Tag: material handling equipment

Material Handling Equipment Choices Make the Difference in Safety and Productivity

Effective material handling — and material these days can be anything from stone to steel — translates to efficient completion of the project, perhaps with performance bonuses attached. But inefficient material handling can slow down job progress, cause duplication of effort, detract from efficiency, and may even lead to accidents and injuries.

Most contractors think of a material handler as a variable-reach telescoping boom forklift. These machines, usually seen at many building construction sites, feature a telescoping boom and typically include forks for easy handling of materials such as block, mortar, sheetrock, and plywood. But they can also be fitted with coupler systems for many different types of attachments that can increase versatility on the job. Whether unloading materials from trucks or delivering them over the phases of a project, telehandlers continue to be what most people think of when the subject is equipment for material handling.

But there’s more to material handling than telehandlers. For example, cranes are another class of material handling equipment. When heavy lifting is needed, a crane is usually preferred. That is why cranes take on most material handling for major projects such as bridges, where the loads can be heavy, or on high-rise buildings, where telehandlers cannot offer a tall enough reach. Cranes also assist on many sites with unloading trucks — an important part of material handling on just about any job.

But whatever machinery is used for material handling, the most important element remains the operator. Safety is paramount. Remember, material handlers handle material — and to do so safely, the load must be under their complete control at all times. This necessity drives not only load handling and maneuverability but also affects cab design and control positioning. For example, cabs on many modern material handlers are being designed with more glass to give the operator more visibility.

Designing machines that an experienced operator can safely and effectively control certainly are a key consideration, particularly in these days of scarce manpower, when selecting material handling machinery. But without question, an effective merging of operator and machine will increase safety which maximizes productivity — and that always mean a better bottom line.

Key Elements to Seek in Material Handling Equipment

No matter what business or industry you are in, you need to move materials. Whether you’re dealing with raw materials, parts and supplies or a finished product, you need equipment that can move materials from point A to point B. When choosing material handling equipment, there are a number of key features to consider that will maximize your investment and the use you get from your equipment.

  • Flexibility. The more jobs a piece of equipment can perform, the more workers who can easily utilize it, the greater the number of environments in which it can operate, the more useful it is to you and the greater its value. DJ Products’ carts and movers are designed for maximum versatility. Ergonomic design ensures that workers of every size, age and physical ability can operate our equipment safely and without effort. DJ Products’ electric lift option and customized attachment eliminate the need to fabricate multiple attachments for each cart or piece of equipment. The mover arm on our tugs quickly attaches to any cart or piece of equipment and can even accommodate loads that overflow the cart bed.
  • Safety. Safety in the workplace is paramount. All of DJ Products’ equipment is ergonomically designed to protect the health and safety of workers. Ergonomic design decreases worker injury and is proven to significantly cut medical/disability costs. Our twist grip protects against carpal tunnel syndrome while allowing forward and reverse movement. Designed as walk- or ride-behind units, DJ Products’ equipment provides maximum operator control of the vehicle with safe lines-of-sight.
  • Productivity. Material handling equipment that promotes comfortable and efficient use increases productivity. Workers accomplish more per shift with less effort, meeting and exceeding production goals. Ergonomic design makes DJ Products’ equipment easy and comfortable to use, decreasing worker fatigue while increasing productivity.
  • Comfort. Operator comfort decreases fatigue and the stretch breaks that accompany tired muscles. The ergonomic design of DJ Products’ equipment maximizes worker comfort, eliminating the need for unnecessary breaks and maximizing production.
  • Service and reliability. DJ Products builds its carts and tugs to maximize uptime. Our electric and battery-operated equipment is cable of operating for two full shifts before recharging.

DJ Products makes a full range of ergonomically-designed powered carts in a wide range of shapes and sizes to handle any application. From compact, light-weight carts that can be easily and safely maneuvered down a crowded hospital corridor to heavy-duty carts capable of pulling more than 50,000 pounds across a production floor or down an assembly line, DJ Products has a material handling solution to fit your needs. Contact one of our ergonomic sales engineers today to see what we can do for you.

