Tag: Workplace Ergonomics

Three of The Most Common Warehouse Injuries

Image of a warehouse worker, injured on the ground with a coworker helping them.
Common Workplace Injuries

Based on statistics, industry experts estimate that five percent of warehouse workers will suffer a workplace injury each year. Use our electric Trailer Dolly and other proactive methods to cut down on these three common warehouse injuries.

1. Forklift

Not surprisingly, forklifts are involved in a significant number of workplace injuries. Based on data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), each forklift in your facility has a 10 percent chance of being involved in an accident this year. In addition, nearly 80 percent of forklift accidents include pedestrians.

2. Overexertion

The physical nature of warehouse work puts a great deal of stress on a worker’s body. Nearly two-thirds of these injuries affect the back, but arms and legs are also vulnerable. In some cases, overexertion can lead to heart attacks. These types of injuries are especially costly to you and your workers because they can result in chronic pain that affects work performance and quality of life.

Poor body mechanics are a leading cause of stress injuries, so training in the correct methods can go a long way toward reducing the risk. Make sure that workers are both fully trained and physically capable of performing any tasks they are assigned.

3. Slips, trips and falls

Slips and trips occur when obstacles on the warehouse floor or outside grounds cause a worker to lose balance. Frequent risk factors include:

    • Uneven walking surfaces
    • Loose rugs or protective mats
    • Exposed cords and cables
    • Spilled water or other liquid materials
    • Ice and snow in the truck yard

 

While falls can happen on ground level, they most often occur at elevated levels. Loading docks and ladders are common sites of falling accidents. One potentially dangerous practice involves workers using a forklift to raise themselves up to the higher shelves. This move is risky, even for experienced employees.

Improve Workplace Safety with the Trailer Dolly from DJ Products

Our Trailer Dolly and other material handling solutions are ergonomically designed to reduce the musculoskeletal stress caused by many warehouse task. Visit our website and use the handy online chat feature to learn more from our friendly Sales Engineers.

Four Easy Steps to Institute Warehouse Ergonomics

Warehouse Ergonomics
Improve Warehouse Ergonomics

According to the National Safety Council, workplace injuries cost upwards of $165 million per year in lost productivity and medical expenses. What are you doing to improve safety at your company? The trailer dolly from DJ Products is part of a four-step program for effective warehouse ergonomics.

Tips to Institute Warehouse Ergonomics

 

1. Streamline placing and picking tasks.
  • Placing pallets and picking orders are two tasks that keep employees in constant motion. Optimize the warehouse layout for a logical flow that minimizes travel time, particularly in high traffic areas.
  • Make sure areas where walking is not allowed are clearly marked.
  • Instruct employees to watch for damaged pallets and shelving and report sightings immediately.

 

2. Keep aisles clear.
  • Sequence orders to allow for sufficient floor space between pickers.
  • Slot SKUs in such a way to avoid congestion around the more popular items.
  • Integrate cleanliness in your workplace culture. Have employees participate in keeping their areas free of clutter and designate specific cleaning times during the day.

 

3. Organize the receiving and shipping area.
  • Make sure receiving bays are cleared of personnel when trailers are docking. Only designated employees should handle the docking process to limit foot traffic in these areas.
  • Inspect all materials for damage before unloading.
  • Install signage that clearly delineates areas that are off-limit.
  • Use our eco-friendly trailer dolly to move loads of up to 100,000 pounds safely and efficiently.

 

4. Implement ergonomically-designed equipment.
  • Repetitive stress injuries occur when people repeat the same motion over long periods of time. These are common in warehouses, where employees are performing the same physical tasks day after day.
  • Adjustable work benches, anti-fatigue mats, gravity flow storage racks, hydraulic worktables and platform systems are some of the products that can ease stress on overworked muscles and joints.
  • Ensure that all employees are trained on correct use of equipment as well as company safety protocols.

 

Improve Safety and Boost Morale with Movers and Tugs from DJ Products

In addition to our trailer dolly, DJ Products has a full line of material handling solutions that accommodate any application. Call 800.686.2651 to learn more from our friendly and helpful Sales Engineers.

Industrial Ergonomics – Adapt Your Workplace to Your Employees to Save Costs

Proper Ergonomics Keep Your Employees Healthy and Happy
Proper Ergonomics Keep Your Employees Healthy and Happy

Not so long ago, companies used standard “one size fits all” equipment that did not allow for personalization to employees. Today, ergonomics are used in most workplaces to identify injury risks and make appropriate adjustments.

