safety Archives - DJ Products

Your Flatbed Cart Is Costing You More Than You Think

If you’ve spent time on a warehouse floor or in a production facility, you’ve seen it: a worker leaning hard into a heavy cart, shoulders twisted, fighting to steer it around a corner. Maybe you’ve heard the complaints about sore backs, tired arms, or near-misses in tight corridors.

This isn’t just a comfort issue. It’s a productivity problem, a safety liability, and in many cases, the root cause of costly workers’ comp claims and equipment damage.

At DJ Products, we’ve spent decades building powered material handling equipment for exactly these situations. Our latest solution, the Flatbed Chaindrive Remote Steer, was designed specifically for operations that need to move heavy loads through confined spaces, without putting workers’ bodies at risk.

The Real Cost of Manual Material Handling

It’s easy to underestimate what manual maneuvering actually costs your operation. Beyond the obvious ergonomic risks, there are slower cycle times, fatigued workers making poor decisions, and the constant risk of damaging loads, equipment, or infrastructure.

When the loads get heavy, the problem multiplies. Moving anything over a few thousand pounds by hand, even on a wheeled cart, demands significant physical force. Steering a flat cart loaded with machinery or materials through a production line, loading dock, or narrow aisle is a two-person job at minimum. And even then, control is limited.

These are exactly the conditions the Flatbed Chaindrive Remote Steer was built for.

What the Flatbed Chaindrive Remote Steer Actually Does

The unit is a powered, remotely steered flatbed transport platform. Material is loaded on top of the flat deck, the worker picks up the wireless remote transmitter, and drives the load where it needs to go. No pushing, no pulling, no strain.

The standard configuration handles loads up to 5,000 lbs. For operations dealing with heavier equipment, the optional 3HP 36VDC drive system scales capacity up to 10,000 lbs. Either way, the operator stays in control at all times, walking beside the unit and steering it with precision.

Key specs at a glance:

Load capacity: 5,000 lbs standard (10,000 lbs with upgraded drive)
Speed: 0-2 mph forward and reverse
Power system: 36VDC electric, three 12V batteries
Drive: 1HP continuous (6HP peak), chain-driven to front tires
Dimensions: 78.75″ L x 40.5″ W x 15″ H
Machine weight: 1,054 lbs with batteries
Controls: Handheld wireless remote or optional belly box transmitter
Charging: 4.5A onboard charger (15A 3-bank upgrade available)
Battery run time: Approximately 8 hours per full charge (2-3 hours at max load)

Designed with Safety at the Center

One of the most common questions we get is about what happens when something goes wrong. The Flatbed Chaindrive Remote Steer is built with a dedicated Emergency-Stop switch on the remote transmitter. Press the red button, and the machine comes to a controlled stop immediately. The motor brake is applied, and the unit won’t move again until the E-Stop is manually released and power is cycled.The system also features a key-switch power control, a main circuit breaker for motor overload protection, and an accessory circuit breaker for the control circuit. An onboard voltmeter lets operators check battery state at a glance before a shift starts.

Optional features include a strobe safety light and an audible horn, both designed to alert nearby workers whenever the unit is in motion.

Who This Unit Is Built For

The Flatbed Chaindrive Remote Steer works best in environments where you have heavy, evenly distributed loads that need to move through spaces that don’t accommodate a forklift. Think:

Manufacturing facilities moving large assemblies between workstations
Palletized freight repositioning in distribution centers
Heavy equipment transport for maintenance shops and service bays
Healthcare and institutional settings managing large wheeled loads
Any operation where operator fatigue or injury risk is a known concern

The Invert Drive Function: A Detail Worth Knowing

One small but genuinely useful feature is the Invert Drive function. If the operator is positioned on the opposite side of the unit from where steering typically originates, they can hold the Invert Drive button for three seconds to flip the drive direction. This makes it much easier to navigate the unit in and out of tight spaces without repositioning yourself.

