Author: christopher Harper

Making Hospital Cleaning and Maintenance Easier with a Cart Puller

This time of year is filled with bouts of inclement and dangerous weather that can often land more people in the emergency room.  Heavy snow accumulation and bouts of freezing rain and ice can lead to more injuries from slip and fall accidents, car accidents and overexertion caused by shoveling.

It can be difficult for hospital cleaning crews to keep up with the patient traffic during regular conditions, but their job gets much more hectic during times when patient traffic increases.  Having the right equipment to transport heavy linen or maintenance carts can be a major factor in helping hospital cleaning crews keep up with the flow of patients.

A cart puller from DJ Products provides the perfect solution for hospital cleaning crews who work in a fast paced and overcrowded environment.  The cart puller can easily handle pushing or pulling fully loaded carts that weigh up to one thousand pounds, but it is small enough to allow for maneuvering in even the tightest of quarters.

The highly versatile cart puller can be used to effortlessly move everything from small dollies and hand trucks to fully loaded linen carts and hospital beds.  This helps valuable hospital employees perform whatever duties arise during their shift without running the risk of becoming fatigued or sustaining injury from overexertion.

The cart puller is ideal for use in a hospital environment because it is virtually silent during operation.  Members of the hospital staff can focus on performing their job duties without having to worry that their equipment will disturb patients who may be in need of rest. 

A cart puller from DJ Products is powered by a long lasting battery and can run for an entire eight hour shift on a single charge.  Employees won’t be delayed by having to stop in the middle of a task to repower equipment, which is essential for keeping up with the increases in hospital traffic caused by inclement weather.

A Motorized Linen Cart can Help Keep Up with Increases in Hospital Visits

The holidays, and the winter season in general, tend to send a lot more people into the emergency room with injuries that might require a stay in the hospital.  Injuries sustained during decorating, burns from fireplaces, auto accidents and falls on ice are just a small portion of the injuries that require treatment during this time of year.

The members of the hospital staff that clean and prep rooms for incoming patients are particularly busy this time of year trying to ensure that rooms are available as necessary.  If this increased workload were to be performed entirely with manually operated carts, hospital employees could find themselves seeking treatment from doctors as well.

A fully loaded cart containing linens and cleaning supplies could easily weigh several hundred pounds.  A single hospital employee trying to strong arm a heavy linen cart could easily sustain an injury that would require medical treatment. That’s why it makes sense for hospitals to have the proper equipment available to make these duties easier on the hospital staff.

A motorized linen cart can easily handle loads of up to seven hundred pounds on just about any surface.  Employees using a motorized linen cart can easily travel at speeds of up to three miles an hour over concrete, tile or carpet so that rooms can be cleaned and prepared as necessary for new patients.

The battery powered motorized linen carts from DJ Products can also operate continuously for an entire eight hour shift without needing to be recharged.  This means that hospital employees can continue working without interruption to ensure that empty rooms are ready to be filled as needed.

Eliminating Retail Woes with a Shopping Cart Retriever

The long, cold months of winter can be a difficult time to work in retail, especially if your job duties include manually retrieving shopping carts from the parking lot.  Consumers who venture out into the sub freezing temperatures may be less likely to return their carts to the appropriate areas once their cars have been loaded with their purchases.  This means that retail employees will have to scour the parking lot, in frigid temperatures, in search of the errant carts.

Without access to a piece of labor saving equipment like a shopping cart retriever, this task can be quite laborious and exceedingly time consuming.  A shopping cart retriever can help a single employee easily handle up to fifty shopping carts at a time, dramatically reducing the amount of time it takes to gather carts.  The shopping cart retriever also eliminates virtually all of the physical strain associated with the task of shopping cart retrieval, keeping valuable employees injury free as they perform their job duties.

The shopping cart retriever from DJ Products is very easy to operate and works well in virtually all weather conditions.  Hourly employees will be able to quickly and safely gather carts from the farthest reaches of the parking lot and return them for use by incoming shoppers during inclement or unfavorable weather situations. 

A shopping cart retriever can also work to improve the overall efficiency of your operation.  A shopping cart retriever minimizes the time it take to perform this particular task, which allows those employees responsible for cart retrieval to readily tackle other duties in the establishment.  Employees who previously spent the majority of their time on the clock collecting carts could now be available to help bag items at checkout, stock shelves or lend a hand cleaning. 

Making the Entire Staff More Productive with a Powered Cart

In many office and hospitality settings there are duties that get reserved for particular members of the staff.  Heavy boxes of supplies may be left where they are dropped upon delivery for the youngest and most able bodied employees to take care of, but this can be a dangerous inconvenience in a fast paced environment.

