christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

Dumpster or Compactor – The Pros and Cons

Before Making a Decision, It’s ALWAYS Important to Consider the Pros and Cons.

Proper trash room maintenance keeps your workplace clean and reduces the risk of injury. Is a dumpster or compactor best suited for your needs? Here’s a look at the pros and cons of each to help you choose the right solution for your application.

Dumpsters and Compactors: What’s the Difference

Dumpsters are large metal containers with volumes ranging from 10-yards to 30-yards. They are practical for a wide range of both household and commercial refuse and they are generally emptied by a trash hauling service that picks up every one to two weeks.
Trash compactors come in indoor and outdoor models. Thanks to the compressing action they can hold a greater volume of trash, but they’re not recommended for disposal of items such as oils, wood products, electronic items and toxic materials.

Which One Is Right for You?

If your business generates a lot of trash on a daily basis and your current garbage containers are being overfilled, a compactor is better for controlling the volume.
Dumpsters don’t seal tightly, which means they tend to attract rodents and other pests.
How does your trash removal service calculate charges? If it’s by the pickup, a compactor could save you a significant amount of money, but if it’s by the pound, it could be a more expensive option.

Put Safety First with the WasteCaddy from DJ Products

Now that you’ve selected the right container, make another choice for trash room safety. Our best-selling WasteCaddy can transport loaded dumpsters weighing up to 5,000 pounds, preventing the need for manual pushing and pulling.

Visit our website for more information.

Garbage and Dumpster Safety – It’s Your Job!

Safety in the Trash Room is Everyone’s Job!

Do you leave trash room and dumpster safety to your garbage removal service? It’s up to you to maintain a safe environment for everyone, whether they work for you or an outside company.

Be Proactive About Garbage and Dumpster Safety

Here are four tips to create a safe workplace that allows for efficient trash disposal.

1. Keep Dumpsters and Other Receptacles Free and Clear

If people have to run an obstacle course to get to the trash receptacles, the chances of injury are high. Make sure both indoor and outdoor containers are easily accessible.

2. Don’t Overfill Trash Receptacles

Overflowing dumpsters present an attractive home for mice, squirrels and other pests. If your trash containers fill up too quickly, consider adding more receptacles or getting larger ones.

3. Break Down Large Items

Boxes should never be tossed into a dumpster without being broken down or flattened first. Any large items such as furniture or equipment should also be broken down as much as possible or set aside for immediate pickup.

4. Maintain the Pavement

Can your garbage area support the regular stress and strain of a heavy trash removal truck? Damaged pavement can quickly become a safety risk. Make sure any cracks and holes are repaired promptly.

Maximize Safety with a Dumpster Puller from DJ Products

Many costly workplace injuries are due to overexertion as a result of pushing and pulling heavy objects such as loaded dumpsters. Visit our website to find out why clients consider a dumpster puller like our popular WasteCaddyLite to be “like having another employee on staff.”

Will the IoT Make Your Supply Chain “Smarter”?

Do you track your workouts with a FitBit or run your household with the help of Amazon’s Alexa? Welcome to the Internet of Things (IoT), a world of “smart” devices that are impacting your personal life and revolutionizing supply chain management.

Making Your Supply Chain “Smarter”

While these Internet-connected devices have been making a big splash, it’s not going to slow down any time soon. In fact, research firm Gartner recently issued a prediction that the number of IoT devices will increase thirty-fold by the year 2020.

How does this new technology impact supply chains and logistics? The IoT will connect people, processes, information and equipment to an extent never before possible, providing an amazing depth and breadth of data.

A Real-Life Scenario

A significant example of this benefit is in-transit visibility. As products pass through a number of points between manufacturer and consumer, an agile supply network is needed to follow them through all steps of the supply chain.

Cloud-based GPS and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies can be used to transmit identity, location and other data that’s crucial to accurate tracking. With a chip in a pallet and a coordinated device in the shipping vehicle, stakeholders can monitor progress in real time and make proactive decisions based on the constant flow of data.

DJ Products: The Leader in Warehouse Handling Equipment

While the IoT takes supply chain management to another level, our battery-powered warehouse handling equipment makes labor-intensive tasks easier and safer. Contact us to learn more about our popular CartCaddy5WP and other products in our full line of electric pushers, tugs and movers.

Dumpster Safety Tips for Workplace Maintenance Staff

The WasteCaddy Dumpster Mover

Have you educated your maintenance staff on proper safety procedures to be followed in the trash room? The Environmental Health and Safety Office of Emory University in Atlanta has “toolbox training” guides with valuable tips on trash room and dumpster safety.

Dumpster Safety

Keep the area immediately around the dumpster clear of boxes, papers and other debris.
Never climb into a dumpster or use your feet and hands to move items inside.
Many injuries occur when hands and fingers get caught in the dumpster lid. When opening or closing the lid, always take care to make sure hands and fingers are kept away from “pinch points.”
Hazardous waste should never be placed in a solid waste dumpster. Dispose of all hazardous waste using appropriate methods.
If a fire starts, don’t attempt to extinguish it yourself. Call the fire department immediately.