Starting the Conversation

Every facility is different. Load weights, aisle widths, surface conditions, shift lengths, and workforce considerations all affect what the right unit looks like for a given application.That’s why we don’t just sell equipment. We talk through the details with you first. The DJ Products sales team has seen hundreds of different applications and can help identify whether the standard configuration covers your needs, or whether an upgraded drive system, alternate battery setup, or custom bed configuration makes more sense.

Ready to see what the Flatbed Chaindrive Remote Steer can do for your operation? Call us at 800-686-2651or request a demo.

Got to Move a Heavy Dumpster – Use Our Safe Lifting and Pushing Tips

If you need your employees to move a dumpster, there’s always a risk of injury. Without a dumpster pusher, it’s important to understand how to safely maneuver the dumpster without causing any physical strains or injuries.

To help, we would like to share some safe lifting tips with you. Here are some guidelines in the event that you aren’t sure how to keep yourself or your employees protected during heavy moves.

DJ Products Offers These Safe Lifting Tips

Preventing injury is often easy once you know the proper techniques. If you don’t have a dumpster pusher in house, you should focus on these safe lifting tips:

Take a moment to think about the move before you start.
Try to keep the weight as close to your waist as possible.
Find a stable position to stand before attempting the lift.
Make sure you have a tight hold on the load.
Lift with your legs. Avoid lifting with your back.
Don’t twist your body when you lift.
Look ahead and keep moving smoothly.
Don’t lift more than you can handle.
Put the load down and then make any necessary adjustments.

The Benefits of a Dumpster Pusher

A dumpster pusher offers your business so many great benefits. It can significantly cut down on the manpower it takes to move a dumpster. Also, you may find that the number of injuries your business reports each year will show a marked decrease. For some employers, after reviewing their workers comp claims, they discovered that a high number of injuries were due to moving dumpsters.

We’d love to know how we can help you. Contact us!

Dumpster or Compactor – 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.

Bending, Pushing, Pulling, the Costs of Doing It Wrong May Ring Up a Steep Bill

Overexertion from lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying or throwing objects in the workplace ranks as the number one cause of disabling injury, according to the 2016 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index. This type of injury cost employers more than $15.08 billion in direct costs. That is approximately 25 percent of the total direct cost burden relating to workplace injuries for U.S. companies .

Use smart lifting and moving methods

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than 36 percent of injuries that required missed workdays were shoulder and back injuries caused by overexertion and cumulative trauma from lifting heavy objects on a regular basis in the course of work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says employees can greatly reduce their likelihood of suffering from spinal injuries, pulled muscles, and back sprains by using smart lifting practices and utilizing mechanical methods like material handling tugs when moving heavy loads or objects.

When product or equipment must be lifted manually, employees should place the object in the “power zone” area of the body, which is mid-thigh to mid-chest. They should keep their spine straight whenever possible and bend with their knees instead of their waist. Mechanical lifts and material handling tugs should be used for anything weight more than 50 pounds. The work floor should be designed and laid out in such a way to allow clear passage of forklifts and other equipment essential to safely moving heavy loads.

Improve efficiency for your business and reduce the risk of overexertion injuries to your valuable team members by contacting one of our courteous and knowledgeable sales professionals at DJ Products.

Making Maintenance Easier in Hotels and Apartment Complexes

Working as a porter or on the maintenance crew in a hotel or apartment complex can be an excellent job with good pay that never gets boring. Depending upon the environment that you work in, your duties may include everything from snow removal in the Winter and landscaping in the Summer to plumbing, electrical and general contracting. In this line of work there is never a dull moment, but there can be some very stressful and laborious moments if you don’t have the proper equipment on hand to deal with one particularly messy job – trash removal.

Manual trash container removal, especially in complexes that have a large number of apartments, can be a very difficult process. When a wheeled dumpster gets loaded to the brim or contains some bulky items from tenants who are moving out or redecorating can get exceedingly heavy and potentially dangerous to move manually – this can put porters and maintenance crew members at great risk for injury.