It’s Buyer Beware When Buying Used Equipment

Economic woes have everyone pinching pennies and looking for bargains. Buying used material handling equipment can seem like a good way to save money, but while there are good bargains to be had, industry watchers warn that there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there trying to cash in on the potential profits. You know you’re getting a high quality product when you buy new material handling equipment from its manufacturer; but if you’re considering buying used equipment, it’s buyer beware.

Business consolidation, poor sales and bankruptcies have forced more material handling equipment onto the used market than usual, so it pays to do your homework and thoroughly investigate both the product and the seller before putting your money down, caution industry experts. Anyone can sell used equipment. No certification is required to sell used equipment, and authorization by original manufacturers is not required. Used equipment shouldn’t be confused with remanufactured equipment that is rebuilt, often by the original manufacturer, and refinished for resale, usually with a manufacturer’s warranty.

The boon market is attracting legitimate sellers who specialize in used material handling equipment sales; but it’s also attracting brokers, auctioneers and folks looking to make a quick buck. These Johnny-come-latelies generally lack any knowledge about the products they are selling or the maintenance they require. Equipment is sold “as is” or sometimes spruced up for resale; but it’s like buying a used car, you don’t know what you’re getting unless you perform a thorough inspection.

Even used, material handling equipment can represent a serious investment. When you buy used, you may get a great bargain; but it’s equally probable that you’ll get an expensive lemon. Follow these tips from Stafford Sterner for Material Handling Management online to ensure that when you buy used material handling equipment, you get what you’re paying for:

  • Deal with reputable, established businesses. In the competitive used equipment market, longevity is a sign of customer satisfaction, reputable business practices, adherence to industry standards, and fair prices. Beware of internet sales unless you can physically verify the business and inventory. A legitimate dealer will carry inventory in stock, be knowledgeable about his stock, allow inspection of equipment before purchase, and provide delivery assurance.

 More tips on Friday

More Tips for Buying Used Material Handling Equipment

Buying used material handling equipment is an attractive option in today’s difficult economic climate. While good bargains are available, the used equipment market is full of charlatans, warns Stafford Sterner in an article on Material Handling Management online. Today we continue the used equipment purchasing tips started in our last post. You’ll find they’re pretty good tips for investigating any company you’re considering doing business with. 

  • Beware the internet. On the internet it’s easy for a seller to project false impressions about the size of his operation, inventory availability and his experience in the industry. Making an onsite visit may not be practical in the early stages of your equipment search. Sterner suggests viewing satellite images of the seller’s business address on Google Earth to determine whether it’s a legitimate business with onsite inventory or someone arranging sales out of his basement.
  • Avoid part-time sellers. Dealing with a one-man band, people who sell used equipment in their spare time, generally means you’re dealing with an unknowledgeable amateur. Such sellers lack the industry experience to guide you and the resources for post-sale support. Sterner recommends asking for a business phone number in addition to an email address or cell phone number. If calls go to voice mail or the seller isn’t available during business hours, beware.
  • Deal with owners. Avoid brokers who flip equipment with a couple of phone calls, warns Sterner. A legitimate dealer will have invested money in the equipment he sells and will carry inventory you can inspect. Beware if sellers only offer photos.
  • Check financials. If making a large purchase, order a Dun & Bradstreet report (about $100) to check the seller’s financial bona fides. Owners and officers should be clearly listed, along with payment record, any lawsuits filed, incorporation date and number of employees.
  • Ask about follow up. Deal with someone who can service what they sell and check out the repair facilities personally. Beware of companies that outsource repair work, Sterner warns. Outsourcing adds one more layer of cost, scheduling headaches and communication problems to repair issues.
  • Check reputation. Beware of voluntarily offered references which may be carefully screened, instead call local customers or competitors.

When buying used material handling equipment, the take home message seems to be “Buyer Beware!” Purchasing used equipment from a reputable dealer may seem like a practical stop-gap during the recession, but when you add in the cost of increased maintenance and major repairs, it may be more cost-effective to buy new. Whether you buy new or used, it pays to thoroughly investigate prices, equipment and the dealers themselves to ensure you’re getting the best material handling equipment at the best price.

