christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

Military and DoD News: Will Trump’s Defense Spending Become Reality?

With his recent signing of a defense policy bill, President Donald Trump is attempting to make good on his campaign promise for a stronger military. The question remains whether Congress will free up the purse strings that stand in the way of Trump’s mission.

As your full-service GSA material handling equipment supplier, DJ Products offers a closer look at what this means for the upcoming year.

Will Trump’s Wish Become Reality?

Trump’s initial budget proposal in 2017 called for a base amount of $603 billion for defense spending. Critics argued that it wasn’t nearly enough to fund the military buildup that had been one of Trump’s major campaign promises.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which Trump signed in early December, seemingly addresses the discrepancy by authorizing nearly $700 billion.

– $626.4 billion forms the base military budget

– $65.7 billion is allocated for the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) war fund

The bill faces a huge roadblock in the form of the Budget Control Act of 2011. That bill caps the base defense budget for 2018 at $549 billion, which is significantly less than the total of the NDAA.

Turn to DJ Products for Your Material Handling Needs

Are you a DoD contractor looking for safer solutions to your material handling requirements? Visit our website to learn why DJ Products is your top choice for a GSA material handling equipment supplier.

Safety – It’s All About Being Alert to Moving Equipment in the Warehouse

Is forklift safety a priority in your warehouse? A material handling equipment supplier like DJ Products can help you find effective options. Make sure your employees follow these guidelines for safe forklift use.

Forklift Safety Tips

– Don’t let unauthorized employees operate forklifts – no exceptions! OSHA specifies that only people 18 and over who have been properly trained and certified are allowed to drive a forklift.

– Know the recommended load limits for each forklift and make sure employees don’t exceed them.

– Before operating a forklift, visually inspect the exterior and test the mechanical function to ensure everything is in working order.

– Check the work area immediately around the forklift for obstructions and be alert to any obstacles along the way. Be particularly cautious with any blind spots.

– Make sure that employees and visitors to the workplace give forklifts a wide berth. If a pedestrian does cross the path, the forklift operator should stop and lower the load, resuming only after the pedestrian is completely out of the way.

– Never allow a forklift to block a stairway, exit or other points of access.

– While a forklift is in operation, the load shouldn’t be more than four inches off the ground. When the load is being lifted, no one should walk underneath.

– A running forklift should never be left unattended.

– In the event of problems, employees should immediately notify their supervisor.

DJ Products: Your Top Choice for a Material Handling Equipment Supplier

Our battery-powered movers such as our best-selling CartCaddyLite include ergonomic and safety features for maximum productivity with minimum injury risk. Call 800.686.2651 and let one of our cheerful sales engineers help you select the perfect solution for your application.

How to Build a Culture Focused on Safety in Your Warehouse

Have you integrated workplace safety into the overall culture of your warehouse? In addition to working with a material handling equipment supplier, use these tips to instill a safety-first mindset in your employees.

Making Safety a Priority in the Workplace

– All employees should receive training on each piece of equipment, even if they don’t use it regularly. Make sure training is an ongoing process, not simply a one-time-only session.

– Take every opportunity to let your employees know how much you value their safety, and they will follow your lead. Encourage them to watch out for themselves and each other and report any potential safety risks.

– Back up your words with visual reminders, which are absorbed more readily than speech. Post charts and graphics with information such as the number of days without incident.

– Create tangible incentives by running contests to reward specific safety behavior.

– Keep equipment properly maintained. Aisles and workspaces should be clean and clutter-free.

– OSHA requires companies to post occupational health and safety program information in a highly visible location. Go one step further and start a safety team that will proactively work toward maintaining a safe workplace.

– Enforce use of personal protection equipment such as goggles, helmets and work boots whenever necessary.

Reduce Injury Risk with Electric Movers from DJ Products

Most workplace injuries result from pushing, pulling and lifting of heavy materials. We offer a full line of battery-powered tugs and movers such as our popular CartCaddyShorty, which lets a single employee easily move loads of up to 3,000 pounds.

Visit our website and use our convenient online chat feature to learn why your search for a material handling equipment supplier begins and ends with DJ Products.

Are Drones Threatening to Intrude on Small Aircraft Space?

Drone traffic creates new hurdles for small aircraft operators, as we’ve now seen a drone crash into a helicopter over New York City and another collide with a plane in Canada. On the ground, we have tools like an aircraft tug to assist with traffic on the ground, but how should aviators move forward in a sky filled with civilian-operated quadcopters?

Thankfully, the recent drone encounters did not leave anyone harmed. Flying at altitudes higher than allowed in each jurisdiction, the drones damaged the helicopter and plane but did not crash through the windshield or enter a turbine.

Drone Safety Research

It was only a matter of time before a small aircraft collision with a drone. As Scientific American has reported, researchers had already been examining the possible damage and methods of avoiding such accidents. The University of Buffalo’s CRASH Lab, for example, simulates drone crashes to explore the potential damage to various aircraft parts, in every imaginable situation.