Everyday Risk Factors in the Workplace

Muscle strain and fatigue are two common health issues arising from repetitive tasks in both offices and industrial settings. According to Richard Haas, a chiropractor in Mason City, IA, approximately 40 percent of work-related health problems involve neuromuscular skeletal injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Integration of automation and technology is the primary reason for the increasingly repetitive nature of workplace activities. With many employees spending most of the day sitting at a desk, the resulting muscle stiffness and tension makes them more vulnerable to injury.

Creating Better Working Conditions with Ergonomics

Ergonomic equipment ranges from lumbar cushions for back support to dumpster movers or dumpster pushers that lighten heavy loads. Employees are also being trained in the proper body mechanics of sitting in a desk chair or lifting boxes.

Making the workplace more responsive to the physical needs of your employees generates a number of financial benefits:

• Production levels are higher due to more efficient working conditions and less time off from injuries.

• High costs of insurance, medical claims, time off and other expenses associated with injuries are reduced significantly.

• Positive employee morale creates greater job satisfaction, which in turn can prevent high turnover rates.

Let our battery-powered WasteCaddy dumpster movers from DJ Products provide an ergonomic solution for your employees’ well-being. Visit our website for a live chat with one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales engineers.

How to Recognize Ergonomic Hazards Experienced by Your Maintenance Staff

Are Your Workers Moving Naturally and Comfortably Performing Their Tasks?
Are Your Workers Moving Naturally and Comfortably Performing Their Tasks?

You don’t need a medical degree to predict worker injuries caused by poor ergonomics. Watch your maintenance staff perform common tasks to see if they look comfortable and move naturally. If their daily chores put them in awkward physical positions or require repeated motions, it’s worth talking about better ergonomic tools and techniques.

The three biggest risk factors for maintenance staff injuries, according to Ergonomics Plus:

  • High-effort actions like lifting heavy objects or pushing heavy carts can cause musculoskeletal injuries even in generally strong people. Simple machinery and motorized, automated equipment like dumpster tugs should be preferred.
  • Awkward stances or motions cause extra stress on the muscles and joints. For maintenance staff, this often includes reaching above the head, bending over, and carrying or pushing items without the ability to hold the arms at a natural position.
  • Repetitive tasks can build up an injury risk, and the risk worsens if the task requires strength or a non-ergonomic (awkward) position.

Assess Ergonomics for Reduce Worker Injury Risks

Talk to staff and observe their daily duties for signs of the risk factors above. Changes to consider: rotating jobs throughout the day and adjusting or changing equipment to make repetitive tasks easier and more comfortable.

Some aspects of janitorial work simply require too much physical strength to be done safely — like manually pushing a dumpster on wheels across a parking lot or ramp.

Battery-powered equipment like dumpster tugs provide the best injury prevention for the high-force, awkward task of maneuvering a loaded waste container. Contact DJ Products to explore our variety of dumpster tugs and cart pushers that improve ergonomics and productivity.

Dumpster Moving – Push or Pull, the Wrong Choice May Put You in the Hospital

Push or Pull done incorrectly may cause injury.
Push or Pull done incorrectly may cause injury.

Many workers have a preference for either pushing or pulling heavy equipment, but the truth is manually pushing or pulling are both dangerous. The motion and exertion requirements can cause a repetitive stress injury while also risking losing control of the heavy equipment that’s in motion.

Danger of Pulling Heavy Equipment

Pulling a heavy load puts high stress on the body. Also, a moving dumpster can itself be dangerous. As one manager recently explained to MySafetyNews, the momentum might make the rolling equipment smash into the feet of the worker.

Injuries from pulling heavy equipment include:

• Back injuries from twisting and straining

• Neck and shoulder muscle strains and tears

• Hamstring and hip injuries

• Collisions and out-of-control carts endangering others

Danger of Pushing Heavy Equipment

Pushing a cart can be safer than pulling, but also has numerous injury risks:

• Wrist, elbow, and shoulder injuries

• Lower back injuries

• Carpal tunnel syndrome

• Cart blocks view of path, endangering other people and property

Avoid Workplace Injuries with Dumpster Tugs

The best solution for pushing or pulling a heavy cart like a waste dumpster? A motorized caddy that propels itself and stops on command. Dumpster tugs use a battery-powered motor to move thousands of pounds of weight with a simple steering control.

Dumpster tugs prevent many causes of worker injury:

• Eliminate physical strain of pushing and pulling

• Control the dumpster up and down inclines and across rocky surfaces

• Safely stop without sending a shock through the arms and back

• Maneuver around turns without straining the wrists and legs

Prevent the injury risks of manual pushing and pulling with motorized dumpster tugs from DJ Products.