Having a piece of equipment like the Powered Cart form DJ Products makes it possible for virtually any employee to quickly and safely move product or supplies to their appropriate destination.  Employees can safely move hundreds of pounds of materials across the entire facility regardless of their age or physical condition.  The Powered Cart can keep offices, warehouses and all types of hospitality settings free of clutter and safer for all employees and visitors.

Despite having all the power necessary to transport heavy loads, the Powered Cart from DJ Products is relatively small and very easy to maneuver.  Employees can easily transport loads of heavy product or supplies down narrow aisles or crowded hallways at a speed of up to three miles per hour without disrupting other employees.

The Powered Cart from DJ Products also comes with a built in safety stop switch that allows employees to immediately kill power to the equipment in the event of a problem.  This is a very important feature for preventing injury in a facility that is constantly filled with activity.

Having equipment like a Powered Cart minimizes virtually all the hassle and hazard associated with manually handling deliveries of heavy products and supplies.  Any office, warehouse or hospitality environment that wants to immediately increase employee efficiency and reduce the risk of injury associated with manual material handling could benefit from a Powered Cart.

Key Elements to Seek in Material Handling Equipment

No matter what business or industry you are in, you need to move materials. Whether you’re dealing with raw materials, parts and supplies or a finished product, you need equipment that can move materials from point A to point B. When choosing material handling equipment, there are a number of key features to consider that will maximize your investment and the use you get from your equipment.

  • Flexibility. The more jobs a piece of equipment can perform, the more workers who can easily utilize it, the greater the number of environments in which it can operate, the more useful it is to you and the greater its value. DJ Products’ carts and movers are designed for maximum versatility. Ergonomic design ensures that workers of every size, age and physical ability can operate our equipment safely and without effort. DJ Products’ electric lift option and customized attachment eliminate the need to fabricate multiple attachments for each cart or piece of equipment. The mover arm on our tugs quickly attaches to any cart or piece of equipment and can even accommodate loads that overflow the cart bed.
  • Safety. Safety in the workplace is paramount. All of DJ Products’ equipment is ergonomically designed to protect the health and safety of workers. Ergonomic design decreases worker injury and is proven to significantly cut medical/disability costs. Our twist grip protects against carpal tunnel syndrome while allowing forward and reverse movement. Designed as walk- or ride-behind units, DJ Products’ equipment provides maximum operator control of the vehicle with safe lines-of-sight.
  • Productivity. Material handling equipment that promotes comfortable and efficient use increases productivity. Workers accomplish more per shift with less effort, meeting and exceeding production goals. Ergonomic design makes DJ Products’ equipment easy and comfortable to use, decreasing worker fatigue while increasing productivity.
  • Comfort. Operator comfort decreases fatigue and the stretch breaks that accompany tired muscles. The ergonomic design of DJ Products’ equipment maximizes worker comfort, eliminating the need for unnecessary breaks and maximizing production.
  • Service and reliability. DJ Products builds its carts and tugs to maximize uptime. Our electric and battery-operated equipment is cable of operating for two full shifts before recharging.

DJ Products makes a full range of ergonomically-designed powered carts in a wide range of shapes and sizes to handle any application. From compact, light-weight carts that can be easily and safely maneuvered down a crowded hospital corridor to heavy-duty carts capable of pulling more than 50,000 pounds across a production floor or down an assembly line, DJ Products has a material handling solution to fit your needs. Contact one of our ergonomic sales engineers today to see what we can do for you.

Tips for Increasing Service Life of Material Handling Equipment

During a recession, the reality is that many companies are forced to made do with aging material handling equipment until business improves and funds become available for new equipment. It is possible to improve equipment performance while cutting costs by following three cost-saving strategies, says Cliff Holste, Supply Chain Digest’s material handling editor, in a June 11, 2009 article on SupplyChainDigest online. Holste’s magic formula for decreasing downtime and increasing equipment service life without straining your budget: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Reduce. Performing preventative maintenance will extend the life of your material handling equipment and can effectively reduce equipment repair costs. Setting a schedule for regular maintenance checks of your material handling equipment will ensure that it is running properly and allow any problems to be discovered and repaired before breakdown occurs. Regular preventative maintenance will keep equipment running at peak performance, minimizing expensive downtime and high-cost emergency repairs.

Reuse. Retrofitting current equipment so it can be reused in new applications is a cost-effective alternative to replacement. Modernizing existing equipment by upgrading components, increasing speed, improving capacity, augmenting safety features or adding new technology can increase its versatility, value and useful work life. A well-considered retrofit can allow existing material handling equipment to be used in new settings or perform new tasks at considerable savings. Retrofits can also bring older equipment into compliance with changing federal and state safety regulations. Ergonomic retrofits can be performed to improve the safe operation of existing equipment, reducing worker injuries and the medical, insurance and workers’ compensation expenses that accompany them.

