warehouse equipment Archives - Page 3 of 11

Tips for Creating a Snow and Bad Weather Attendance Policy for Your Warehouse Staff

It’s Proactive to Have a Winter-Season Plan for Accidents and Attendance in Place.

Our rugged warehouse equipment is designed to perform under a wide range of conditions, but it’s not always so easy for people to operate in bad weather. Snow, ice and other treacherous winter conditions can make it dangerous to be on the road.

Use these tips to create a clear and comprehensive snow and bad weather attendance policy that protects employees while minimizing work interruptions.

Know the Law

At a minimum, your policy must meet the parameters set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act. Rules differ for exempt and non-exempt employees, so set yours accordingly.

Be Consistent with Company Culture

Policies should always reflect company values. Is your culture more traditional or does it embrace flexibility? Whatever your identity is, keep it in mind as you compose the bad weather policy.

Consider All Employees

First of all, many companies have several locations that may require individual policies. Second, even within a common workplace, employees have different considerations such as travel time and mode of transportation. Aim for a policy that encompasses all situations.

Define “Bad Weather”

Everyone has their own perception of what constitutes bad weather. Choose a specific but fair method of triggering the bad weather policy, such as a minimum amount of snowfall or when schools are closed.

Have an Action Plan

A complete bad weather policy should set out precise steps for actions including notifying employees, alerting customers and implementing a virtual office set-up.

Safety Comes First

Regardless of the formal policy, let workers know that you value their safety. Be flexible with issues like start times and dress codes.

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No matter what the weather is outside, our warehouse equipment is always ready for duty. Contact us for more information.

Tips for Preventing Expensive Forklift Accidents in Your Warehouse

Always Stop and Let a Forklift Pass, to Avoid an Accident.

Forklift accidents can cause costly damage to warehouse equipment, but that’s not even the worst possible result. Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicates that 85 deaths and almost 35,000 serious injuries due to forklift accidents occur each year.

Reduce the risk of damage and injury with these five proactive tips for preventing forklift accidents:

Ensure Adequate Ventilation

People generally associate forklift accidents with mechanical operation, but forklifts also emit carbon monoxide at levels that can lead to poisoning. Make sure there is sufficient ventilation, especially if forklifts are used in enclosed areas.

Provide Secure Parking

No matter how busy the day is, forklifts should always be returned to their parking spaces with keys removed. This keeps the forklift from being an obstacle and prevents unauthorized use.

Conduct Regular Training and Inspections

– Train all new hires in proper forklift operation and continue to promote awareness and safety precautions.

– Schedule regular inspections and perform maintenance as needed.

Failure to observe these two practices can result in OSHA citations and fines.

Load Forklifts Correctly

Forklift loads should be balanced, with larger and heavier items on the bottom, and they shouldn’t be stacked too high. In addition, forklifts should never be used to raise employees to upper shelves.

Remove Obstructions

Poor sight, operator error and driving off a loading dock are all common causes of forklift accidents. Make sure forklift operators have a clear path and nothing is obstructing their sight lines.

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Tips for Keeping Your Warehouse and Work Staff Safe in Cold Weather

Tips for Keeping Your Warehouse and Work Staff Safe in Cold Weather.

No matter how advanced and efficient your warehouse equipment is, it means nothing with no workers around to use it. Bad winter weather adds another layer to the everyday risk of workplace injuries.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes “cold stress” as a significant work-related danger during winter months. Here are some valuable tips to keep your workers warm and healthy as temperatures drop.

What Is “Cold Stress?”

According to OSHA, cold stress is a general term that encompasses a range of weather-related health concerns such as hypothermia, frostbite and trench foot. While OSHA maintains no specific regulations governing cold weather work, they do recognize an employer’s requirement to operate a workplace “free of recognized hazards.”

Winter-Related Illnesses

Winter months also bring the onset of colds and flu. Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that companies lose $10.5 billion in medical costs and decreased productivity during flu season each year.

