingers and hands in dumpster lids.

Satisfied customers say that our WasteCaddy is “like having another employee on staff.” A single employee of any age or size can perform an activity that usually requires two workers.

Call 800.686.2651 to get cheerful assistance from one of our knowledgeable sales engineers.

The Impact of Concierge Practice on the Face of the Healthcare Industry

Will Concierge Medical Impact Healthcare?
Will Concierge Medical Impact Healthcare?

Concierge service has long been a popular perk at upscale hotels. This high-end concept has made its way into the healthcare industry, where so-called “boutique medicine” has been raising questions about ethics and legality.

What Is Concierge Care?

With concierge care, patients pay an annual retainer fee ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. In return, they receive an elite level of service that can include same-day appointments, longer examination times and 24/7 access to their physician.

The business world views concierge service as a brilliant opportunity, but other reactions have been mixed. Some physicians and healthcare advocates fear the practice will shift resources to the wealthy at the expense of the underprivileged, while others claim that it’s a logical outgrowth of a socioeconomic structure that is already class-based.

The Legal View of Concierge Care

So far, the government has not been on the side of concierge care.

  • In 2003, the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services declared that concierge care agreements violate the state’s requirement prohibiting network healthcare providers from discriminating against any individuals. Carriers were put on notice that all such agreements “should be terminated immediately.”
  • The New York State Department of Health followed suit in 2004 with an official statement denouncing concierge medicine within HMOs.

Lighten the Load with Our Hospital Equipment Cart Mover

Improve your patient service with a hospital equipment cart mover from DJ Products. Employees can quickly and easily move loads weighing up to 1,000 pounds, allowing for efficient housekeeping and clear hallways.

Call 800.686.2651 for more information about why our hospital equipment cart mover is the solution for your busy workplace.

Warehouse Safety Tips Include a Focus on Education and Ergonomics

Proper Ergonomics can Keep Your Employees Safe, Healthy and Happy
Proper Ergonomics can Keep Your Employees Safe, Healthy and Happy

Warehouse management needs safe, repeatable processes in order to reduce injury risks. It’s not enough to rely on brute strength and lumbar belts! This is why warehouses implement proactive changes — from stepping up training protocol to bringing in automated equipment like our industrial tugs.

Educating Workers About Warehouse Safety

Train and frequently remind your workers about the most common warehouse injuries. Key issues for your team to discuss:

• Slips and falls: Messy warehouses cause falls, often when workers carry items and cannot see the ground below.

• Forklift and equipment injuries: Even after training and certificates are obtained for operating heavy machinery, each worker should review instructions periodically.

• Unreported dangers: Workers should have an avenue for reporting hazards like chemical fumes and faulty equipment.

• Untrained staff: Don’t skimp on training or let veteran employees miss safety meetings.

Ergonomics to Prevent Warehouse Injuries

Ergonomics refers to tools and methods that have been designed to suit a task. The more you manage ergonomics, the fewer injuries you can expect.

Warehouse equipment is one obvious area to consider ergonomics. For example, you might see a warehouse worker hunched over while strenuously pushing a wheeled cart. This almost guarantees a back injury. Ergonomic industrial tugs remove most of the physical burden and let the worker stay in a comfortable position.

Lifting techniques can also be designed for ergonomics. Heavy items that get moved should be a few feet off the ground so the worker does not have to bend all the way over repetitively.

Next steps: refresh safety training at your warehouse and bring in motorized industrial tugs for better ergonomics.

Workman’s Compensation Trends

Watching the trends and staying aware of changes in laws can help businesses plan how to prevent injuries and prepare for the risk of workman’s compensation claims.

Here’s a roundup of trends in the news regarding workers’ comp:

Safety measures help reduce worker’s comp costs in some states

Costs associated with worker’s compensation vary from state to state and in different industries. While rates rise in some sectors, many states have seen slight decreases across-the-board in costs for employers—with manufacturing and industrial firms seeing decreases due to lower medical costs and changes in safety measures.

Calls for better oversight

Many government agencies have seen scandals and controversies rock their workman’s compensation departments, leading to chatter over the need for better oversight of the programs.

In Washington, D.C., city officials have held special meetings to find out whether $24 million was mismanaged in recent years by administrators.

While employers wish for compensation matters to be handled swiftly and fairly, questionable management of the programs themselves are cause for concern for everyone involved.

Cities mulling creation of local worker’s comp offices

Municipal governments face workman’s compensation claims just as private businesses do, and in some cases city officials have seen large rises in claims. Trenton, New Jersey administrators have paid unexpected millions in compensation claims in 2014, prompting calls for a new local position or city office to oversee the program.

While debate goes on about the cost-benefit concerns of creating an oversight position, rising costs have proponents claiming that the job could pay for itself by reducing fraudulent claims.

Follow us for industry trends and find out how cart caddies can help prevent workplace injuries.

Reduce Effects of Chronic Pain with Ergonomic Material Handling Solutions

A 2011 article from BusinessInsurance.com stated, “Chronic pain is a infrequent but growing aspect of workers compensation claims…” and advised companies to try to prevent injured employees from developing chronic pain. It added that companies are seeing more reports of chronic pain because of an aging workforce.

Chronic pain can have a number of sources and the article notes that it is hard to define. Still, we would advise companies to do what they can to prevent the kinds of on-the-job injuries that lead to chronic pain. (There is little you can do about illness or injuries workers suffer outside of work.) However, you can provide equipment that is ergonomically sound and functions in concert with the musculoskeletal system. That way, the machines being used at your facility will not be the cause repeated injury among your workforce.

DJ Products makes ergonomic material handling equipment that eliminate the strain of pulling heavy products, parts carts or wheeled equipment. With our powered carts, pullers and pushers, your employees can move everything from soiled linen carts to carpets to cars. Our walk-behind units use battery power to move heavy loads efficiently so the operator is able to maintain control without feeling a lot of strain.

Purchasing material handling solutions from us won’t strain your budget either. But if you are hesitant, think about the costs of workers compensation claims and the strain on your workforce that occurs when even one employee needs to be way from work for an extended period of time.

You can contact one of our Sales Engineers at 800-686-2651 to learn more about which of our products would be best suited to your industry.