Material Handling Safety Tips

Avoid Injury[/caption]The nature of material handling work involves a number of situations with the potential to cause injury. Large, heavy carts and other equipment are being transported through aisles that can be narrow and congested. In addition, there are often other employees moving around the same areas who may not be paying as careful attention as you are.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Being sensible and vigilant can keep you and others injury-free.

Here are some tips to promote a safer work environment:

  • Always check your route to make sure it’s clear of potential blockage or other hazards. Help yourself and others by keeping the workplace clutter-free.
     
  • If you’re passing through doorways, make sure there’s enough clearance. Getting your hand or fingers caught can be painful.
     
  • Wear appropriate footwear such as steel-toed boots. This is a requirement at most companies, but if it’s not you should take this precaution yourself. Heavy-duty gloves can also be useful.
     
  • Make sure the load you’re transporting is evenly distributed. If it’s stacked too high you run the risk of objects falling on you or others.
     
  • Use good posture to support your back. Bend at the knees and lift with your legs.
     
  • Ask for assistance with loads that are too difficult to handle on your own. An even better solution is using a battery-powered material handling tug. For example, our CartCaddy5WP enables one person to easily move loads of up to 10,000 pounds.

DJ Products offers a full line of material handling tugs for use in applications from hotels and hospitals to airplane hangers. Contact us for more information about how we can simplify your job.

Get Ready. Cap and Trade Is Coming

Cap and trade is not going to go away. Seen as a cornerstone of the national movement to cut carbon emissions from greenhouse gases, a cap and trade program is expected to have the greatest impact on manufacturers and supply chain partners but no business or individual will be immune from the drive to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Scientific reports detailing life-threatening scenarios of potential climate disaster and irreparable damage to the planet have spurred President Obama and his team to demand action this year on environmental regulations now moving through Congress.

In June, the U.S. House narrowly passed (219 to 211) the green-energy climate bill HR 2454, referred to by press and public as the Cap and Trade Bill. Heated debate has ensued in the Senate which may or may not bring the matter to a vote before the year ends, despite presidential pressure. Senators, particularly those representing agricultural and coal states, are understandably wary of the potential economic repercussions cap and trade could have on already suffering businesses, particularly manufacturers. Although Congress may drag its feet for another year, most analysts agree that cap and trade will eventually become law.

Savvy businesses are already implementing green programs to curb energy use and switch from gas and diesel-powered equipment to clean energy battery and electric-powered material handling equipment. Even small changes like moving from power-chomping forklifts to green battery-powered motorized carts and powered tugs can add up to a significant plus on your carbon emissions balance sheet. Ergonomically-designed electric material handling equipment like DJ Products’ innovative CartCaddies kills two birds with one stone. They respond to government efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase worker safety. Win-win! 

Congress Debates Increasing Fines for Worker Injury, Death

Congress is being urged to increase financial penalties for workplace injuries and deaths, according to congressional testimony reported by McClatchy Newspapers. In last week’s hearing before the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, workers’ advocate groups squared off against industry safety experts to debate increasing penalties when employers don’t protect their workers against hazardous conditions.

Workers’ advocates pressured the federal government to drastically increase fines and implement possible criminal prosecution for senior executives when workers are killed or seriously injured on the job. “The thought process has to be, ‘If I keep doing this, and I keep letting this happen. … I could go to jail,'” David Uhlmann of the University of Michigan School of Law and a former U.S. Department of Justice official, told the House Committee.

Speaking for the opposing view, a workplace safety attorney who helps businesses figure out how to respond appropriately to U.S. labor laws, recommended more clearly defined labor safety laws and more stringent enforcement of existing penalties for employers who exhibit a “callous disregard” for workers’ safety. “There needs to be a balance,” Lawrence Halprin, a lawyer with Keller and Heckman, told the House Committee, noting that confusing labor regulations often contribute to the creation of workplace hazards.

Last week’s hearing was one more volley in the Congressional debate that is accompanying preparation of anticipated legislation to overhaul the 39-year-old Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). With the Obama administration’s apparent blessing, House Democrats are preparing to give OSHA a new and sharper set of teeth. New regulations being considered would dramatically increase employers’ penalties, increase business owners’ accountability and protect workers who speak out about workplace violations. OSHA penalties have not been updated since 1990, and financial penalties were never indexed to inflation. Current penalties for the injury or death of a worker often total just a few thousand dollars.

