christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

Kenworth Previewed Hydrogen-Powered Semi Truck at Consumer Electronics Show

The powered trailer dolly you might use for your warehousing and transportation business doesn’t cause much damage to the environment, but what about the semi-trucks that deliver your products? Semi-trucks that run on traditional fuel do contribute to environmental damage, which is why improvements to these vehicles are being made. In fact, a semi-truck that runs on hydrogen was recently introduced at an electronics show.

Eco-Friendly Trucking

At the annual Consumer Electronics Show in January, Kenworth previewed a semi-truck that’s powered by hydrogen. The Kenworth T680 day cab runs on a hydrogen fuel cell rather than needing to rely on natural gas or diesel fuel. Why was this eco-friendly truck shown at an electronics show? The fuel cell contains a mixture of hydrogen and air that ends up producing electricity. When the truck runs, its only tailpipe emission is water vapor.

Details on the T680

The Kenworth T680, which was demonstrated for the show’s Zero Emission Cargo Transport project, won’t be ready to do long hauls just yet. Initially, the truck will mainly be able to handle 150 miles, which is better suited to short hauls. The horsepower that the motor puts out comes in at 565, and the truck is strong enough to carry the same weight as other Class 8 vehicles.

The electricity that the truck produces can be used to run the motor or recharge the batteries. This high-tech truck could help reduce emissions overall once it’s ready for regular use.

If you need a powered trailer dolly for your warehouse, please visit DJ Products to see our selection of available items. Our products offer important benefits for your business, including savings on manpower and reducing the risk of injuries.

US Railways Are Flourishing As an Alternative to Semi Freight Hauling

The idea of railroads often conjures up romantic images of days gone by, while semi trucking offers a more pragmatic picture of workers using motorized trailer dollies. Passenger rail travel has certainly fallen out of favor, but the freight rail industry is robust, thanks to its status as a viable alternative to semi freight hauling.

Today’s Thriving Railway System

Freight rail may seem old school, but the U.S. railway system is the envy of other countries around the world. Approximately 40 percent of all intercity cargo is transported via the 140,000-mile railway network.

Unlike many other elements of the U.S. infrastructure, the railroad industry is self-sufficient. President Barack Obama’s 2009 stimulus bill provided major support for freight-rail initiatives with sizable grants, but as a private entity, the industry maintains and improves itself without the help of taxpayers’ money.

In fact, freight rail makes significant contributions to the economy. The industry employs more than 200,000 across the country and pays taxes on the $60 billion it generates each year.

Benefits of Freight Rail

– Freight rail transport is more eco-friendly than long-haul trucking. Trains are three times more energy-efficient than trucks, reducing pollution and dependence on fossil fuels.

– Moving freight by rail means fewer trucks on the road. That, in turn, results in less congestion and fewer vehicle accidents.

– While trucks are preferable for time-sensitive shipments, rail transport is a more efficient way to move heavy loads over long distances, such as raw materials.

Improve Safety and Efficiency with the Electric Yard Dog

Is an outside shunting service costing you time, money and productivity? Visit our website and chat with our friendly sales engineers to find out why motorized trailer dollies from DJ Products are the best solution for your company.

Trucking Firm with the Big Heart Strives to Feed Hungry Children

The nation’s food supply depends on truckers, so it’s fitting that C.R. England is going the extra mile with a food drive for hungry kids. Through its One Initiative, the firm aims to provide a million meals for children throughout the country facing hunger. For every load delivered by a C.R. England driver and every transaction by England Logistics, a meal will automatically be funded.

At DJ Products, we love seeing the distribution industry recognized for its profound contributions. We support the field by offering affordable motorized trailer dollies that make the job easier around the shunt yard while reducing injuries.

C.R. England’s Donations for Childhood Hunger

Known on the road for its coat-of-arms logo, C.R. England started its crusade against hunger to help feed the 13 million children in the U.S. who don’t always know where their next meal will come from.

Everyone is getting involved, too. Truck drivers not only get the satisfaction of helping out, but they also get to choose where each donation will go. C.R. England partnered with 19 food banks around the country, so drivers can send a meal to a child close to home.

C.R. England has donated hundreds of thousands of meals to date, with more fundraising and community efforts planned.

Do More with Distribution

What could your organization accomplish if operations were more streamlined at the distribution center? The TrailerCaddy Electric Yard Dog costs a small fraction of a shunt truck, yet is safer and more maneuverable. Our motorized trailer dollies don’t add to your driving logs, and dock workers can get trailers up to 100,000 pounds towed into prime position, even at tight shipping docks.

Find the right trailer movers for your needs at the DJ Products website.

Dumpster Loading Safety Tips for Your Maintenance Staff

Routine trash removal from multifamily properties, office buildings, and industrial facilities can be an unpleasant and even dangerous job. Trash loads vary by size and weight, making the trash room the most likely area for worker injuries in a multifamily property.

Many of those injuries are fall-related or strains that occur when someone is manually trying to move a heavy dumpster. A battery powered dumpster caddy from DJ Products can significantly reduce the risk of injury and maximize manpower by enabling one person to easily move heavy trash containers.

