christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

5 Tips to Help You Choose the Right Material Handling Tug for Your Warehouse

Material Handling Warehouse Managers Discussing Motorized Tugs — Motorized Tugs Improve Safety

So, you’ve made the decision to implement material handling tugs in your warehouse to protect workers and improve productivity. How do you decide which ones are best for your applications? Our experts share five questions that will help you choose.

1. Does the tug promote a safe working environment?

A good tug allows a single employee to easily move heavy objects and materials with less effort. In addition to strength, the tug should offer maneuverability through tight quarters that will reduce the risk of collisions, falling containers and other mishaps.

2. Does the tug cut down on physical strain?

Transporting bulky or heavy items often results in workers twisting, turning and bending, which can lead to injuries as well as chronic pain in the long term. With our tugs, once the connection is made, a worker simply walks at a normal pace to operate it.

3. Does the tug promote proper posture?

When employees contort their bodies into awkward positions to move heavy objects, it places excessive stress on their musculoskeletal system. While it may get the job done, workers pay the price in sprained muscles and damaged joints. Operating our tugs lets employees maintain a neutral upright position that avoids strain.

4. Does the tug minimize the need for manual tasks?

Manual material handling, or MMH, is a frequent cause of back pain and overall fatigue. Statistics indicate that three-quarters of workers involved in MMH tasks experience injuries that make up one-third of compensation costs. Quality material handling tugs take the burden from workers, safeguarding their well-being.

5. Is the tug ergonomically designed?

Repetitive motions can often lead to long-term physical problems. A tug that’s ergonomically designed includes features that reduce wear and tear from these movements. It also creates a safe grip to optimize control and reduce the risk of accidents.

Choose Electric Material Handling Tugs from DJ Products

Our comprehensive line of battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers make warehouse safety a priority while also reducing your carbon footprint. Contact us at 800.686.2651 or use our handy online chat feature, where our knowledgeable Sales Engineers are ready to answer your questions.

Safety Tips for Your Semi Trailer Transit Yard

Trailer Yard in need of a Motorized Trailer Dolly — A Motorized Trailer Dolly Improves Trailer Yards

Our battery-powered trailer dolly greatly improves the safety factor in your semi-trailer transit yard. Add these four helpful tips to boost productivity while preventing costly workplace injuries and accidents.

1. Strictly enforce a safe speed limit in the yard.

Regardless of the type of motor vehicle, excessive speed is usually one of the primary causes of accidents. Due to the size and composition of these vehicles, even a low-impact collision can result in serious damage or injury.

Post speed limit signs in visible spots around the transit yard and maintain consistent enforcement of the rules.
Control traffic with methods such as speed bumps, rumble strips and chicanes, which are serpentine curves that must be navigated at lower speeds.

2. Use signs, signals and markings to promote awareness of safety procedures.

Utilize the same shapes, symbols and colors, such as “Stop” and “Yield,” that are found in conventional traffic signs. This allows for instant recognition without the need to learn a new set of symbols.
Signs should be placed in high-visibility spots and kept clean and unobscured. If work activities take place during nighttime hours, include reflectors or other sources of illumination.
Mirrors can be a useful aid if there are sharp turns or other areas with limited visibility.

3. Maintain situational awareness.

Semi-trailer transit yards are sites of constant activity, where the surroundings change from one minute to the next. Just a few seconds of inattention can mean the difference between safety and chaos. Workers should get in the habit of putting all their focus on current activity in the yard. This includes staying off of cell phones and other distracting devices.

4. Clearly designate pedestrian and traffic routes.

Workplace activities require pedestrians and vehicles to operate within the same space.

Create clearly delineated pedestrian routes.
Make sure the more dangerous areas are marked as, “No Pedestrian Entry.”

Create a Culture of Safety with the Trailer Dolly from DJ Products

Our trailer dolly is only one of the eco-friendly tugs, movers and pushers we offer to fit any workplace application. Find out which solution fits your specific needs by calling 800.686.2651 to speak with one of our Sales Engineers.

How Can I Know if My Warehouse is Organized Enough?

Warehouse workers struggling to organize materials without a motorized trailer dolly — Motorized Trailer Dolly for Easier Organization

According to Benjamin Franklin, “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” In a warehouse, where time really is money, improved organization can truly impact the bottom line. Our experts at DJ Products, makers of the TrailerCaddy a motorized trailer dolly, share some useful tips to help organize your warehouse.