Tips to Prevent Cold-Related Injuries and Illnesses

– Educate employees about cold stress risk factors such as dressing improperly, working in wet clothes and consuming excessive caffeine.

– Implement radiant heaters and other engineering controls to keep the workplace warm.

– Schedule the bulk of work activities during warmer times of the day.

– Have supervisors monitor employees for signs of cold stress. If possible, assign workers in pairs.

– OSHA doesn’t require employers to provide coats, gloves and other winter wear, but many companies find it cost-effective to do so.

– Promote flu shots. Consider holding an on-site vaccination clinic or partnering with local pharmacies.

Count on Warehouse Equipment from DJ Products

A safe workplace includes high-quality, effective warehouse equipment. Contact us to learn why our electric tugs, movers and pushers are the optimum solution for your warehouse.

Forklifts Embrace Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

Our eco-friendly tugs, pushers and other material handling equipment use rechargeable batteries instead of costly and emission-laden fuels. A third option is on the horizon – green forklifts that incorporate hydrogen fuel cells for cleaner operation and higher productivity.

The Science of Fuel Cells

The “fuel” used by fuel cells is actually a mix of hydrogen and oxygen, which the cell then converts to electricity. Unlike gasoline and other traditional fuels, this form of energy produces only water vapor and heat as byproducts rather than toxic emissions that damage the environment.

Hydrogen is available in gas form, which is suitable for low-volume usage, as well as liquid form, which is recommended for heavier usage.

Benefits of Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Forklifts

– Lead acid batteries currently used in most forklifts must be replaced or recharged in a cumbersome process that can cost a minimum of 20 minutes downtime each four- to eight-hour period. In contrast, hydrogen fuel cells can be refueled in as little as three minutes.

– Hydrogen fuel cells provide a consistent level of energy, allowing for maximum forklift performance throughout the charge, while productivity of lead acid battery-powered forklifts drops as the charge wears down.

– Lead acid batteries have approximately three to four years of useable life and disposal can be problematic. On the other hand, hydrogen fuel cells last for 10,000 hours, making them more cost-effective.

– Not only are hydrogen fuel cells completely emission-free, generating hydrogen on-site can result in a 33 percent reduction in harmful greenhouse gases as opposed to lead acid batteries.

Go Green with Material Handling Equipment from DJ Products

Our electric tugs, pushers and movers provide superior performance for any application. Contact us to learn more about our wide range of material handling equipment solutions.

A Fleet Manager’s Job is All About Performance and Driver Retention

Thanks to the explosion of online retailing, it’s more important than ever for companies to set themselves apart from the competition with superior delivery service. From choosing terminal tractors to training drivers, fleet managers are responsible for optimizing truck and trailer performance.

The function of a fleet manager has remained fairly consistent over time, but technology is expected to create a major shift in job expectations. Here’s a look at today’s fleet manager and the changes on the horizon.

Responsibilities of a Fleet Manager

– Fleet managers use delivery forecasts and company budgets to determine how many trucks and trailers are needed. Some businesses own their fleets outright and some rent vehicles, while others use a hybrid approach with a blend of both methods.

– Out-of-service trucks and trailers severely hamper prompt delivery service, so fleet managers oversee the maintenance schedule and make sure repairs are completed in a timely manner. In addition, fleet managers must ensure that vehicles are compliant with all safety regulations.

– Fleet managers communicate with drivers to provide all necessary tools and training.

– With tight margins in transportation, fleet managers can positively impact the numbers with good performance management, such as choosing the right type of fuel.

What Does the Future Hold?

Just as it has impacted virtually every other industry, technology is changing the face of fleet management. While managers have traditionally come from the mechanical side, future managers will likely have analytics and IT backgrounds with extensive knowledge of telematics, logistics software and other digital tools.

Terminal Tractors from DJ Products: Solutions for Today and Tomorrow

Our terminal tractors are safe, sturdy and cost-effective, making them a perfect solution for all facets of a fleet manager’s job. Contact us today for more information.

