Minimizing Injury and Worker’s Compensation with the Tug

Some employers mistakenly fall under the assumption that just because something has wheels that is easy to move but that assumption can lead to serious accidents resulting in injury.  In order to safely and effectively move wheeled carts with exceedingly heavy loads or heavy equipment, workers will need more than just muscle power – and that’s where the DJ Products Tug comes into play.The Tug has the power to either push or pull a load of anywhere from ten thousand to fifty thousand pounds.  A fifty thousand pound load would require a number of employees to get moving, and once a load that heavy gets rolling it could be difficult or impossible to stop safely.  The Tug has the power to let a single employee move a load or piece of equipment of that monstrous weight safely, easily and effectively.The DJ Products Electric Tug packs all of that power into a small frame size that is easy to maneuver around narrow aisles and tight corners.   Where forklifts and other powered movers might not quite be able to make turns, the Electric Tug can go easily, making it a much safer and more convenient option especially in smaller buildings.Large powered movers can be expensive and require quite a bit of maintenance, but the Electric Tug from DJ Products has fewer moving parts and is less susceptible to breakdown, you’ll save money on both operational costs and maintenance/repair costs by investing in an Electric Tug.Work related injuries are common in the warehousing, manufacturing and material handling industries, but with smart investments in the right products employers could drastically cut down on the risk to their employees.  Less injuries to workers will result in less man hours lost and a higher rate of productivity, so having the best equipment on hand can not only create a happier and healthier workplace, it can create a more profitable one.

Cart Caddy Minimizes Hospital Worker Injuries

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.

CartCaddy Tug Solves Auto Manufacturing Problem

The task was to design a robotic work cell to fabricate car doors. It was a difficult problem. The jig assembly that would hold the doors weighed nearly 5,000 pounds. The entire assembly would have to be pushed into the robotic work cell. The tier 1 robotics integrator for a major auto manufacturer turned to DJ Products for the solution.

DJ Products’ CartCaddy5WP tug was the answer. This powerful battery-powered tug allows a single operator to smoothly and safely change-out a finished car door with ease. State-of-the-art ergonomic design eliminates any potential injury to workers from manually pushing door assemblies into position. The tug’s powerful 36-volt motor provides effortless maneuvering of loads from 2,500 pounds up to 30,000 pounds. Highly maneuverable in tight spaces, this exceptional tug is equally effective in open spaces, hallways, aisles and assembly lines.

The CartCaddy5WP tug is a more powerful upgrade of our CartCaddy5W tugger. By adding weight over the drive tires, greater traction is created allowing the 5WP tug to manage heavy loads and equipment up to 30,000 pounds. This tug has the power to push or pull almost any heavy cart or piece of equipment.

In common application, the CartCaddy 5WP is used with carts or equipment having two swivel casters in front and two straight casters in the rear. Attaching the 5WP power tug to the swivel caster end of the cart/equipment allows the tug to easily power carts/equipment through turns and maneuvers, even in tight spaces. An ergonomically designed variable speed twist grip prevents carpal tunnel syndrome and allows the operator to maintain smooth control through intricate maneuvers in both forward and reverse at speeds of from 0 to 3 mph. For full specifications on the 5WP power tug, click here.

The electric lift option on the 5WP power tug raises and lowers the tug’s arm for firm attachment to the bottom of carts or equipment. With the arm attached, the tug can pivot a full 180 degrees under the arm, allowing loads to be turned 90 degrees without problem. The CartCaddy5WP power tug is among the most powerful, most maneuverable and most versatile tugs on the market. Click here for more information about the CartCaddy5WP power tug and a video of this tug in action.