1. Practice good housekeeping.

To paraphrase a popular saying, a cluttered warehouse can lead to a cluttered mind. Studies show that cluttered spaces often cause procrastination and difficulty focusing, two qualities you can’t afford to have in your workers. Schedule time each week to tidy up the warehouse.

2. Keep inventory lean.

Inventory bloat results in added costs and reduced efficiency in fulfilling orders. Work with suppliers to see if you can arrange smaller loads delivered on a more frequent basis.

3. Monitor inventory error rates.

There’s always room for improvement, but you need to know where to place the focus. When you track how and when errors are made, you can discover patterns that lead to workable solutions.

4. Institute a program of cycle counts.

The sooner you catch inventory discrepancies, the sooner they can be corrected before they snowball into major problems. A single annual inventory leaves too much room for things to fall through the cracks. Use cycle counts for improved accuracy.

5. Leverage technology.

Workplace automation becomes more sophisticated almost daily. Tools such as warehouse management software reduce the number of tasks that need to be done manually. If you don’t commit to implementing high-tech solutions wherever possible, you run the risk of losing business to your competitors who do.

6. Invest in labels and signs.

Look at your warehouse from the perspective of a new employee. Is it easy to navigate the various sections? Do you have to search shelves to find a specific product? Use labels, floor maps and signs so every element of the warehouse is clearly marked.

Improve Warehouse Organization with a Motorized Trailer Dolly from DJ Products

Without proper organization, a warehouse yard can quickly evolve into chaos. Our battery-powered trailer dolly lets a single employee transport heavy trailers between docks and staging areas quickly and efficiently. Contact us to learn more.

When is the Best Time of Year to Purchase Material Handling Equipment for Your Warehouse?

Industial Material Handing Warehouse in Need of a Motorized Trailer Dolly — Motorized Trailer Dolly Improves Warehouse Efficiency

Warehouses rely on various types of material handling equipment, such as forklifts. These pieces of equipment can break down or develop damage over time. In some cases, businesses become busier and don’t have enough equipment to handle more loads. Whether you’re looking into getting a motorized trailer dolly or another type of equipment for material handling, knowing when to make this purchase is important.

Busy Seasons

Is your warehouse busier during certain seasons, such as the holiday shopping season? If so, it’s essential to make sure you have material handling equipment to take on more loads. Otherwise, your current equipment can end up with more wear and tear, which can boost the chance of needing repairs or more frequent maintenance. If you’re expecting increased business during the holidays, order the material handling equipment you need now. If your busy season is summer, it’s still a good idea to order ahead of time in case of delays.

Supply Issues

When many other businesses are ordering equipment, you might experience lengthy delivery times. For example, a shortage of material handling equipment can lead to long delays before you’re able to get your items. If you know you’ll be needing more equipment in the near future, put your orders in now to make sure they arrive on time.

Damaged or Worn Equipment

Don’t wait until the ideal time of year to buy material handling equipment if yours is worn or damaged. Ordering as soon as possible helps ensure that you receive new equipment, while also lowering the risk of excessive downtime and productivity loss.

Not Enough Equipment

If your warehouse is expanding or business is picking up steadily, plan ahead. Take a look at the equipment you have now and determine what you need in order to keep up with the growing demands of your warehouse. Place orders for material handling equipment as soon as you know what you need.

If it’s time to purchase a trailer dolly for your warehouse, please contact DJ Products. We offer material handling solutions to help businesses improve efficiency, productivity, and safety, while lowering costs.

Why Embrace a Culture of Safety in Your Warehouse

Warehouse Safety Checklist Being Filled Out By Worker. — Improving Warehouse Safety

Warehouses are filled with equipment and situations that can easily lead to injuries or accidents. However, there are ways to make this type of work environment safer. Choosing better equipment, such as a trailer dolly, and encouraging safety awareness are just a couple of ways to reduce the risk of workplace injuries. Find out more about the importance of promoting a culture of safety in your warehouse.

Increased Productivity

Making changes to increase safety leads to higher productivity. With a lower risk of injuries and accidents, employees can focus on doing their jobs. There’s also a lower chance of downtime when you have safer equipment, which also helps boost productivity levels in your warehouse.

Improved Efficiency

A safer workplace results in better efficiency. Having the right equipment can help ensure that tasks are completed more efficiently while also keeping the risk of accidents lower overall. This allows workers to get more done in a shorter timeframe.

