Warehouse Ergonomics Archives

Ergonomics Used in the Context of Industrial Warehouse Equipment Part Two

Ergonomics in Industial Warehousing

Best Practices for Implementing Ergonomic Solutions in Your Warehouse

Realizing the tangible benefits of ergonomic solutions requires a strategic, multifaceted approach. Here’s how to transform your warehouse into an ergonomic utopia:

Conduct Ergonomic Assessments

Start with a comprehensive evaluation of your workspace and work processes. Gather data on injury rates, employee feedback, and the physical demands of each task. This will help you identify problem areas and prioritize where ergonomic changes are most needed.

Involve Your Employees

No one understands the day-to-day challenges of warehouse work better than the employees themselves. Engage them in the process of identifying and resolving ergonomic issues. Their insights can be invaluable in finding practical and effective solutions. Review the solutions DJ Products offers for the warehouse environment and purchase the “right” tools for the “right” need.

Invest in Training and Culture

Ergonomics should not be an afterthought. Empower your team with the knowledge of safe work practices and foster a culture where ergonomic considerations are integrated into every task and decision.

Regular Maintenance and Upkeep

Ergonomic equipment is only effective when it’s functioning properly. Develop a maintenance schedule to ensure that all tools and equipment continue to provide the support and comfort your employees need.

Remain Adaptive to Change

The nature of warehouse work is dynamic, with new products, processes, and technologies constantly emerging. Your ergonomic approach must be flexible to accommodate these changes and advancements.

Future Trends in Ergonomics for Warehouse Equipment and Operations

The world of warehouse ergonomics is evolving, incorporating cutting-edge technology and new philosophies. Here are some trends on the horizon:

Automation and Robotics

The rise of automation in warehouses introduces a new set of ergonomic considerations. While robots can handle the most strenuous tasks, their interaction with human workers must be carefully managed to prevent new forms of ergonomic hazards.

Wearable Technology

From exoskeletons that support heavy lifting to smart glasses that optimize picking processes, wearable technology is set to revolutionize how workers interact with their environment in ergonomically sound ways.

Big Data and Analytics

Leveraging big data can provide unprecedented insight into the health and safety of your workforce. By analyzing patterns and risk factors, you can fine-tune your ergonomic strategies for maximum impact.

Sustainable Ergonomics

The concept of sustainable ergonomics goes beyond physical health to consider the long-term psychological well-being of employees. This approach focuses on creating work environments that foster engagement, motivation, and career satisfaction.

The Role of Ergonomics in Enhancing Safety and Efficiency in Warehousing

Ergonomics isn’t a single solution but a mindset that should permeate every aspect of warehouse operations. By prioritizing the comfort and health of your workforce, you set the stage for safer, more efficient, and more profitable operations.

Your Path to Better Warehouse Ergonomics Starts with DJ Products

Ready to elevate your warehouse’s ergonomics? DJ Products is at the forefront of ergonomic solutions for warehouses across the globe. Visit our website to explore our range of ergonomic warehouse equipment and learn more about the positive impact it can have on your business and your employees.

Essential Steps to Retrofit Your Warehouse for Electric Cart Tugs

Improve Ergonomics with an Electric Warehouse Tug from DJ Products

Electric warehouse tugs can take your operation’s productivity to a whole new level, but it takes careful planning to maximize integration. Use these helpful tips to retrofit your warehouse and get the most out of motorized movers.

1. Review current warehouse infrastructure.

• How is the floor plan laid out?
• Are there any problem areas?
• What types of material handling equipment are you presently using?

These are a few of the questions to ask in evaluating your warehouse setup.

2. Evaluate workflow and material handling functions.

Map out a detailed path of how products travel through your warehouse, from inbound receiving to outbound shipping. Identify challenges and areas for improvement. Be sure to consider safety issues and environmental factors.

3. Understand the role of electric warehouse tugs.

If you’ve been working with forklifts and other traditional material handling equipment, electric tugs offer an incredible set of advantages. Familiarize yourself with features such as maneuverability, versatility, and energy efficiency and consider the specific effects on work flow.

4. Determine requirements for operation of electric tugs.

• What load capacity will the tugs need to handle?

• Where will the charging be situated?

• Does the electrical infrastructure need upgrades to accommodate the additional power demands?

5. Create a budget.

Before a company makes any investment, it has to be determined whether it makes financial sense. Factors to consider include how much capital can be allocated to the initial purchase and calculating return on investment (ROI). With no fuel costs and reduced maintenance and labor costs, electric tugs usually represent a significant financial savings.