Key Warehouse Performance Metrics – What to Know

Understanding the Workplace

Goal-setting is necessary for any successful business, but how do you know if you’re on track? Improvements in technology provide advanced performance metrics to evaluate everything from condition of warehouse equipment to order fill rates.

Every warehouse will have its own priorities, but there are some key performance indicators (KPIs) that are applicable to any operation. Here are five major performance metrics and why you should be tracking them.

Truck Time at the Receiving Dock

Companies often focus on the processes that occur on the warehouse floor, but an efficient receiving dock is a crucial part of fulfilling customer demands. Excessive truck times can point to labor shortage or other problems to correct.

Inventory Intake Time

On-site inventory that’s not ready to be picked can actually end up costing money in lost revenue. If it’s taking too long to transfer received items to pick locations, an upgrade in warehouse equipment could be the solution.

Days-on-Hand

The longer a product sits in the warehouse, the more it impacts the bottom line with higher storage costs. Calculate storage cost per item and inventory cost per square foot to see if you’re optimizing inventory management.

Cost per Line Item Shipped

Order picking and packing form the meat-and-potatoes of warehouse operations. With the complexity of factors involved, cost per line item gives you a starting point from which to evaluate the overall process.

Perfect Order Percentage

What is the industry standard for perfect order percentage? Keep in mind that there’s a problem if reducing error rates results in higher expenses.

Achieve Your Goals with Quality Warehouse Equipment from DJ Products

Our electric tugs, movers and pushers offer dual benefits of increasing productivity while reducing costly workplace injuries. Contact us for more information.

The Airbnb Concept Arrives in the Warehouse Space

Companies can scale warehouse equipment and other assets up and down to accommodate changing needs. But a warehouse itself is a fixed property that involves major financial commitments, which can become detrimental to a company’s bottom line.

The warehouse industry is now on the cusp of a major disruption that could put the traditional model in the past. Some innovative companies are taking a page from the Airbnb book to create a warehouse sharing model.

Matching Supply with Demand

One such company is Stowga, a startup in the UK. According to CEO Charlie Pool, they realized that many warehouses had spare capacity while demand for warehouse space was increasing, so why not match up the two sides?

Stowga and US competitor Flexe offer high-tech platforms for companies to rent their unused warehouse space to other companies for variable lengths of time. Germany, Australia, Hong Kong and other industrialized countries are now scrambling to develop their own warehouse sharing services.

Benefits of Warehouse Sharing

– Warehouses are transformed from long-term, static assets to short-term, variable ones.

– Companies can be more agile in terms of expanding into new markets and pulling out of unprofitable ones.

– Warehouse sharing fits perfectly into the PAL (personalized, automated, localized) supply chain concept.

– Costs will be lower when companies can obtain warehouse space in proximity to their customer bases rather than remaining locked into cumbersome, far-away distribution chains.

– Fewer companies will need to rely on outdated, expensive and rigid solutions such as offshore manufacturing and global supply chains.

Warehouse Equipment for All Applications

Battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers from DJ Products are well-suited to carry your company from today’s warehouse models through future innovations. Visit our website where our friendly sales engineers are ready to assist you.

Tips for Hiring Seasonal Warehouse Staff

According to CNBC, experts are predicting a prosperous holiday season for retailers this year. That translates to a greater need for temporary employees to pack orders, handle industrial tugs and fill other positions in your warehouse.

Unfortunately, low unemployment rates are likely to make qualified workers even harder to find. Use these tips to fill your seasonal hiring needs while maintaining high productivity.

Start Early

You have only one chance to take advantage of robust holiday business, so don’t put off the hiring process until the last minute. Create a game plan with timelines and required qualifications that allows you to bring in temporary workers at least three weeks before the big push starts.

Contact Previous Temporary Employees

Previous employees will already be familiar with your operations and procedures. When you can bring in experienced help that’s work-ready from day one, it’s a win-win for both of you.

