Tag: safety tips

Dumpster Loading Safety Tips for Your Maintenance Staff

Dumpsters Weigh Tons and Can Cause Terrible Accidents if Not Handled Correctly.
Dumpsters Weigh Tons and Can Cause Terrible Accidents if Not Handled Correctly.

Routine trash removal from multifamily properties, office buildings, and industrial facilities can be an unpleasant and even dangerous job. Trash loads vary by size and weight, making the trash room the most likely area for worker injuries in a multifamily property.

Many of those injuries are fall-related or strains that occur when someone is manually trying to move a heavy dumpster. A battery powered dumpster caddy from DJ Products can significantly reduce the risk of injury and maximize manpower by enabling one person to easily move heavy trash containers.

Other safety tips for maintenance staff

Commercial trash often includes hazardous materials such as broken glass and other sharp objects. Provide your maintenance staff with proper personal protective equipment such as safety glasses and work gloves. Signage should clearly indicate that no smoking is allowed in the trash area and that only authorized personnel are to handle the trash and move dumpsters. The dumpster area should be secure and well lit to prevent trespassing.

Maintain waste containers and the trash area

Damaged trash receptacles should be repaired or replaced. Properly closed lids will deter pests. Workers should avoid lifting waste containers or trash bags above their heads when putting them in dumpsters. You may need to build a platform to elevate workers above dumpster openings to prevent lifting injuries. Keep a fire extinguisher near the trash area and keep the area free of potential trip hazards. It’s a good idea to sweep the entire area each week after trash collection.

A powered dumpster caddy from DJ Products helps your company operate more efficiently and safely. Contact us to speak with one of our courteous and knowledgeable sales engineers about which battery-powered trash mover is best for your facility.

American Truck Association Weighs In on Serious Driver Shortages

Semi Drivers Will Be In Demand
Semi Drivers Will Be In Demand

The trucking industry has been dealing with driver shortages for years. At the recent Trucking Associations’ annual Management Conference & Exhibition, it was again a hot topic for key speakers. The freight market is expected to continue growing and many truckers are nearing retirement age. The industry anticipates needing an additional 1 million drivers and technicians over the coming ten years. Products like DJ Product’s electric terminal tractors can help your warehouse terminal operate more efficiently and safely.

Working with federal and state officials

The American Trucking Association (ATA) is establishing a workforce subcommittee to work with state and federal agencies to address the industry’s driver and technician shortage. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao spoke about the labor shortage and possible ways to address it at the conference.

Secretary Acosta suggested apprenticeships are necessary to meet demands for skilled trucking industry workers. Secretary Chao noted that fewer than 7 percent of commercial truck drivers are female and she believes that more women are probably interested in trucking careers. John Smith is chairman of CRST International and will lead the ATA’s workforce subcommittee.

Changing the federal age requirement

Currently, individuals as young as 18 can obtain a license to operate commercial trucks within a state. However, federal law requires drivers be at least 21 for interstate trucking. Dave Manning, president of TCW Inc., says the industry needs to offer apprenticeships to potential drivers before they have pursued other careers. Manning added that new technology makes it possible for people under 21 to operate the big trucks.

DJ Products specializes in energy-efficient terminal tractors that improve the safety and efficiency of your warehouse terminal by allowing each member of your staff to do more. Contact us today.

Don’t Pull, Push Heavy Dumpsters

Safety Is Key. Always Know Your Company's Protocol.
Safety Is Key. Always Know Your Company’s Protocol.

Have you ever seen someone step in front of a vehicle that begins rolling without someone behind the wheel? It can be a 3,000-pound car and otherwise intelligent people sometimes put themselves in harm’s way in an attempt to stop it from rolling out of control. It’s an instinctive response that can result in serious injury. Trash dumpsters can also begin rolling out of control when being moved, so it’s best to push dumpsters rather than pull them from in front.

Why pulling is more likely to cause injuries

When a person pulling a cart has to stop suddenly, the cart is going to continue moving forward. It can cause lower leg lacerations, falls, or even more severe injuries. When a person is manually pulling a heavy trash dumpster, they are walking in a twisted position with their legs moving forward and their shoulders, back, and hip turned at an angle to their forward motion. This makes them highly vulnerable to strains and back injuries.

Pushing gives the individual more control

When pushing, the person doesn’t have to turn their head to see where they’re going. The load is more manageable and will not run over the individual if they stop suddenly. However, the best option is a motorized dumpster mover. With a DJ Products WasteCaddy, one person can easily and safely maneuver heavy loads on inclines and surfaces covered with snow and ice. The ergonomically designed dumpster mover controls make starting and stopping a breeze.

We have a wide range of dumpster movers capable of moving 500 lbs to 10,000 lbs. Contact us for a free demo.