6. Choose the right electric tugger for your application.

Once you’ve laid the groundwork by completing the previous steps, you have the information you need to select the appropriate electric movers for your particular needs.

7. Complete the integration.

Fortunately, electric warehouse movers don’t require a lot of complicated training to get workers up to speed. Once you review operating instructions and safety considerations, employees will be quick to adapt.

State-of-the-Art Electric Warehouse Tugs from DJ Products

Ready to improve productivity and safety in your warehouse? Call 800.686.2651 and let our knowledgeable Sales Engineers help you choose the best solution for your application.

Improve Your Warehouse Management Processes with Our Top Tips

Improving Warehouse Ergonomics with Motorized Warehouse Tugs

Running a warehouse means overseeing every aspect of operations, from receiving merchandise to shipping it out. Managing these different processes can be challenging. The following tips can help you improve them.

Organize for Easier Inventory Control, Storage, and Picking

Taking steps to organize your warehouse as much as possible helps with a few key processes. Consider using more efficient equipment, such as motorized warehouse tugs. These help workers move pallets and other heavy loads around more quickly and easily.

This allows you to maintain an organized warehouse, resulting in more accurate inventory control. Workers are also able to store inventory and pick merchandise with greater efficiency. Other organization tips include adopting a more dependable system for storage and optimizing the picking process.

Improve Warehouse Entry for Inventory

When merchandise arrives at your warehouse, it’s important to make sure that you’re receiving the right items. Other entry details to verify include item quantity and scheduled arrivals. This helps ensure that your warehouse is getting the correct products and product amounts within the right timeframe.

Making improvements to this process helps workers catch inventory entry errors. For example, they can find and remove damaged products instead of having these stored on shelves. This prevents damaged merchandise from being shipped to customers. It also ensures that storage, picking, and other processes can be done in a streamlined manner with fewer issues overall.

Reduce Packing and Shipping Errors

Merchandise needs to be packed with care to prevent damage during shipping. Orders that are ready to be shipped need to be sent to the right destinations. Errors with packing and shipping can lead to frustrated customers and an increase in returned merchandise.

Make sure all staff are trained on packing products for optimum safety. Have a process in place for verifying that orders are set to be shipped to their intended destinations. Taking these simple steps can go a long way toward preventing errors that lead to a decrease in revenue.

Exploring all of your options for motorized warehouse tugs? Contact the experts at DJ Products for assistance with selecting the most efficient equipment for your warehouse.

Why Are Ergonomics Important in the Warehouse Industry

The Importance of Warehouse Ergonomics

Making sure employees are safe and improving efficiency are among the top goals for any warehouse. Ergonomics plays a key part in achieving these goals. This refers to designing or using equipment, such as a motorized trailer dolly, that helps staff do their jobs safely and efficiently. Find out more about the importance of ergonomics in the warehouse industry.

What Is Ergonomic Design?

This is a design approach that involves reducing fatigue and strain for workers when used in the warehouse industry. Many kinds of equipment are designed with ergonomics in mind, which helps improve productivity and reduce the risk of injuries and accidents.

Types of Ergonomic Warehouse Equipment

Warehouses are filled with different kinds of workspace environments, including industrial workstations and offices. Ergonomic equipment in warehouse offices often includes chairs and desks that allow workers to sit comfortably in order to reduce muscle strain and eye strain when working on computers.

Industrial workstations use ergonomic equipment that helps ease physical strain involved with moving heavy loads from one area to another. This might include the use of motorized trailer dollies instead of forklifts to make lifting and moving heavy pallets or other loads safer and easier.

Benefits of Ergonomics

Using ergonomics in a warehouse can go a long way toward raising productivity and employee morale overall. Some of the top benefits of using ergonomic equipment include the following.

Ensures Worker Safety

Warehouses have a high risk of accidents and injuries due to the physical nature of this kind of work. Using ergonomic equipment helps keep employees safer on the job, resulting in higher job satisfaction, lower turnover, and reduced costs for workers’ compensation and related expenses.

Increases Efficiency

The use of ergonomics in warehouses helps boost efficiency. This allows workers to be more productive on the job, so they can accomplish more in a shorter amount of time. An increase in efficiency helps keep warehouses functioning smoothly with lower risks of downtime and productivity loss. This helps warehouses meet goals and stay on schedule.

The right motorized trailer dolly can boost ergonomics in your warehouse. Contact DJ Products to learn more about our products.