Other safety tips for maintenance staff

Commercial trash often includes hazardous materials such as broken glass and other sharp objects. Provide your maintenance staff with proper personal protective equipment such as safety glasses and work gloves. Signage should clearly indicate that no smoking is allowed in the trash area and that only authorized personnel are to handle the trash and move dumpsters. The dumpster area should be secure and well lit to prevent trespassing.

Maintain waste containers and the trash area

Damaged trash receptacles should be repaired or replaced. Properly closed lids will deter pests. Workers should avoid lifting waste containers or trash bags above their heads when putting them in dumpsters. You may need to build a platform to elevate workers above dumpster openings to prevent lifting injuries. Keep a fire extinguisher near the trash area and keep the area free of potential trip hazards. It’s a good idea to sweep the entire area each week after trash collection.

A powered dumpster caddy from DJ Products helps your company operate more efficiently and safely. Contact us to speak with one of our courteous and knowledgeable sales engineers about which battery-powered trash mover is best for your facility.

Tips for Keeping Your Dumpster Enclosure Clean

The importance of a clean dumpster enclosure goes beyond looks. A messy dumpster area endangers the safety of tenants and employees. Protect against injuries with a dumpster moving product and use these tips to keep the enclosure neat and well-maintained.

Do Your Homework

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to dumpster and recycling set-ups for properties. Factors such as size, number of tenants and community standards all play a part in determining waste disposal needs. Review each property carefully to make sure you have appropriate equipment and procedures.

Enlist the Help of Tenants

It’s easier to maintain a clean trash area when all associates and tenants are involved. Encourage tenants to take pride in the property and use signage and other materials that make it simple for them to dispose of trash properly.

Use Correct Disposal Methods

No property can efficiently dispose of trash with only one type of receptacle. In addition to creating environmental hazards, poor waste disposal usually results in a messy trash area due to spills and congestion. Make sure you have appropriate receptacles for everyday trash along with food waste, recyclables, liquids, grease and other forms.

Use Effective Dumpster Moving Equipment

Full dumpsters can weigh thousands of pounds. If employees are forced to move them manually across different surfaces, it increases the chances of a dumpster tipping over and causing a messy spill. Battery-powered dumpster movers let a single person quickly and safely move the heaviest dumpsters.

Effective Dumpster Moving Solutions from DJ Products

We offer a wide range of electric dumpster moving equipment, such as our popular WasteCaddyLite, that meets the needs of any type of property. Visit our website and let our sales engineers help you find the model that best fits your applications.

A Worker is Injured on the Job – What Are the First Steps to Take?

As a leading supplier of material handling equipment, one of our main goals at DJ Products is helping to improve workplace safety. If an employee becomes injured on the job, your response can be a critical factor in limiting the severity of the incident.

Use this checklist to make sure you’re following the appropriate steps to handle a workplace injury.

1. Obtain Medical Attention

At this point, the employee’s health and physical attention should be your overriding concern. Prompt medical attention can mitigate injuries and reassures workers of your interest in their well-being.

Call 911 if you even suspect the injury is serious. It’s best to err on the side of caution. If the injury is obviously minor, you should still encourage the employee to seek medical care.

2. Document the Incident

You’ll need to provide detailed reports for Workers’ Compensation as well as any information required by your company’s specific policies. Don’t forget to take pictures and interview any employees who were involved as witnesses.

Injured employees have the right to file a claim, so provide them with the form promptly and report it to your workers’ compensation insurance company. Never give information to anyone but your insurance carrier and their attorneys.

3. Welcome the Employee Back to Work

Terminating or penalizing an employee for an workers’ compensation claim can open your company up to major repercussions.

4. Take Steps to Prevent Future Incidents

How could the accident have been avoided? Evaluate the situation and make any necessary changes.

DJ Products: Your First-Choice Supplier of Material Handling Equipment

Our battery-powered tugs and movers minimize risk of injury from pushing and pulling, the number one cause of workplace injuries. Visit our website for more information.

Indiana Targets Placement of Devices on Truck Windshields

In a climate where truck drivers often feel over-regulated and under-appreciated, it’s not surprising that plenty of tempers have flared over the Indiana State Police cracking down with more tickets. At issue: where GPS and other devices can and can’t be mounted on a windshield.

Many distribution centers are fighting to keep up with the driver shortage and new competitive market factors. If you could use a boost in efficiency around the shipping docks, consider a powered trailer dolly that can easily shunt trailers wherever they need to be.

Laws for Windshield-Mount Devices in Trucks

Indiana restricts the use of any object mounted to the windshield of a vehicle. The device must be mounted outside of the area covered by the windshield wipers, and within six inches of the top of the windshield. In any event, the device cannot block the driver’s view.

The state police’s commercial vehicle division issues tickets with fines up to $200 for an offense.

While many truck drivers have supported the safety-first initiative, others feel that GPS devices should be mounted wherever the driver wants. Having to look high up or down low could be as dangerous as a slightly blocked view of the road.