Just as airplane crashes are less common than most people think, drone accidents appear to be exceedingly rare. A report by George Mason University compares the situation to the fact that birds rarely collide with aircraft.

New Frontiers in Small Aircraft Safety

As consumer drones become more widespread, the public should become more educated about altitude regulations, air space restrictions, and general safety.

Small aircraft pilots should stay vigilant while flying low and be aware that drone operators may not respect or adhere to the law.

At DJ Products, makers of the Lindbergh aircraft tug, we help pilots and ground crews save time and avoid injuries that occur maneuvering around the hangar and runway. A battery-powered aircraft tug gives you one less thing to worry about in a constantly changing world.

Feds Eye Rule Change to EPA Regulation of Glider Kit Semi Trucks

DJ Products Supplies Equipment for Shunting Trailers — DJ Products Supplies Equipment for Shunting Trucks to Move Semi Trailers

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt recently stated that glider kit semi trucks provide a more affordable option for independent operators and small business owners. Pruitt added, gliders also provide a crucial economic driver to many rural areas. With advancements in technology and increased focus on more environmentally friendly ways of doing business, the trucking industry is facing new challenges and being forced to adapt to new regulations.

Trucking industry businesses of all sizes can improve safety, operate more efficiently, and reduce damage to docks and trailer equipment with the electric yard trucks from DJ Products.

The debate over glider kit semi trucks

While Pruitt feels the EPA lacks the authority to regulate glider kits under a proposed new interpretation of the Clean Air Act, the American Trucking Association (ATA) opposes repealing the Obama era rule for medium- and heavy-duty truck standards for the glider industry.

Glen Kedzie, energy and environmental affairs counsel for ATA, responded to the proposed rule change by saying the previous standard was based on sound data and science. Kedzie went on to say that it is perplexing that the EPA would support the continued growth of the glider kit industry because it produces the most polluting equipment on America’s highways.

Under the Trump administration, the EPA states that the unique way gliders are manufactured makes them exempt from the regulations of new motor vehicles. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) also takes issue with the proposed rule change, stating that gliders produce 40 times more pollution than modern semis.

We offer a line of low-maintenance, energy-efficient yard trucks for the trucking industry to help your business operate safely and profitably. Contact us to discuss your business operation with one of our knowledgeable and friendly sales engineers.

Truck Terminal Managers – Here’s Why Driver Retention is Problematic

Sometimes having the right tools on hand can make a world of difference to your drivers. If you’re struggling to keep drivers on staff, it might help to take a closer look at your operation. The fact is that having a yard truck to make their job easier might help you retain them.

Problems in Semi Truck Driver and Long Haul Driver Retention

Sometimes drivers leave their jobs for basic reasons, like not making enough money or having enough home time. However, if you are willing to dig a little deeper, you might find that there are more reasons behind their quick exits.

All too often, trucking companies expect their drivers to perform certain tasks, but they lack the tools to do them efficiently. At the very least, this can lead to frustration. At the most, it can result in serious injuries and accidents. When drivers don’t have the essential tools they need, this translates into a lack of appreciation for them as workers. They grow to believe that their employers aren’t concerned about their safety; just their bottom line.

How a Yard Truck Can Improve Employee Relations

As an employer, the safety of your employees should always be your first priority. However, you also want to save money in the process. The DJ Products yard truck can help you reach both of these goals. You’ll find that with this tool, anyone can move a trailer quickly and efficiently, without having a CDL. You won’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive shunt trucks, and you won’t need a specialized class of driver.

The yard truck can move up to 100,000 pounds. It’s the tool every trucking company should have. Do you want to learn more? Contact us at DJ Products to receive more information.

Warehouse Management And Productivity Tips Part Two

DJ Products is more than just your preferred material handling equipment supplier. We’re your source for the latest information and tips on warehouse management solutions.

Here are more ideas from experts on how to improve operations and maximize productivity.

Eliminate Dead Spots

Warehouse space is valuable. Use an asset tracking system to monitor how often items are picked. If an product is rarely picked, move it to drop-shipping and put a higher-turning item in the slot.

Streamline the Returns Process

Handling returns is one of the more cumbersome processes in a warehouse. Automate the procedure with a specialized returns system such as a warehouse management system (WMS).

Control Freight Costs

Many people accept freight charges as the cost of doing business, but few elements eat into profits as quickly. Talk to an experienced consultant who can offer helpful advice on negotiating better rates.

Re-Slot Pick Positions as Needed

Changing slot positions may seem inefficient, but it’s actually the opposite. Business is constantly changing, and your strategies need to change with it. Keeping items slotted correctly lets your employees make better use of their time.

Make Safety a Top Priority

Manpower is your greatest asset. Use industry safety regulations as a starting point, not an ending point. You should constantly be looking for ways to implement better safety practices.

Save Time and Money with Material Handling Solutions from DJ Products

Our battery-powered tugs, pushers and movers pay multiple dividends for warehouse efficiency. They let your employees accomplish more in less time while avoiding workplace injuries.

