Author: christopher Harper

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.

MHEDA Debuts Material Handling Wiki Web Resource

MHEDA, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association, has just launched wikiMHEDA, an excellent online resource for those of us who work in material handling, our customers and people who want to learn more about the material handling industry. Think of it as Wikipedia for the material handling industry. Just like the famous online encyclopedia, wikiMHEDA is an interactive Web resource written and edited by its readers, in this case people active in the material handling industry. However, unlike Wikipedia’s broad “every subject under the sun” scope, wikiMHEDA focuses solely on the subject of material handling.

According to website information, MHEDA intends its new wiki site to:

  • serve as an educational resource for and about the industry
  • provide an encyclopedia of material handling industry terms
  • provide a news outlet for industry events, activities and developments
  • be a resource for material handling product specification sheets
  • serve as a library and distribution center for industry white papers
  • provide a video library of material handling equipment and accessories
  • provide a directory of firms that manufacture and distribute material handling equipment and accessories

We found searching for information about the material handling industry and its players easy on the new site, but — and we’re sure this is because it has just launched — information is sketchy in some areas and distributor lists are far less than comprehensive. For example, a search for “ergonomics” brought up an abbreviated definition with a cursory overview of OSHA activity, all generally related to the manufacturing industry. Because it is a wiki site, the new site does allow users to add content, and the process is fairly simple. Creation of an account and website registration are required before editing. 

Use a DJ Products Cart Mover to Transport Glass

A cart mover has a number of applications, although if you were to look at the name of this product literally, you might conclude that it is only used to move carts.

For example, if you need to move heavy windows or glass from place to place in a workshop or at a work site, you can use a cart mover to do this rather than rely on human effort. No matter how many times your employees have carefully and successfully moved heavy glass objects without incident, a one-time mistake with something like this can be costly and very dangerous.

There is a risk of breaking glass each and every time you move it. Once glass is installed, it can still break, but if your work involves getting windows or stained glass positioned correctly, you want to make sure that your part of the work is done without injury or extra expenses.

A Remodeling magazine article recommends that you, “Know exactly how you’re getting the glass from the truck to the installation point.” Overall, Remodeilng says that “Smart, safe, and slow are the key words for moving and installing glass…”

A heavy-duty battery powered DJ Products cart mover is designed to push, pull, or maneuver carts or equipment up to 50,000 pounds, so it can be used for delicate mirrors, heavy glass panes, and a variety of other products. Its electric lift option and customized attachment eliminate the need for fabricating multiple attachments for each cart or piece of equipment and the mover arm rises and lowers, attaching it firmly to the bottom of any cart.

A Shopping Cart Retriever Can Keep Costs Down

Using a cart retriever to corral and keep track of shopping carts does not just address safety concerns; it addresses fiscal concerns as well. If you provide shopping carts for customers to use, then the upkeep of the carts is a part of your overhead. If they are damaged, you need new carts to replace the ones that can no longer be used. However, if a number of carts never make it back into the store because people take them and put them to use in other places, you will spend money you could use for other things to buy new shopping carts.

A 2006 article from The New York Times said that in 2005, one company that hired people for the specific task of getting back shopping carts found that their “retrievers returned 86,000 carts from the streets of the metropolitan [New York City] area.” At this time, the carts were $90 each, so finding them saved quite a bit of money.

A DJ Products shopping cart retriever helps employees to quickly gather carts and keep them close to the store so there are fewer stray carts available for those who would be tempted to take a cart for their own use.

The retriever attaches to the back of the line of up to fifty shopping carts. The cart retriever pushes the line of carts from behind, following the direction that the operator steers as he guides them from in front. Once he gets to the front of the store, he is free to head back out to the parking lot with the shopping cart mover to collect more carts.

CartCaddy Tug Solves Auto Manufacturing Problem

The task was to design a robotic work cell to fabricate car doors. It was a difficult problem. The jig assembly that would hold the doors weighed nearly 5,000 pounds. The entire assembly would have to be pushed into the robotic work cell. The tier 1 robotics integrator for a major auto manufacturer turned to DJ Products for the solution.

DJ Products’ CartCaddy5WP tug was the answer. This powerful battery-powered tug allows a single operator to smoothly and safely change-out a finished car door with ease. State-of-the-art ergonomic design eliminates any potential injury to workers from manually pushing door assemblies into position. The tug’s powerful 36-volt motor provides effortless maneuvering of loads from 2,500 pounds up to 30,000 pounds. Highly maneuverable in tight spaces, this exceptional tug is equally effective in open spaces, hallways, aisles and assembly lines.