Trash Room Safety

Employees should be fully trained before operating the compactor.
Never place any body parts inside the hopper. When necessary, use a long stick to move items.
Close the compactor door securely before operating, and never open the door while the compactor is running.
Only trained personnel such as a manufacturer service person should conduct maintenance and repairs on the compactor. Complete lock-out-tag-out (LOTO) steps before performing maintenance.

Improve Trash Room Safety with a Dumpster Pusher from DJ Products

Maneuvering heavy dumpsters around tight corners and up and down inclines creates a serious injury risk. Visit our website for information about our WasteCaddyLite, a battery-powered dumpster pusher that easily moves dumpsters across all types of surfaces and greatly reduces workplace injuries.

The Internet of Things (IoT) Arrives at the Warehouse

The Smart Warehouse via the IoT is Coming

What impact has the Internet of Things (IoT) and “smart” technology had on the supply chain? A study shows that 70% of decision makers plan to implement a smart warehouse system by the year 2020. Leveraging IoT can significantly improve speed and efficiency throughout your entire supply chain.

Benefits of Smart Warehouses

According to the report (at link) from Zebra Technologies, the shift toward direct-to-consumer shipping is the primary driver behind increased use of technology. By 2020, retailers are projected to spend more than $2.5 billion outfitting warehouses with IoT.

Smart warehouses offer greater accuracy and transparency since real-time data can be accessed immediately, regardless of where employees and products are. Many IoT devices are “wearables” that free employees from the limitations of workstations.

IoT in Today’s Workplaces

How are major companies currently using IoT technology to modernize their supply chain operations?

UPS is testing the use of smart glasses to reduce the amount of labeling on packages.
Lids, an athletic sportswear company, has installed an Internet of Everything (IoE)-based robotics system to pick items and transport them to employees.
Amazon, one of the giants in direct-to-consumer sales, is augmenting its human workforce with more than 30,000 robots to process and ship customer orders.

State-of-the-Art Warehouse Handling Equipment from DJ Products

Successful companies also put a priority on safe warehouse operations. Our battery-powered warehouse handling equipment lets a single employee move the heaviest of loads safely and efficiently. Tugs and movers like our popular CartCaddyLite are ergonomically designed to reduce repetitive motion injuries.

Visit our website and use the handy online chat feature to learn more from our sales engineers.

Hotel Overbuilding Softens Several Metro Markets

With Hotel Overbuilding, You Can Cut Back on Costs with Our Products.

More travelers, but even more empty rooms. That’s the dilemma facing many hotels around the country, even in some of the hottest markets. People are staying more nights than ever before, yet all the hotel overbuilding of recent years and today has flooded the market.

In typically slow markets like Oklahoma, overbuilding has brought overall occupancy and revenue per room down significantly. Meanwhile, in hotbeds like Austin, Nashville, and Miami, new hotel construction has managed to outpace these cities’ robust demand.

National Real Estate Investor examined the issue and estimates a record 1.2 billion guest nights in 2017 against 1.8 billion available rooms.

Effects of Hotel Overbuilding

Developers have targeted specific metro areas more than others. In the perennially healthy New York market, new construction has been largely matched by demand. Consumers get some relief on price and availability, while hoteliers in the Big Apple continue to see strong occupancy.

However, in many hot tourist markets like Miami and in convention-friendly hubs like Austin and Nashville, the overbuilt, saturated market spells lower revenue per room for the foreseeable future.

Elsewhere, hotels have overbuilt in remote areas like Wyoming due to temporary demand related to drilling and fracking. Such areas may be drowning in surplus demand for years.

Facing the 2017 Hotel Market Outlook

Hoteliers fighting against surplus rooms in their market can look to control costs elsewhere. Our hospitality industry powered carts are a form of automation that accelerates housekeeping while reducing worker injury claims and boosting productivity.

To keep expenses down and improve guest satisfaction in a competitive market, consider hospitality industry powered carts for housekeeping and maintenance staff.

Are There Ways to Better Manage Department of Defense Spending?

Are There Better Ways to Handle Military Budgets?

While President Donald Trump’s proposed budget includes a significant increase in defense spending, many feel that it’s still not enough to make up for what was viewed as years of underspending. Center for American Progress, an independent bipartisan think tank, suggests the following ways for the Pentagon to manage funds more efficiently.

1. Downsize Administrative Staff

The Pentagon staff has grown by 38% since 2001. A recent report found that personnel cuts would produce $125 billion in savings over the next five years.

2. Reduce Cost Overruns

In 2015, multinational consulting firm Deloitte issued a report stating that overruns for major acquisition programs amounted to a staggering total of $468 billion.

3. Re-Examine Aircraft and Ship Spending

Senator John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has recommended maintaining a more fiscally responsible number and mix of military vehicles, including aircraft carriers and combat ships.