Higher Employee Satisfaction

Taking steps to provide workers with a safe environment helps improve employee morale. Workers who are satisfied with their jobs are much less likely to leave or take extra time off. This helps maintain productivity levels and reduces the risk of high turnover rates.

Reduced Costs

Creating a culture of safety in your warehouse helps keep certain costs down. Workers’ compensation, the cost to recruit and train new employees frequently, decreased productivity, increased downtime, and other costs can add up when you have an unsafe work environment.

How to Provide a Safer Work Environment

Making sure employees are trained on safety issues can go a long way toward ensuring a safer environment. Keep workers up-to-date on safety training as needed. Providing protective equipment and making sure workers know how to use it is also important. Using equipment that boosts safety also helps. Motorized trailer dollies, for example, can help eliminate the need for forklifts and other types of equipment that are linked to a higher risk of accidents.

If you’re looking for a trailer dolly to help increase warehouse safety, please contact DJ Products. Our experts can help you choose the right solutions for a safe workplace environment.

Improve Warehouse Ergonomics with a Few Tips and a Motorized Trailer Dolly

Warehouse Worker Moving a Pallet - Improve Warehouse Ergonomics — Improve Warehouse Ergonomics

You may have heard the term “ergonomics,” but how much do you understand about it? Ergonomics comes from the root érgon, which means “work” in Greek. Simply put, ergonomics is the study of interaction between humans and equipment. Our motorized trailer dolly is ergonomically designed to make it easier for workers to move trailers and other wheeled equipment.

According to the National Safety Council, overexertion is the second leading cause of workplace injuries. Use these tips for improved warehouse ergonomics to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries that can become chronic.

Tips for Improving Warehouse Ergonomics

1. Simplify material handling tasks wherever possible.

Are your workers performing a lot of manual tasks? For example, handling containers can involve lifting, lowering, filling, emptying, and carrying. Each one of these procedures places significant strain on the musculoskeletal system.

Our full line of material handling equipment is ergonomically designed to take the load off your employees. We have tugs, movers and pushers ranging from our CartCaddyLite to our motorized trailer dolly.

2. Implement effective work habits.

Is safety a major element of your workplace culture? When you demonstrate a commitment to the safety and well-being of your workers, they’ll follow suit. This is also a great way to improve employee morale.

Here are some programs you can use to make safety a priority:

Repetitive motion greatly increases the chances of injury. Institute a job rotation schedule to reduce undue stress.
Develop a comprehensive training program centered on proper material handling techniques.

3. Set up an ergonomically designed workplace.

Even when employees are stationary, they can become injured from bending, twisting or stretching. Here are some elements to consider:

Place all materials at work level.
Equipment such as workbenches should be adjustable to accommodate all sizes of workers.
Workstations should have enough clearance for employees to move and turn freely.
Make suspenders, back braces and other wearables readily available.

Choose Our Motorized Trailer Dolly for Enhanced Workplace Safety

Our battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers reduce the risk of workplace injury while improving productivity. Use our handy online chat feature to learn more from our friendly and knowledgeable Sales Engineers.

Trailer Caddy Testimonials – Our Customers Weigh In on Our Motorized Trailer Dolly

Image of a packed trailer yard in need of a motorized trailer dolly. — The Motorized Trailer Dolly Improves Efficiency

When you need a reliable way to pull or push trailers, vehicles, or other heavy loads around, a motorized trailer dolly offers the ideal solution. DJ Products has a wide range of these dollies available for use in multiple industries and settings. Here’s what some of our customers have had to say about our products in testimonials.

Sony Pictures

The famous movie studio was relying on tractors to move equipment and other oversized items and heavy loads around sets. The company needed a motorized trailer dolly and gave the TrailerCaddy a try to help make this more efficient. Sony Pictures now relies on this motorized trailer dolly to move trailers and equipment around sets much more easily.

Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office

The water patrol unit at the sheriff’s office in St. Paul needed a better way to move trailers, boats, and other equipment around. They turned to DJ Products for help and started using the TrailerCaddy. The office appreciates that the trailer dolly’s battery power lasts for several hours before needing to be recharged. This has allowed them to move boats and other equipment around when needed.