Visit our website and use the real-time chat feature for assistance from our friendly sales engineers. They’re one of the reasons why DJ Products is your first choice for a material handling equipment supplier.

Long Haul Semi Drivers May See More Pay Raises as Job Market Tightens

Truckers’ pay rates have increased only a fraction as much as other work sectors in the last two decades. Now, carriers are increasing driver rates by several cents per mile and offering compelling sign-on bonuses to poach from their competitors.

For those managing warehouses, the pay raises create a domino effect. Business is good, but efficiency still rules. Even down to operating costs, such as how your terminal tractors can shunt trailers in and out of the docks.

According to a report by Transport Topics, third quarter 2017 driver wages rose 1.6% over last year, with pay hikes across the board:

– Dry van index up 2.5%

– Flatbed up 1.4%

– Truckload pay up 4 to 7 cents in the stronger markets

– Signing bonuses up to $14,000

Experts point to low unemployment, high GDP, and the likelihood of driver numbers holding steady as indicators that the transportation industry should expect to increase driver pay rates in 2018.

Boost Efficiency with TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractors

DJ Products developed the TrailerCaddy Electric Yard Dog to make it safer, easier, and more efficient to shift and relocate trailers at docks and warehouse terminals. Making things even better is the fact that any dock worker can operate the tractor; no CDL is required.

TrailerCaddy terminal tractors move tank, OTR, and semi trailers weighing up to 100,000 pounds using a long-life 48-volt battery. It’s a small machine that any yard spotter can use to precisely maneuver trailers wherever they need to go.

Let our automated tractors do the heavy lifting with pinpoint control. Warehouses can expect lower maintenance costs, fewer injuries, and maximized efficiency to keep transportation costs down even in a competitive job market.

Contact DJ Products to find out more about TrailerCaddy shunt yard trucks.

Warehouse Management And Productivity Tips – Part One

Warehouse managers understand the importance of having quality material handling equipment for maximum productivity. That’s only one of the numerous factors involved in efficient warehouse organization and operations.

Here are the top tips from industry experts for managing your warehouse with a focus on consistently high productivity levels.

Automate the Data Collection Process

With today’s sophisticated technology, there’s no reason for employees to collect data manually. Bar codes and radio frequency identification allow previously unattainable standards of accuracy, even when you’re dealing with tens of thousands of items.

Promote Company-Wide Information Sharing

Visibility has demonstrable effects on productivity. One supply executive at a large retailer noted that faster access to information can help produce a double-digit decrease in cycle times.

Use Bin Locations

Some in the industry believe that bin locations require keeping vendor lines together. In fact, bin locations let you locate items based on sales volume, reducing the amount of time needed to pick orders.

Assign Unique Tracking Numbers

It may seem like a no-brainer to track items by serial numbers, but these numbers can often be duplicated across assets. The end result is compromised data integrity and customer dissatisfaction.

Eliminate Procrastination

This is such a basic concept, but so few people adhere to it. Putting off tasks, no matter how insignificant they may seem, creates a ripple effect that can result in serious work disruptions.

DJ Products: The Leader in Material Handling Equipment for Every Need

Workplace injuries have a devastating impact on productivity and profitability. Our material handling equipment solutions are ergonomically designed to reduce the risk of injury from moving heavy loads and performing repetitive motions.

Visit our website to learn more from our friendly and knowledgeable sales engineers.

What’s Safe to Throw Away in Your Dumpster?

Dumpsters are almost literally a “catch-all” solution to waste. However, there are certain items—chemical waste, liquid propane, and those darn CFL bulbs—that do not belong. Thankfully, most other garbage can go into a dumpster safely and legally.

Trash rooms are safer when everyone knows where different items need to go. For the best dumpster safety, workers should use our WasteCaddy dumpster mover to prevent and alleviate back and arm injuries.

Good to Go: Items You CAN Put in Dumpsters

Here’s a list of questionable items that are allowed; virtually all trash collection agencies let you put these in dumpsters:

• Appliances that do not contain refrigerant

• Aerosol cans, if empty

• Furniture, except for upholstered items in some locations

• Yard waste, except for large volumes of dirt in some locations

• Construction and demolition waste, with weight or volume restrictions

• Electronics, in small quantities if local law allows

How to Safely Handle Dumpster Waste

To prevent injuries, trash fires, and costly fines for improper disposal, try these solutions:

• Provide collection boxes for paint cans, fluorescent lights, rechargeable batteries, etc., so people are not tempted to hide these in the trash

• Post signs for workers to double-check allowed and not-allowed items

• Empty dumpsters frequently to prevent overflow and items left on the ground

• Use motorized tools like the WasteCaddy dumpster mover to haul trash containers with lower risk of injury

These simple but powerful steps can greatly improve dumpster safety. Get the right equipment for moving dumpsters safely to make the job even safer and reduce worker injuries. Visit DJ Products to learn more about the WasteCaddy dumpster mover and other waste container movers.