The CartCaddy5WP tug is a more powerful upgrade of our CartCaddy5W tugger. By adding weight over the drive tires, greater traction is created allowing the 5WP tug to manage heavy loads and equipment up to 30,000 pounds. This tug has the power to push or pull almost any heavy cart or piece of equipment.

In common application, the CartCaddy 5WP is used with carts or equipment having two swivel casters in front and two straight casters in the rear. Attaching the 5WP power tug to the swivel caster end of the cart/equipment allows the tug to easily power carts/equipment through turns and maneuvers, even in tight spaces. An ergonomically designed variable speed twist grip prevents carpal tunnel syndrome and allows the operator to maintain smooth control through intricate maneuvers in both forward and reverse at speeds of from 0 to 3 mph. For full specifications on the 5WP power tug, click here.

The electric lift option on the 5WP power tug raises and lowers the tug’s arm for firm attachment to the bottom of carts or equipment. With the arm attached, the tug can pivot a full 180 degrees under the arm, allowing loads to be turned 90 degrees without problem. The CartCaddy5WP power tug is among the most powerful, most maneuverable and most versatile tugs on the market. Click here for more information about the CartCaddy5WP power tug and a video of this tug in action.

Casinos: Don’t Gamble with Employee Safety–Get Motorized Carts

If you own a resort and casino, don’t take a chance that your employees are able to transport heavy loads with regular carts. Get motorized power carts so that your workers can move linens and supplies as necessary without injury or strain.

A Powered Housekeeping Cart or a Motorized Linen Cart can haul loads of up to 700 pounds with variable speed twist grips that allow the operator to travel at speeds between 0 and 3 mph. These carts can eliminate the strain and injury that can result from manually pushing supplies and linens with carts, especially where carpeting makes it difficult to push.

While the people out front like dealers and food service staff keep things going where the customers can see, you also need to make sure that your behind-the-scenes operations are also running smoothly. You don’t what repetitive injuries to get in the way of efficiency because your guests are relying on you to provide seamless service.

You may also find that a Motorized Dump Hopper, which is a heavy-duty battery powered tilt truck designed to haul up to 2000 pounds of trash or debris, can be of great assistance. Again, you rely on the people out front as well as the people who keep your facilities clean to stay in business. You want to give them the equipment they need to get the job done without injury.

For more information about applications and environments conducive to using our heavy cart mover application, call DJ Products at 1-800-686-2651. When you call, you can also ask about how our products can be customized to fit your specific needs.

Use Handy Calculator to Determine Your Ergonomic Needs

In our last few posts we’ve been talking about the importance of ergonomics in creating both a safe and healthy work environment and the benefits that can provide to your business. Ergonomically-designed equipment decreases the frequency and severity of workplace injuries, medical costs and disability payments, and absenteeism, while increasing employee morale, efficiency and productivity, and profitability.

With so many benefits, it pays a company to invest in ergonomically-designed equipment, but how can you determine your ergonomic needs? DJ Products provides a useful Ergonomic Load Calculator on our website. The calculator is designed to estimate the amount of horizontal force necessary to move wheeled loads in various workplace environments.

Easy to use, our calculator takes you through a series of questions regarding floor condition, terrain, footing, equipment condition, equipment configuration, use of assembly line when applicable, and load weight to determine the required force to move an average load. A second series of questions factors in human performance qualifiers such as proposed worker, frequency and distance each load will be moved, whether loads are pushed or pulled, and handle height. Using mathematic formulas, a Human Performance Capability is calculated that provides an ergonomic estimate of the amount of force that a single worker should apply to move the load. Calculations are provided for both initiating and sustaining equipment motion. A comparison of the calculated equipment force to the ergonomic limit of force allows ergonomists, health and safety officers, and other professionals to accurately evaluate the ergonomic needs of a company.

The program also offers helpful suggestions that can be used to improve workplace safety. For example, an ergonomic evaluation of a manually-wheeled pull-cart might recommend a specific caster size to reduce initiation force or improve pivoting. It might recommend a maximum weight load for the equipment being evaluated. It is always recommended that ergonomic solutions be immediately implemented wherever force exceeds capacity to prevent worker injury.