Improve Warehouse Ergonomics with a Few Tips and a Motorized Trailer Dolly

Improve Warehouse Ergonomics

You may have heard the term “ergonomics,” but how much do you understand about it? Ergonomics comes from the root érgon, which means “work” in Greek. Simply put, ergonomics is the study of interaction between humans and equipment. Our motorized trailer dolly is ergonomically designed to make it easier for workers to move trailers and other wheeled equipment.

According to the National Safety Council, overexertion is the second leading cause of workplace injuries. Use these tips for improved warehouse ergonomics to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries that can become chronic.

Tips for Improving Warehouse Ergonomics

1. Simplify material handling tasks wherever possible.

Are your workers performing a lot of manual tasks? For example, handling containers can involve lifting, lowering, filling, emptying, and carrying. Each one of these procedures places significant strain on the musculoskeletal system.

Our full line of material handling equipment is ergonomically designed to take the load off your employees. We have tugs, movers and pushers ranging from our CartCaddyLite to our motorized trailer dolly.

2. Implement effective work habits.

Is safety a major element of your workplace culture? When you demonstrate a commitment to the safety and well-being of your workers, they’ll follow suit. This is also a great way to improve employee morale.

Here are some programs you can use to make safety a priority:

Repetitive motion greatly increases the chances of injury. Institute a job rotation schedule to reduce undue stress.
Develop a comprehensive training program centered on proper material handling techniques.

3. Set up an ergonomically designed workplace.

Even when employees are stationary, they can become injured from bending, twisting or stretching. Here are some elements to consider:

Place all materials at work level.
Equipment such as workbenches should be adjustable to accommodate all sizes of workers.
Workstations should have enough clearance for employees to move and turn freely.
Make suspenders, back braces and other wearables readily available.

Choose Our Motorized Trailer Dolly for Enhanced Workplace Safety

Our battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers reduce the risk of workplace injury while improving productivity. Use our handy online chat feature to learn more from our friendly and knowledgeable Sales Engineers.

Essential Warehouse Ergonomic Safety Tips from OSHA

Warehouse work carries a significant risk for musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs. Lifting heavy objects, using awkward body postures, and repetitive motions are a few of the factors that place undue stress on muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Our ergonomically designed Trailer Dolly helps reduce the number of costly work-related injuries. Here are some other useful ergonomic safety tips from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

1. Provide management support.

When management demonstrates a sincere concern for worker safety, employees are more likely to make it a priority as well. Make sure managers define and communicate safety goals and conduct regular training in safety best practices.

2. Solicit employee feedback.

No one understands the hazards of the workplace better than those who are actually performing the job functions. Encourage employees to speak up about safety concerns and offer ideas for possible solutions.

3. Use proper equipment.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one-third of workplace injuries involve the back and shoulders, largely due to lifting heavy objects. Implement equipment, such as our electric Trailer Dolly, that’s designed to handle large loads and take stress off of workers.

4. Evaluate work flow.

Take a close look at the warehouse layout as it relates to work flow. Are employees having to reach across long distances or stoop over to perform certain tasks? Make any necessary adjustments to work stations that will allow employees to maintain neutral positions as much as possible.

5. Use personal protective equipment.

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is a practical solution to minimize warehouse safety hazards.

Padding protects against damaging contact with sharp edges, hard surfaces and vibrating structures.
Thermal gloves allow workers to get a firm grasp on items, even in cold conditions.
Steel-toe work boots protect feet from falling objects and provide sturdy footing on slippery or uneven floors.

For maximum protection, make sure PPE fits well and workers wear the gear properly.

Avoid Workplace Injuries with Our Trailer Dolly

DJ Products carries a full range of battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers that provide safe material handling solutions for any application. Contact us to learn more from our friendly and experienced Sales Engineers.

What are Warehouse Ergonomics and How Can They Reduce Injuries?

Trailer Dolly for Better Ergonomics

You’re probably familiar with the term “ergonomics,” but how much do you know about actually applying these principles in your warehouse? Our experts share tips on how use of our trailer dolly and other ergonomic techniques can reduce injuries among your warehouse workers.

Ergonomic Best Practices for Warehouse Tasks

In general, warehouse tasks fall within three broad categories. Here’s a look at each one, including the risks involved and ergonomic methods to minimize them.

Placing and Picking

Placing and picking usually refers to handling items that go on shelves or in bins, often while filling orders. The repetitive motions and body postures involved can cause undue strain, especially with heavy objects.