Trac Intermodal

Trac Intermodal relies on the TrailerCaddy to move equipment around its warehouse. Prior to using this motorized dolly, the company was depending on a 2-axle truck. This ended up costing a significant amount for fuel. Trac Intermodal has been able to save money using the motorized trailer dolly. The company likes that this solution is also reducing wear and tear on the 2-axle truck.

Explore RV

This RV company needed a good solution for moving heavy RVs around its lot, while lowering the risk of injuries to workers. DJ Products was able to help with the TrailerCaddy. The company has been able to use this electric-powered, motorized trailer dolly to move all sizes of RVs around without a high risk of accidents and injuries. Explore RV also loves how much more efficient the TrailerCaddy is, allowing employees to move RVs from one spot to another in shorter amounts of time.

Looking for a trailer dolly for your business? Contact DJ Products, and we’ll help you find the best solution for moving heavy loads, trailers or vehicles around.

Replace Your Manual Material Handling Equpment with a Motorized Tug

Top-Down View of a Warehouse Worker Using a Motorized Trailer Dolly. — Improve Efficiency with a Motorized Tug

The mantra, “Work smarter, not harder,” certainly applies to warehouses and distribution centers. Excessive manual labor puts a serious strain, literally and figuratively, on your employees, here’s why you should consider replacing your manual material handling equipment with one of our battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers, such as the motorized trailer dolly.

The High Cost of Workplace Injuries

Musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, occur when the physical demands of a task go beyond the body’s capabilities. Injuries can arise from a single incident, or they may be the result of repetitive strain over time.

Each year, workers compensation claims due to MSDs total nearly $33 billion. Add in the indirect costs of reduced productivity, lost time and increased turnover, and it’s easy to see why employee safety should be a priority.

Types of Manual Material Handling Equipment

Retrieval aids include basic transport equipment such as hand trucks and flat platform trolleys. While these devices are an improvement over carrying boxes and materials, they can be easy to overload and difficult to maneuver.
Pallet jacks come in one-handed pull and two-handed push varieties. The former allows limited visibility, while the latter solves that problem but requires increased muscle activity to operate.
Carts incorporate flat surfaces, bins and shelves on which materials are loaded. Height-adjustable carts that minimize the amount of lifting needed are generally preferable.

Benefits of Motorized Tugs for Material Handling

Manual material handling equipment sometimes takes the efforts of two workers to operate efficiently. All of our motorized tugs can be used safely and effectively by a single employee, which particularly comes in handy with our motorized trailer dolly.
All of our equipment is ergonomically designed to prevent chronic stress that can lead to repetitive motion injuries.
Our movers are strong enough to handle tough jobs but compact for easy handling and maneuverability.
Battery power eliminates noxious fumes and noise pollution.

Are You Ready for Our Motorized Trailer Dolly?

DJ Products has a full range of electric tugs, movers and pushers to accommodate any application. Contact us at 800.686.2651 and let our experienced Sales Engineers help you find the solution that’s right for your company.

Video: CarCaddy Increases Safety and Pushes Cars More Efficiently

The battery-powered CarCaddy Car Pusher eliminates the safety hazard of manually pushing vehicles at auto service shops and vehicle dealerships. The unit dramatically increased employee safety while streamlining processes for European Auto Motors. There is no longer a need for three or four employees to push cars by hand; now the job can be done with one person to maneuver the CarCaddy and another inside the vehicle to steer. This car pusher is most commonly used for the following applications:

Vehicle manufacturers: push vehicles short distances down a production line from station to station
Auto service centers: push vehicles in and out of service bay
Car dealerships: maneuver vehicles as inventory changes

If you have questions or would like more information, contact a sales engineer: 800-686-2651.

Video: TrailerCaddy – The Short Distance Trailer Mover Solution

The TrailerCaddy 6K 36V is the perfect trailer mover for Explore RV. The unit can pull any trailer on the lot; from the smallest bumper pull to the largest 5th wheel. It performs well both indoors and outdoors – whether in a showroom or trade show or outside in inclement weather conditions; over snow, sleet or ice.

The most common applications for the TrailerCaddy 6K 36V is moving trailers at RV or camper dealerships, military bases, and vehicle maintenance locations at government repair centers. The battery-powered solution moves large trailers up to 50,000 lbs. and has a 6,000 lb. hydraulic lift kit to lift up king pin, ball or pintle hitch trailer connection

If you have questions or would like more information about our TrailerCaddy solutions, contact a sales engineer: 800-686-2651.