DJ Products, Inc.

A recent case study of the beverage industry by ergonomic consultant ErgoWeb studied injury risk factors for hand truck operators and prevention protocols. The study’s findings have obvious parallel implications for any business or industry that utilizes manual hand trucks.

The study was prompted by significant musculoskeletal stress injuries — particularly back injuries — reported by delivery workers. Similar injury rates are common in any environment where materials are constantly loaded and unloaded and where hand trucks are used to maneuver and transport materials. Affected businesses include delivery firms, moving companies, shipping operations, loading docks, groceries, retail and big box stores, warehouses, fulfillment centers, storage facilities, auto service centers, manufacturing plants, supply centers and many others.

The study found that maintenance and weight distribution issues resulted in the greatest number of operator injuries. The highest risk of potential injury was attributed to the following:

• Underinflated hand truck tires which placed undue stress on the musculoskeletal system.
• Unequal weight distribution of product cases increased back compressive force during lifting, increasing the risk of back injury.
• Improperly located product required twisting and lifting from un-optimal heights, increasing risk of back and shoulder injuries.
• Improperly balanced hand truck loads placed unnecessary musculoskeletal stress on workers.

While new loading patterns, better hand truck maintenance and improved operator training can help reduce injury risk, a far more effective solution is to replace manually operated hand trucks with ergonomically-designed electric carts and tugs. Powered carts allow a single operator to easily transport and maneuver maximum loads without risk of injury. Adjustable handholds, adjustable speed controls, adjustable beds, scissors lifts, powered platforms and other ergonomic features allow loads to be handled at optimal levels to significantly reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury. 

If you want to reduce the risk of worker injury in your facility, talk to the experts at DJ Products about replacing your outdated hand trucks with ergonomically-designed powered carts and tugs.

The predicted slowdown in the material handling industry is expected to be short lived, said Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) executives in a news conference last week. After a strong period of growth, contraction and consolidation are expected for 2008 and 2009 before the industry resumes growth in 2010.

“We have had double-digit growth for the last few years,” said MHIA executive VP of business development Hal Vandiver. “But there is a business cycle.” The slowdown is expected to be felt hardest in logistics sectors of the $156 billion material handling industry.

Overall consumption of material handling equipment is expected to contract by 5% over the next two years with new orders decreasing by 5% to 7% and shipments declining by 2% to 4%. High fuel costs are one factor contributing to declining diesel forklift sales. Industry is switching to more energy-efficient and maneuverable electric and battery-operated motorized carts and tugs.

The poor economy is also having an effect on the material handling industry. Many companies are deferring capital equipment purchases until the economy picks up. Fewer system-wide equipment purchases are expected in the next couple of years in favor of individual item and small order solution-specific purchases.

The graying of the American workforce as Baby Boomers aged, coupled with escalating health and insurance costs focused emphasis on ergonomic design in the material handling industry. As the Boomer generation retires, the importance of ergonomic design is expected to increase as the available workforce shrinks. Equipment that can be used safely and efficiently by workers of varying body type, height and strength will be vital to industry success.

Most people go to hospitals to improve their health, but for hospital workers the danger of injury from potential ergonomic hazards is high. Healthcare workers risk musculoskeletal injury daily not only while handling patients or residents, but during the performance of tasks in the kitchen, laundry, housekeeping and engineering areas of hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Transporting equipment, moving food carts, maneuvering laundry bins and other daily tasks pose a significant risk of muscle and tendon overextension and strain. Strains and sprains can occur during the transfer of IV poles, wheelchairs, oxygen canisters, respiratory equipment, dialysis equipment, x-ray machines and other heavy or unwieldy equipment. Injuries can result from lifting heavy bags of laundry or garbage.

CartCaddy electric cart movers are specifically designed for use in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Smaller than their industrial counterparts, these caddies are sized to handle the lighter loads typical in hospital and healthcare settings. Their maneuverability has been maximized to accommodate both the tight spaces often found in hospital rooms and the high pedestrian traffic typical in corridors. Sleek, efficient design provides a clean, non-industrialized look that matches the esthetics of healthcare environments.

CartCaddies for hospitals and healthcare environments are available in three convenient configurations:

• Cart Puller. The CartCaddyLite battery-powered electric tug is capable of pushing or pulling carts up to 1,000 pounds. It can be used to move hospital beds, hospital carts, laundry carts, maintenance or parts carts.
• Cart Pusher. The CartCaddyShorty battery-powered electric tug can maneuver carts from 3,000 to 20,000 pounds. Small but powerful, it provides maximum maneuverability while pushing or pulling carts or equipment.
• Powered Cart. The PartsCaddyLite is a battery-powered platform designed to easily move carts, materials, parts or machinery from one location to another. The platform allows for easy and efficient moving and distribution of boxes, supplies and equipment throughout a facility.