DJ Products, Inc.

It’s spring and time for our industry’s annual material handling shows. Circle the date on your calendar and start making travel plans. Here’s the low-down on what’s planned:

MHIA  –  April 21-24  –  Cleveland, OH

The  Material Handling Industry of America will host its North American exposition, NA 08: Solutions that Make the Supply Chain Work, at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Participants will have the opportunity to inspect and operate the latest manufacturing, distribution, material handling and IT solutions designed to increase supply chain productivity and profitability. Exhibits of products and services will be organized into four Solution Centers: manufacturing and assembly, fulfillment and delivery, information technology and knowledge which will showcase educational, benchmarking and research resources.

• Sustainable, green solutions will receive special emphasis at the show. Andrew Winston, a nationally recognized expert on green business, will present the keynote address on Tuesday morning, April 22. The corporate environmental strategist will speak on Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value and Build High Performance Supply Chains.
• More than 70 education sessions will be offered addressing best practices, new equipment developments and leading trends.

MHEDA  –  May 3-7  –  Orlando, Florida

Accelerate in ‘08 is the theme of the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association 53rd annual convention and exhibitors’ showcase. The convention will be held at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando in the theme park capital of the world, Orlando, Florida. At the show the emphasis is on education and networking, with ample opportunities to explore new technology and trends, improve business knowledge and skills and network and socialize with material handling peers. Fun activities for spouses and kids are planned for those who want to make this a family affair.

• An exciting variety of educational presentations, round tables and workshops are planned on innovation, business growth, leadership, sales, marketing, customer service, financial and people management. Among several dynamic speakers will be Brian Beaulieu, an economist with the Institute for Trend Research, speaking on Planning for Change and Steven Little, Senior Consultant with Inc. Magazine, who will speak on Growing Your Business in the 21st Century.
• At the May 5 Exhibitors Showcase you can check out the latest trends and developments in material handling. Hundreds of manufacturers and consultants from around the world will be on hand to showcase and demonstrate their products and services.
• A golf tournament and biking tour are among numerous optional tours available for the fun-seeking. Ticket discounts to area theme parks are also available.

Pushing and pulling are the two most frequent actions workers execute in the course of doing their jobs. So in maneuvering manual carts, which is easier for the worker and creates less risk of injury — pushing or pulling?

Experts say pushing is preferable to pulling for a number of reasons. Research has demonstrated that people are able to exert higher push forces than pull forces. Given that horizontal push force, not the weight of the load or equipment, is the most significant factor in determining the effort required to move a load, that’s a significant consideration in selecting equipment.

Think of what happens to the body when you push something. Your entire body is used to create push force. In pushing an object, your body is more centered which allows you to concentrate force. Limbs are generally held closer to the body, limiting the possibility of extension injuries.

Pulling on the other hand, creates tremendous stress on individual body parts. When you pull an object and you are facing the direction of travel, one arm is stretched behind your body. This places the shoulder and back in awkward postures, increasing the potential for painful injury through overextension or awkward twisting. If you use two hands to pull an object you must have your back to the direction of travel. Walking backwards without a clear view of your path is an invitation to an accident. On an incline momentum can increase unexpectedly and the cart can careen into the worker or “run over” his feet.

There are times when pulling is the only way to maneuver a manual cart into the proper position, but at all other times pulling should be avoided. Pushing is the safer, more ergonomic way to move a manual cart.

Increasingly, companies are moving to forklift-free production floors. Bulky forklifts that used to be a staple in material handling are being replaced by a more maneuverable, ergonomically-designed powered cart and tug. Safety and high forklift operating/maintenance costs are the two main reasons business is changing its approach to material handling.

• Every year in the U.S., forklift-related accidents kill nearly 100 workers and seriously injure another 20,000. The leading cause of fatalities is forklift overturns which account for 25% of all forklift-related deaths. Compare that to the zero-death record of ergonomically-designed CartCaddies. And the ergonomic design of these walk-behind electric tuggers drastically reduces worker injury and associated medical, insurance, disability and lost man-hour costs.
• Over the life of a forklift, operating/maintenance expenses chew up 80% of the total costs. Ownership represents only 20% of a forklift’s total cost. A recent study by the Hyster Company, a major player in the forklift industry, indicates that only 6% of forklift owners know their real maintenance costs, and few companies have cost-reduction programs in place. The annual fuel costs alone for a single forklift can run from $15,000 for gas and diesel to $3,000-$8,000 for battery-charged electric trucks. Compare that to the average $300 per year battery/maintenance expense of operating an ergonomic electric CartCaddy.

Other advantages of implementing a forklift-free program in favor of a more maneuverable, ergonomically-designed powered cart and tug include: inventory reduction, improved material flow, reduction of line-side handling equipment and floor space, improved operator ergonomics, improved scheduling flexibility, reduced coordination time and improved cycle efficiency.