Repetitive Stress Injuries: High Cost to Employers and Employees

CartCaddy WagonWheel Shorty Tug
CartCaddy WagonWheel Shorty Tug

Manpower is the most significant asset of a company, so it stands to reason that it’s also one of the major expenses. When an employee is out of work for health reasons, the financial impact is twofold. There is the cost of replacing him along with the potential loss of efficiency if the replacement is less skilled or if the position simply goes unfilled. Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) account for 30 percent of missed time, making them one of the biggest workplace dangers.

Reports from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration state that roughly 1.8 million workers per year are affected by RSI, while government studies place the cost to businesses at between $17 billion and $20 billion. Employees themselves also suffer a personal financial toll. The chronic nature of RSI can lead to more serious or permanent injuries. An affected worker may be forced to take a job that pays less or pay for education and training in order to find alternate employment.

Repetitive stress injuries affect soft tissue such as muscles, tendons and joints. As the name implies, they occur from repeating the same motion or activity on a regular basis. Use of ergonomically designed equipment such as our CartCaddyShorty can greatly reduce the threat of RSI in your workplace by relieving stress and strain, making tasks easier to perform.

The CartCaddyShorty is just one of the full line of material handling tugs available from DJ Products. Contact us at 800.686.2651 to have one of our trained Sales Engineers help you find the right solution for your business. 

Preventing Heat Injury

As summer heats up, heat can affect workers’ health and slow production. Heat illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke (see our June 24 post) are serious and can even be life-threatening. Fortunately precautions can be taken to prevent heat injury by following these suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control:

  • Reduce the physical demands of the job by using powered equipment to perform heavy tasks. DJ Products powered carts and movers are the perfect solution to take the strain off workers when materials, equipment, products or supplies must be moved from one place to another. Ergonomic design eliminates muscle strain, fatigue and physical stress, protecting the health and safety of your workers. Our battery powered CartCaddies do the heavy labor so your workers don’t overexert themselves in the heat.
  • Wear loose clothing to promote air flow and a hat to shield yourself from the sun. When uniforms must be worn, natural-fiber, breathable fabrics like cotton provide better management of body heat. Certain newer fabrics are available that help wick sweat away from the body, keeping the body cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
  • Decrease work exposure or, when exposure cannot be avoided, the length of exposure to high heat and humidity. Shorten shifts for high exposure jobs or rotate tasks to decrease exposure periods.
  • Use fans to decrease humidity and increase air speed to allow maximum evaporative cooling from sweating.
  • Provide shade in work areas where possible and certainly in break areas.
  • Drink plenty of fluids and replenish salt and minerals lost during sweating. This is why sports figures drink Gatorade and similar beverages that contain salt and minerals. Salty snacks at break times can also help. Water should be continually available to workers during periods of high heat and humidity, and a worker’s request for water should not be denied.

Worker complaints about feeling ill or dizzy when temperatures soar should not be taken lightly. Cool water (sipped slowly); a break in a cool, air conditioned room; and application of cool, wet cloths to the skin will help. But anyone who complains should be carefully watched for additional signs of heat illness. Be aware that some medications exacerbate the effects of heat on the body, a possible side effect about which many people are unaware. If a heat injury victim does not respond to basic first aid, if vomiting occurs, the person loses consciousness, or if his body temperature continues to rise and sweating ceases, call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately.

Help Workers Beat the Heat

The dog days of August aren’t here yet but the nationwide heat wave means it’s time to review heat safety tips to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke. When workers don’t work in temperature controlled environments, heat can take a toll on workers’ health, cause production to suffer and even be life-threatening when workers and managers do not take proper precautions to manage heat stress.

Sweat is the body’s cooling system. As air passes over the body, it evaporates sweat, cooling the body. But during hot weather, particularly if the humidity is high, sweating can’t keep up. Body temperature rises faster than sweating can cool it down. When body temperatures get too hot, heat illness and even death can occur. Older, overweight and pregnant workers are most at risk of heat illnesses, which include:

  • Heat rash where the skin becomes irritated from excessive sweating. Tightly fitting clothing can exacerbate heat rash and the individual’s discomfort.
  • Heat cramps are painful muscle pains or spasms, generally in the abdomen and legs, brought on by exertion or exercise during prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Heat cramps are often the first sign that the body is not coping with high temperatures.
  • Heat exhaustion occurs when body fluids are lost through heavy sweating and not replaced. In an effort to cool the body, blood flow to the skin is increased, drawing it away from vital organs and causing mild shock. Heat exhaustion is evidenced by extreme lethargy, heavy sweating, rapid breathing and a fast, weak pulse. If not treated, it can lead to dangerous heat stroke.
  • Heat stroke (also called sun stroke) is a life-threatening condition indicating that the body’s natural cooling mechanism has completely broken down and ceased functioning. Body temperatures can rise above 106 degrees Fahrenheit, high enough to cause brain damage. Sweating stops and the skin becomes dry to the touch. The individual’s pulse begins to race, becoming strong and rapid. Heat stroke victims can become dizzy, particularly dangerous if they are operating equipment. If untreated, unconsciousness, permanent brain damage and death can follow.

Next time: Preventing and treating heat injury