Back Strain in the Workplace

Only the common cold results in more lost work days than back strain. Overexertion is responsible for 25% of all workplace injuries, according to the National Safety Council. One worker in every 200 experiences an overexertion injury, indicates data compiled by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Annually, overexertion injuries cost American business more than 12 million lost workdays and over $1 billion in compensation costs. The majority of overexertion injuries — 60% — result in back strain, particularly in the lower back.

Statistics show that one in five disabling workplace injuries are back injuries and that more than 25% of workers’ compensation claims are for back injuries. Back strain occurs when the back muscles are overused or ligaments and tendons are overstretched. Recovery can be lengthy; and once damaged, the back is particularly susceptible to re-injury.

Back injuries most often occur during lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying, bending or twisting activities. These are the same activities most likely to be carried out by workers on a daily basis. According to OSHA studies, preventive measures that include weight restrictions on loads and personnel safety training have proved inadequate in reducing injuries. However, coupling preventive measures with ergonomically designed equipment can significantly reduce the incidence of back injuries in the workplace.

By studying the actions used to complete a task, ergonomic engineers are able to design equipment that eliminates or minimizes lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying, bending and twisting actions. Ergonomic cart puller equipment that reduces the potential for overexertion or extension reduces the risk of back injury.

Preventing Heat Injury

As summer heats up, heat can affect workers’ health and slow production. Heat illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke (see our June 24 post) are serious and can even be life-threatening. Fortunately precautions can be taken to prevent heat injury by following these suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control:

  • Reduce the physical demands of the job by using powered equipment to perform heavy tasks. DJ Products powered carts and movers are the perfect solution to take the strain off workers when materials, equipment, products or supplies must be moved from one place to another. Ergonomic design eliminates muscle strain, fatigue and physical stress, protecting the health and safety of your workers. Our battery powered CartCaddies do the heavy labor so your workers don’t overexert themselves in the heat.
  • Wear loose clothing to promote air flow and a hat to shield yourself from the sun. When uniforms must be worn, natural-fiber, breathable fabrics like cotton provide better management of body heat. Certain newer fabrics are available that help wick sweat away from the body, keeping the body cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
  • Decrease work exposure or, when exposure cannot be avoided, the length of exposure to high heat and humidity. Shorten shifts for high exposure jobs or rotate tasks to decrease exposure periods.
  • Use fans to decrease humidity and increase air speed to allow maximum evaporative cooling from sweating.
  • Provide shade in work areas where possible and certainly in break areas.
  • Drink plenty of fluids and replenish salt and minerals lost during sweating. This is why sports figures drink Gatorade and similar beverages that contain salt and minerals. Salty snacks at break times can also help. Water should be continually available to workers during periods of high heat and humidity, and a worker’s request for water should not be denied.

Worker complaints about feeling ill or dizzy when temperatures soar should not be taken lightly. Cool water (sipped slowly); a break in a cool, air conditioned room; and application of cool, wet cloths to the skin will help. But anyone who complains should be carefully watched for additional signs of heat illness. Be aware that some medications exacerbate the effects of heat on the body, a possible side effect about which many people are unaware. If a heat injury victim does not respond to basic first aid, if vomiting occurs, the person loses consciousness, or if his body temperature continues to rise and sweating ceases, call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately.

A Truck Pusher is an Auto Body Shop’s Dream

Body shops are in business to restore the damage done to cars and trucks during accidents; to remove dents, dings, cracks and scratches to have the car looking like it just drove off the lot again – but the way many mechanics are moving the cars they work on from the lot into the bay is actually causing further damage.If a car isn’t running properly and needs to be pushed into the shop, mechanics usually do it one of two ways – they manually push it (which can be exhausting and potentially cause injury to the worker), or they use another auto to push the vehicle in which can cause dents or scratches and ultimately creates unnecessary work for the business.There is a far better and easier way to move a poorly functioning car or truck than to cause undue stress on your employees or to potentially cause undue damage to the vehicle.  The CarCaddy truck pusher from DJ Products is the perfect method of moving a non-running vehicle from point A to point B.The CarCaddy truck pusher allows on person to easily maneuver any vehicle, up to 20,000 pounds across flat terrain – which means that just about any vehicle; small, mid-sized or large cars, vans and pick ups can all be moved short distances without having to call in the cavalry or over strain your employees.You will be able to move cars in and out of bays, across parking lots or just about anywhere you need to get them within a reasonable distance with no physical stress or strain and without even so much as a scratch on the vehicle.  With adjustable speed, smooth forward and reverse and an adjustable push pad you’ll be able to get any car anywhere you need it safely and easily with the CarCaddy truck pusher from DJ products.