Safety Around Shipping Docks

For those interested in reducing accidents and easing the burden on workers, DJ Products presents the TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor, or Electric Yard Dog.

Our powered trailer dolly does not require a CDL operator, so your drivers can stay on the road and virtually any employee can maneuver trailers in and out of shipping docks at a moment’s notice. It saves time, boosts productivity, and costs less than a shunt truck.

Are Your Hiring Practices Ready for 2018 Trends?

Finding qualified help to handle warehouse equipment and perform other vital jobs is one of the biggest challenges in the material handling and logistics industry. Experts weigh in on this year’s talent trends you should be watching.

People Analytics

Today’s incoming workforce has grown up with technology. People analytics provides specific and objective information for creating goals, making decisions and measuring progress.

Growth-Created Jobs

The rise of e-commerce has triggered greater expectations for efficient shipping and shorter turnaround times. Companies are seeking knowledgeable people in the areas of research and development, engineering, hardware and software.

Candidate-Driven Job Market

While job openings are increasing, the shortage of qualified labor continues. Companies are adapting their hiring strategies to become more attractive to potential candidates.

Explosion of Telecommuting

Working remotely is no longer an exception. By 2020, an estimated 40 percent of the workforce will be working remotely, whether from home or a third location.

Women Making Strides

Many companies are beginning to employ women in all levels of business. It’s a double-pronged solution to beating the talent shortage and bringing fresh perspectives to a mature but changing industry.

Social Media Is Here to Stay

Surveys show that 84 percent of organizations currently use social media in talent acquisition, with another nine percent planning on joining the pack.

Robots: Good News and Bad News

A recent report predicts that nearly 40 percent of today’s jobs will be filled by robots by the 2030s. On the plus side, this will create jobs for skilled workers areas such as engineering and software development.

Quality Warehouse Equipment from DJ Products

State-of-the-art warehouse equipment makes your company a desirable option for top job candidates. Visit our website to learn more about our battery-powered movers, tugs and pushers.

2018 Is the Year of the Capacity Crunch

Is your staff geared-up with semi-trailer movers for this year’s “capacity crunch?” Low truck supply and heightening freight demands are continuing to tighten access to shipping services in the ongoing driver shortage. Don’t let a staff loss due to injury add to the capacity crunch climate…

Disappearing Drivers, Declining Services
As older drivers retire, fewer younger drivers are stepping up and into the cab. With fewer trucks available, rates are rising, and the competition to secure shipping services is fierce. Long work hours, lengthy driving distances, and extended periods of time away from home, friends and family make for a hard position to fill.

Climate Complications
The political and literal global climates have also complicated matters, diverting what resources remain given the rising freight volume of the burgeoning U.S. economy. Combined with the needs of servicing hurricane-ravaged regions, these issues have further added to the difficulty of securing trucks for shipment.

Big Brother
Another mitigating factor: Government mandates requiring electronic logging devices be installed on haulers, for the tracking of drivers’ hours of service. Drivers may now remain on the road for only 11-hours by law, with a continuous rest period of 10-hours mandated, daily.

Aimed at creating safer roads, though most carriers are compliant, many drivers have been turned-off, taking issue with the perceived privacy infringement on their personal space. Trucks are not only their workspace, but also their literal home away from home. It goes without mentioning that carrier concerns over the cost of installing such devices are quite the step-up from the manual logbooks of yesteryear.

Are you armed to protect your workers from the repetitive strain injuries of the capacity crunch? Gear-up with the latest in time and money-saving semi-trailer movers from DJ Products today.

Forklift Accidents – What to Know

Forklifts have been around since the mid-1900s. Early versions were developed to a large extent because of the labor shortages caused by World War I. Companies needed to move heavy materials with significantly fewer workers.

Currently, there are close to one million forklifts in use in the United States, which can be expensive to maintain and are not always the best choice for moving loads through busy work areas. Check out our complete line of DJ Products warehouse equipment for low-maintenance, energy-efficient movers that are designed to maneuver heavy loads in tight areas.

The high cost of forklift accidents

OSHA estimates there are 85 forklift-related deaths in the U.S. each year. Forty-two percent of those deaths occur when someone is crushed by an overturning forklift. Approximately one of every six workplace deaths involves a forklift.

According to OSHA, there are 34,900 serious injuries and 61,800 minor injuries due to forklift accidents each year and almost half (46%) of them are forklift collisions where people are struck by moving forklifts, crushed between two forklifts, or trapped between a forklift and a stationary object.

If you’ve spent much time around forklifts, you’ve probably seen some close calls. Eventually, the odds catch up and there’s an injury. There’s a 10% chance that each forklift in your business will be involved in an accident this year. During their useful life, 90 percent of forklifts will be involved in at least one accident.

Choose the right equipment for the job

You can maximize manpower and improve the safety of your facility by using warehouse equipment that is specifically designed for moving heavy loads in tight areas. Contact one of our sales engineers to discuss the DJ Products warehouse equipment best suited to your needs.