Crunch the Numbers

With high-tech tools such as warehouse management systems, it’s easier than ever to analyze past years’ business and project this year’s trends. Pay particular attention to times when you may have been understaffed.

Maintain High Standards

Companies sometimes sacrifice quality for convenience when adding seasonal staff. Don’t let the temptation to cut corners keep you from using the same hiring criteria for permanent and temporary employees.

Be Honest

Some job-seekers accept seasonal employment hoping to get a foot in the door for a permanent position. Be specific about the time frame of the job and don’t discuss the possibility of full-time employment unless it truly exists.

Industrial Tugs Improve Year-Round Safety and Productivity

Electric industrial tugs from DJ Products can be used effectively by a single worker and don’t involve a complicated learning curve. Contact us for more information.

Helping Warehouse Workers Steer Clear of “Pinch Points”

Are you aware of all possible injury risks lurking in your warehouse? You probably recognize the dangers of musculoskeletal and repetitive motion injuries, which our electric tugger carts are designed to reduce.

Pinch points are not as obvious, but they can also cause painful and costly injuries. What are pinch points, where are they found, and how do you protect workers?

Watch Out for Pinch Points

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) defines pinch points as spots where any part of a person’s body can be caught in a machine. “Pinches” can occur between moving parts of a machine, stationary and moving parts, or materials and machines.

According to MIOSHA, pinch points are “quite pervasive” in the workplace. Some of the main locations of pinch points include:

– Conveyors

– Power presses and rollers

– Molding, metal-forming and assembly machines

– Power doors

Don’t Get “Caught in a Pinch”

Pinch point prevention begins with a careful inspection of all machines and equipment to identify potential problem areas, eliminating pinch points wherever possible.

In spots where pinch points are unavoidable, install guards to prevent workers from coming into contact with them. Be sure to train employees regarding the dangers of pinch points, why guards are necessary and what they are intended to do.

Make it clear that under no circumstances are employees permitted to remove, work around or tamper with pinch point guards. Repairs should be handled by qualified technicians only. If a worker should spot a pinch point without a guard, they should promptly report it to their supervisor.

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Eco-friendly tugger carts such as our best-selling CartCaddyShorty are available with safety stop switches in case of emergency. Contact us to learn more.

What Are the Next Big Disrupters for Supply Chain Logistics?

Could your terminal tractors soon be toting goods produced or packaged using advanced technology? Innovation continues to shake up the logistics industry, with advanced technologies increasingly becoming a critical driver of supply chain strategies, disrupting ‘business as usual’ and paving the road for new logistics models.

What Technologies Could Disrupt Your Supply Chain?

These emerging technologies are most likely to disrupt your supply chain over the coming years…

The Internet of Things (IoT)

Data analytics is playing a key role in transforming not only logistics, but the end-to-end supply chain, offering keen insight into operations and ways to improve efficiency in the production, storage, routing, transportation, monitoring and delivery, and usage of goods. From wearables to continually advancing smart technology, there’s a whole new world of innovative logistics opportunities. Could the elimination of physical inventory counts and hands-free replenishment be on the horizon?

3-D Printing

Future personalization possibilities in the 3-D printing arena could dramatically simplify complicated supply chains, allowing for one-phase production in a single factory.

Self-Driving Automobiles

Self-driving vehicles could soon be used to transport items within warehouses, and driverless trucks will be revolutionary, carrying items to their end destination without stops for food and rest, unlocking new levels of efficiency and safety within the logistics sector. Driver shortages and an increase in e-commerce will push this trend, which appears inevitable.

Collaborative Robotics

Robots could soon work alongside humans loading/unloading, picking/packing, and shipping with a high degree of accuracy.

The Uberization of Delivery

Following in Amazon’s footsteps, ‘civilian’ drivers could play an increasing role in delivery, squeezing expensive commercial services out of the market.

Looking to the future? Save time, cut costs, and reduce accidents and injuries with the help of terminal tractors from DJ Products today.

Tag: warehouse equipment