An excellent example is DJ Products’ new ergonomically-designed Retrofit Cart Kit. This motorized retrofit cart kit can be adapted and mounted to almost any cart and can be customized to any application or environment from transporting hospital linens to moving oversized lumber. The powerful, heavy-duty, battery-powered 24-volt motor is capable of powering carts up to 4,000 pounds. Ergonomic variable-speed twist grips eliminate the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome while allowing operators to easily maneuver loads both forward and backward at speeds from 0 to 3.2 mph. DJ Products’ motorized retrofit cart kit can be field installed by the customer or DJ Products can provide onsite installation services. Visit the DJ Products website to find out more about our new motorized retrofit cart kit and to watch a video of this product in action.

Recycle. A fairly new offshoot of the “green” environmental movement, remanufactured material handling equipment can be an affordable alternative to buying new equipment for some. In the remanufacturing process, used equipment is disassembled and cleaned and worn parts are replaced before the unit is refinished and reassembled. Remanufactured equipment generally comes with a warranty.

It’s Buyer Beware When Buying Used Equipment

Economic woes have everyone pinching pennies and looking for bargains. Buying used material handling equipment can seem like a good way to save money, but while there are good bargains to be had, industry watchers warn that there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there trying to cash in on the potential profits. You know you’re getting a high quality product when you buy new material handling equipment from its manufacturer; but if you’re considering buying used equipment, it’s buyer beware.

Business consolidation, poor sales and bankruptcies have forced more material handling equipment onto the used market than usual, so it pays to do your homework and thoroughly investigate both the product and the seller before putting your money down, caution industry experts. Anyone can sell used equipment. No certification is required to sell used equipment, and authorization by original manufacturers is not required. Used equipment shouldn’t be confused with remanufactured equipment that is rebuilt, often by the original manufacturer, and refinished for resale, usually with a manufacturer’s warranty.

The boon market is attracting legitimate sellers who specialize in used material handling equipment sales; but it’s also attracting brokers, auctioneers and folks looking to make a quick buck. These Johnny-come-latelies generally lack any knowledge about the products they are selling or the maintenance they require. Equipment is sold “as is” or sometimes spruced up for resale; but it’s like buying a used car, you don’t know what you’re getting unless you perform a thorough inspection.

Even used, material handling equipment can represent a serious investment. When you buy used, you may get a great bargain; but it’s equally probable that you’ll get an expensive lemon. Follow these tips from Stafford Sterner for Material Handling Management online to ensure that when you buy used material handling equipment, you get what you’re paying for:

  • Deal with reputable, established businesses. In the competitive used equipment market, longevity is a sign of customer satisfaction, reputable business practices, adherence to industry standards, and fair prices. Beware of internet sales unless you can physically verify the business and inventory. A legitimate dealer will carry inventory in stock, be knowledgeable about his stock, allow inspection of equipment before purchase, and provide delivery assurance.

 More tips on Friday

More Tips for Buying Used Material Handling Equipment

Buying used material handling equipment is an attractive option in today’s difficult economic climate. While good bargains are available, the used equipment market is full of charlatans, warns Stafford Sterner in an article on Material Handling Management online. Today we continue the used equipment purchasing tips started in our last post. You’ll find they’re pretty good tips for investigating any company you’re considering doing business with. 

  • Beware the internet. On the internet it’s easy for a seller to project false impressions about the size of his operation, inventory availability and his experience in the industry. Making an onsite visit may not be practical in the early stages of your equipment search. Sterner suggests viewing satellite images of the seller’s business address on Google Earth to determine whether it’s a legitimate business with onsite inventory or someone arranging sales out of his basement.
  • Avoid part-time sellers. Dealing with a one-man band, people who sell used equipment in their spare time, generally means you’re dealing with an unknowledgeable amateur. Such sellers lack the industry experience to guide you and the resources for post-sale support. Sterner recommends asking for a business phone number in addition to an email address or cell phone number. If calls go to voice mail or the seller isn’t available during business hours, beware.
  • Deal with owners. Avoid brokers who flip equipment with a couple of phone calls, warns Sterner. A legitimate dealer will have invested money in the equipment he sells and will carry inventory you can inspect. Beware if sellers only offer photos.
  • Check financials. If making a large purchase, order a Dun & Bradstreet report (about $100) to check the seller’s financial bona fides. Owners and officers should be clearly listed, along with payment record, any lawsuits filed, incorporation date and number of employees.
  • Ask about follow up. Deal with someone who can service what they sell and check out the repair facilities personally. Beware of companies that outsource repair work, Sterner warns. Outsourcing adds one more layer of cost, scheduling headaches and communication problems to repair issues.
  • Check reputation. Beware of voluntarily offered references which may be carefully screened, instead call local customers or competitors.