“Penalties must be meaningful,” said Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat and chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “They must function to deter violations. They must get people’s attention.”

However, some committee members are concerned that their Congressional peers may be unduly swayed by the many stories of personal tragedy that have peppered the hearings. Rep. Tom Price, a Georgia Republican, noting that workplace fatalities have declined since 1994, said, “Sometimes Congress gets emotional and draws the wrong conclusions and makes the wrong laws.” Time will tell what happens here, but you might want to weigh in with your Congressman and tell him how you feel.

2010 Material Handling Shows Help Position You for Future

The poor economy led to lower attendance at 2009 material handling shows but 2010 promises to be a better year. Companies trying to hold onto their bottom line may have skipped last year’s show or sent only a token delegate or two. With the manufacturing and peripheral industries finally starting to post small increases, material handling and related industries are anticipating better attendance at 2010 conferences.

Annual conferences and trade shows offer unique opportunities to see what’s new in the industry and what the future holds. Staying up-to-date with your industry enables you to better position yourself to meet future demands. National trade shows are an excellent place to network. They’re a good place to search for new talent to strengthen or rejuvenate your operation. They’re also an excellent place to form alliances with other company representatives that can lead to greater national exposure and increased product sales.

Continuing education classes and workshops provide information on innovative solutions to management and marketing problems. Round table discussions provide an opportunity to trade techniques and strategies with other industry professionals. Dealer and product give you an opportunity to learn about new products, increase your product knowledge, and discover products or services that can augment or revitalize your current product line.

The big national material handling conference/trade shows scheduled for 2010 include:

  • NA 2010: Solutions that Make the Supply Chain Work sponsored by the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) will be held April 26-29 at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The event will focus on positioning your business to take advantage of future trends. Click here for more information.
  • 2010: The Rules Have Changed sponsored by the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) will be held May 1-5 at the Marriott Marco Island Resort & Spa on Marco Island, Florida. The conference will focus on providing insight into recession-driven maketing and economic trends. Click here for more information.

Trailer Mover Pulls Heavy Equipment with Ease

There have always been strongmen who pitted themselves against modern machines in amazing feats of strength. Back when you were a small fry you probably watched them on TV or might have seen them in action at the county fair. Muscles bulging, in true John Henry fashion, these guys would harness themselves to a tractor trailer or railcar or some other amazingly heavy immovable object and with brute strength pull it down a street or across a field to the jaw-dropping awe of their audience.

Today, you can accomplish the same incredible feat and without the bulging muscles of a steel-driving man like John Henry. DJ Products’ amazing TrailerCaddy trailer mover allows a single, ordinary worker to push and pull a RV, camper, equipment trailer or boat with ease. The electric-powered TrailerCaddy is the perfect solution for moving wheeled trailers down an assembly line or into holding areas during manufacture. It’s the ideal tool for moving and positioning trailers at a showroom or trade show.

Less bulky than traditional material handling equipment used to pull trailers, DJ Products’ powered trailer mover provides precise operator control and maximum maneuverability, even in confined areas. Far less costly to maintain than other trailer pulling equipment on the market, the DJ Products trailer mover also significantly decreases accident rates and their associated costs. Superior maneuverability and operator control also mean less chance of damage to surrounding parts and equipment.

Like all of DJ Products’ superior powered movers, the TrailerCaddy trailer mover is ergonomically-designed to eliminate the risk of musculoskeletal injury caused by pushing and pulling tasks. Overextension and strain on muscles during the pushing, pulling and maneuvering of heavy loads can cause severe physical damage to workers. Treatment of musculoskeletal injuries is long-term and expensive. In addition to high medical costs, musculoskeletal injuries can significantly increase insurance, workmen’s compensation, disability and lost man-hour costs. The ergonomic design of all DJ Products’ pushers, pullers and movers is geared to eliminate the considerable physical strain of moving heavy objects, thereby reducing the negative impact of accidents and injuries on your bottom line.

Visit the DJ Products website for full specs and to see the amazing TrailerCaddy trailer mover in action.