Train workers to align themselves with the item’s location so they don’t have to twist their spine.
Use proper lifting techniques, with the majority of work taking place between shoulder and knee height.

Packing

Once items are picked, they’re ready to be packed for shipment. The stress of repetitive motion comes into play here as well, along with the stress of moving heavy boxes, crates and pallets.

Emphasize maintenance of a neutral posture. Neck and back should be straight, shoulders down, elbows held at a right angle.
Use carts, conveyors and roller tables whenever possible to cut down on the excessive need to carry items.

Receiving and Shipping

In addition to moving pallets, receiving and shipping calls for maneuvering semi-trailers in and out of loading docks, doubling the risk of injury.

Pallet jacks and other mechanical tools allow for smooth transport of pallets without forcing workers to handle most of the weight.
Our trailer dolly lets a single worker move a wide variety of trailers, up to semi-trailers quickly and effortlessly, even in crowded warehouse yards.

Reduce Workplace Injuries with the Trailer Dolly from DJ Products

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, musculoskeletal injuries are twice as common in warehousing as they are in other industries. DJ Products offers a full line of tugs, pushers and movers to protect employees from injury and maintain a safer workplace.

Contact us at 800.686.2651 and let our knowledgeable Sales Engineers help you find the right solution for your specific application.

It’s Time to Learn About Ergonomics in the Warehouse as an Injury Prevention Protocol

Make Work a Little Easier on Yourself – Ergonomic Designs In the Workplace are the Future.

Our battery-powered tugger carts are ergonomically designed to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and other injuries caused by repetitive motions. How much do you know about ergonomics and the role they play in maintaining a safe warehouse?

Observing ergonomic principles allows workers to be more productive while reducing physical stress. Here’s a look at how you can put ergonomics to work in your warehouse.

What Is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics, sometimes referred to as human engineering, is broadly defined as “the study of the relationship between workers and their environment.” The ultimate goal is to design the workplace for optimum efficiency and less physical wear and tear.

Whenever possible, work motions should be centered around the “golden zone,” which refers to the body’s core between shoulders and knees. Workers should rarely, if ever, have to reach above their shoulders or below their waists.

Types of Ergonomic Injuries

Ergonomic injuries tend to fall under two categories:

– Lifting and handling injuries occur when heavy boxes, pallets and other loads are placed too high or too low.

– Overexertion injuries result from repetitive motions, such as long walks during order-picking.

Ways to Improve Ergonomics

– Slot SKUs appropriately with high-volume items placed close by.

– Install pallet flow racks so a case is ready at the point of pick.

– Use tilted pick trays for items stored higher in the rack.

– Train employees in the proper operation of tugger carts and other equipment.

– Encourage workers to report unsafe conditions or inefficiencies in workflow.

– Prioritize regular housekeeping to eliminate cluttered aisles and other hazards.

Ergonomically Designed Tugger Carts from DJ Products

Electric tugs such as our best-selling CartCaddyShorty reduce the risk of both lifting and handling and overexertion injuries. Visit our website and learn more from our helpful sales engineers.

Decrease Injuries in Your Warehouse with a Focus on Ergonomics

A Focus on Ergonomics Prevents Injuries in Your Warehouse

Workplace injuries put employees’ well-being at risk and can cost your business a considerable amount of money. Adopting ergonomic practices and investing in tugger carts and other equipment can help reduce these risks. Keep the following in mind in order to improve workplace safety at your warehouse.

Placing Items

Warehouse workers are at risk of injuring their back or other parts of their body while picking up items and moving them to another location. You can reduce this risk by having employees use lifting mechanisms to retrieve items that are heavy or large. Using carts for picking items that are on or near ground level also helps lower the risk of injuries.

Packing Items

Items that are bigger or heavier can put workers at risk of being injured while they are packing them. Workers can also be hurt after items are packed if they are not in a secure crate or container. Ensuring that workers have equipment for packing large or heavy items and putting them in secure crates or containers helps keep employees safe from injuries on the job.

Shipping and Receiving Items

Workers can become injured while removing large or heavy items from pallets. Ergonomic practices that reduce this risk include having mechanical equipment available to handle the task of lifting and moving heavier items. Making sure that items being shipped are placed in secure containers and crates can also help lower the risk of warehouse employee injuries.

If you are interested in tugger carts for your warehouse, please contact DJ Products. Our carts can make it easier and safer for employees to move heavy equipment and items.

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.