When buying used material handling equipment, the take home message seems to be “Buyer Beware!” Purchasing used equipment from a reputable dealer may seem like a practical stop-gap during the recession, but when you add in the cost of increased maintenance and major repairs, it may be more cost-effective to buy new. Whether you buy new or used, it pays to thoroughly investigate prices, equipment and the dealers themselves to ensure you’re getting the best material handling equipment at the best price.

Auto Industry Retooling Should Include Ergonomics

The U.S. auto industry is starting to make its comeback. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the first loans from the $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program authorized by Congress to support the U.S. manufacture of energy-efficient cars and automotive components: 

  • Ford Motor Co. was granted $5.9 billion to retool factories in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio to manufacture fuel-efficient vehicles.  
  • Nissan North America received $1.6 billion to retool its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant to produce electric vehicles.
  • Tesla Motors got $465 million for production of advanced electric vehicles in California.

Other signs of industry recovery include Gestamp Corporation’s $90 million investment in a Chattanooga, Tennessee stamping operation to produce parts for Volkswagen’s new mid-sized sedan, and Ralco Industries’ $6.4 million expansion of its Pontiac, Michigan facility to increase production of welded assemblies  for the auto industry.

It’s a relief to finally see the first twitch of life in the U.S. auto industry. And it’s exciting to see the industry retooling for what promises to be a robust future. But along with forward-thinking changes in their product line, the auto industry should be implementing innovation changes in their production practices. Retooling initiatives should include ergonomic material handling equipment on the assembly line, on plant floors and in factory storage lots to ensure the protection of workers’ health and safety. The workers who made concessions in pay and health benefits to keep the auto companies alive deserve to work in an environment that promotes good health. The citizens who provided the cash that the government is using to fund the loans that are jump-starting new life into the auto industry deserve to know that every possible measure is being taken to create a financially lean manufacturing operation. Ergonomic material handling equipment accomplishes both goals.

Ergonomic equipment like DJ Products’ CarCaddy car and vehicle pusher pushes heavy equipment down an assembly. The CartCaddyLH electric tug can push a vehicle down a rail or be used to push/pull from station to station heavy carts of raw materials or parts weighing 10,000 to 50,000 pounds. The DealerCaddy car and truck pusher easily maneuvers cars and trucks around storage and dealer lots. All DJ Products’ material handling carts and movers are ergonomically designed to prevent expensive and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries. Ergonomic equipment and practices have been proven to cut production time and costs, protect workers’ health and safety, improve worker morale, and significantly reduce the musculoskeletal injury expenses that cost U.S. businesses more than $150 billion each year. Including ergonomics in auto industry retooling efforts just makes sense — for the auto industry, for workers, and for taxpayers.

New Line of Aircraft Tugs Introduced

Expanding territory, reducing vendor costs, eliminating underperforming products, layoffs and salary reductions were the cost-cutting measures most cited by Manufacturing & Technology eJournal readers in a recent online poll (see our August 3, 2009 post). Surprisingly, innovation didn’t make the list. At DJ Products we’ve had marked success in finding new applications for our ergonomically-designed material handling products and redesigning existing products to meet the specific needs of new applications. A case in point is the new line of Lindy’s Aircraft Tugs and Tractors manufactured by DJ Products’ subsidiary Lindbergh Aircraft Tug Co.

As the world leader in the manufacture of battery-powered, walk-behind carts and tow tugs, we saw an opportunity to apply current technology to a new problem. Working with Fortune 500 companies including Exxon Mobil, GM, GE, Ford, Cardinal Health, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, P&G, Boeing, Pfizer and Caterpillar, our engineers have successfully adapted our CartCaddy products to numerous unique applications to meet our customers’ specific requirements. Drawing on years of experience developing and manufacturing thousands of powered carts, equipment and tow tugs, our engineers applied their expertise to the problem of safely towing aircraft through crowded hangers, busy airports or FBOs. Our ergonomically-designed CartCaddy tugs proved perfectly adaptable to this new application and the Lindbergh Aircraft Tug Co. was born.

Named for famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, who made the first non-stop solo flight from New York to Paris, Lindbergh Aircraft Tug Co. is located in Little Falls, Minnesota, “Lucky Lindy’s” childhood home, where three AircraftCaddys are manufactured:

To learn more, we invite you to visit the new Lindbergh Aircraft Tug Co. website.