4. Prioritize Nuclear Spending

Former Defense Secretary William Perry and Gen. James Cartwright, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have proposed that the government cancel the land-based missile and air-launched cruise missile parts of the ongoing multibillion-dollar nuclear modernization program.

5. Authorize a Round of Base Closings

No Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commissions have been held since 2005; some sources suggest there’s up to 30% excess base capacity.

Move DOD Contractor Equipment Safely and Efficiently

Electric tugs, pushers and movers from DJ Products help you save on labor costs and injury claims associated with transporting DOD contractor equipment. Visit our website and let our knowledgeable sales engineers advise you on the best solution for your specific needs.

Tips for Safe Trash Removal in the Workplace

Hot Tips for Trash Room Safety

Working in the trash room may not sound like hazardous duty, but did you know the average cost of a claim for an injury incurred there is more than $40,000? Most of these injuries are caused by excessive twisting, pushing and pulling of heavy loads.

Control expenses and reduce risk of injury with these valuable tips for safe trash removal.

Best Practices for Trash Room Safety

Always test the weight of a load before actually lifting it. Ask for help if necessary.
Multitasking may save time with some jobs, but not in the trash room. Never try to hold the dumpster lid open while tossing trash inside. Open the lid first, then use both hands to deposit trash.
Lifting above the shoulders puts undue strain on the upper body and torso. Empty garbage cans by placing them on their side and sliding the trash bag out.
Wear gloves to prevent injury from dangerous materials inside trash bags and dumpsters. Provide separate containers for glass and other sharp objects.
Don’t let trash pile up. Empty garbage cans regularly. If you find that the loads are frequently too heavy for one person to handle, consider changing to smaller cans and bags.

Dumpster Mover from DJ Products: “Like Having Another Employee on Staff”

Maximize your workforce with a one-time investment in our battery-powered WasteCaddyLite. Our clients find that use of a dumpster mover makes trash removal a one-person job, freeing up the other employee to work on other tasks.

Visit our website and use the convenient online chat feature to consult our sales engineers on the best dumpster mover for your business.

Hotel Industry Gripes About Airbnb and Illegal Hotels

AirBnB is competing with hotels.

Short-term rental company Airbnb has become a major player in the hospitality business, but is it on the level? A recent industry report shows that the home-sharing service may actually be giving some commercial business operators an unfair and illegal advantage.

Home-Sharing or De Facto Hotels?

Airbnb has widely publicized its concept of matching travelers with people renting out space in their homes. According to a recent report sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and conducted by CBRE Hotels America, true home-sharing accounts for less than 20 percent of Airbnb’s business.

So what makes up the rest of Airbnb’s multi-billion-dollar revenue? The report states that it comes from “whole-unit rentals where the owner is not present,” which skate dangerously close to being commercial properties like hotels yet are not subject to the same regulations and taxes.

Findings are based on data from Airbnb’s bookings over a two-year period from October 2014 through September 2016. More than 50 percent of the company’s revenues in Miami and Oahu, two major travel destinations, came from hosts with multiple units as opposed to individual residences.

Airbnb Answers Back

Not surprisingly, Airbnb is refuting the report’s findings. Company spokesperson Ben Breit claims that many of their commercial listings actually come from AHLA member properties.

Hospitality Industry Powered Carts from DJ Products

Is your hotel’s housekeeping staff working as efficiently as possible? Our hospitality industry powered carts let employees provide excellent customer service by turning rooms quickly while avoiding injuries due to excess pushing, pulling and twisting.

Trump’s Historic Defense Budget Increases Will Boost Defense Contracting

Military Defense Contractors Are Eager to Book New Orders.

With his recent budget proposal, President Donald Trump is requesting a “historic” defense spending boost to make good on his promise to strengthen the U.S. military. Still, some lawmakers are questioning whether the amount is truly enough to maintain our country’s position as the world’s strongest military power.

“Making America Great”

Trump’s plan calls for the Pentagon to receive a total budget of $603 billion, which is 10 percent over Congressional caps instituted in 2011 but just three percent more than defense spending during the last fiscal year. Three percent is also only slightly higher than the country’s rate of inflation, which currently sits at 2.5 percent.

Much of the increase is intended for shipbuilding and military aircraft, which would provide a major influx of defense contracting. Trump believes the new budget will strengthen the reputation of “American strength, security and resolve” among the rest of the world.

What Happens Next?

The President’s budget now requires approval from Congress, which could involve several months of negotiations. Lawmakers such as Sen. John McCain, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, object to what they feel is an insufficient increase. On the other hand, Democrats are taking issue with the cuts in domestic programs that are being requested to fund the increase in military spending.

Move the Heaviest DOD Contractor Equipment with Ease

DOD contractor equipment includes bulky and sensitive items such as trailers, aircraft and explosive materials. Battery-powered tugs, pushers and pullers from DJ Products let a single employee move these items safely and efficiently. Visit our website to learn more about our full range of DOD contractor equipment solutions.

Author: christopher Harper