In order to make maintenance crew members safer while performing this less than favorable part of their job as well as more efficient, it helps to have a motorized dumpster mover or waste container puller. The trash container movers from DJ Products allow one employee to quickly safely and effectively pull the trash container from even tight quarters and get it stationed where it needs to be for pick up.

Even a completely empty dumpster is heavy enough to pose a risk if employees are attempting to manually move it on their own. With a dumpster mover or trash container puller from DJ Products you can ensure the safety of your maintenance crew and make this task go from the least desirable on the list to one that everyone will volunteer to perform.

Eliminating the Overexertion of Trash Removal

Full dumpsters and trash containers need to be stationed at the right place and at the right time in order to be picked up. This is critical for apartments, condos and retail establishments that accumulate trash quickly because missing a pick up could potentially create a build up of waste and unsanitary conditions. For this reason, employees are often asked to do whatever it takes to get the waste container to its destination, which could potentially compromise safety and put employees and property at risk.

The process of getting the heavy waste container, which may weigh in at a few thousand pounds or more, to its destination could involve employees having to push or pull the dumpster over several hundred feet over rough or hilly terrain. This can be a very dangerous undertaking for one, two or even three employees regardless of the weather, but the high temperatures of the Summer or the ice and snow of the Winter can greatly increase the chance of overexertion and injury.

The battery powered WasteCaddy from DJ Products lets a single employee safely maneuver a fully loaded trash container over any distance and any type of terrain with no worries at all. The very reliable and ergonomically designed waste container mover makes this job that usually requires multiple employees an easy task for just one employee.

Using properly designed equipment to maneuver heavy dumpsters and recycling bins drastically reduces the chances of injuries, while at the same time increasing productivity by allowing the job to be completed by one employee instead of two or three. The job gets done faster, easier and with less of a chance of injury or property damage and this is an optimal situation for both management and the employees.

Material Handling Solutions for Big Box Stores

With the current state of the economy, everyone is trying to do whatever they can in order to save some money. That has many consumers buying in bulk at big box/outlet stores in an effort to spread their money out just a little bit more.

Outlet stores operate like a cross between a warehouse and a retail establishment, which poses some differences and potential problems with actually getting the material from receiving to the sales floor where customers have the opportunity to purchase.

It’s absolutely crucial for these types of environments to have safe and reliable equipment in order to meet the customer’s needs. The employees need to be able to move large quantities of product literally among the customer base during business hours, so safety is a huge concern. No outlet store can operate successfully with loud and difficult to operate equipment – all material handling equipment needs to be easy to operate and not overly disruptive to the consumer experience.

Once the safety of the employees and customers has been taken care of, reliability is the second biggest concern. Even the slightest failure of material handling equipment in a big outlet store could spell disaster as much of the material moves directly from receiving to the sales floor in bulk loads. If the equipment is not functioning for even a short period of time, there could be dozens and dozens of lost sales and potentially lost customers.

Properly trained, reliable employees and reliable equipment are two of the biggest keys to the success of big box and outlet stores. Reliable equipment ensures that the material hits the sales floor in a timely manner and is available for sale when the customers are looking for it.

Products to Help Your Business Go Forklift-Free

There’s a growing trend, particularly in manufacturing, warehousing and logistics environments to go forklift-free (see our June 11 & 13 posts). An increasing number of businesses are choosing to replace forklift trucks with safer, ergonomic material handling products that are cheaper to own and operate. As we noted, going forklift-free can result in considerable savings in production and maintenance costs while significantly decreasing worker accidents and injuries and their associated medical, insurance, workman’s compensation and lost man-hour expenses. DJ Products can help your business transition to a safer forklift-free work environment.

At DJ Products we manufacture a full line of electric cart pullers and motorized cart pushers and tugs. Our products are ergonomically designed to eliminate the pain and strain of manually pushing and pulling heavy carts and wheeled equipment. Smaller and more maneuverable than traditional equipment like forklift trucks, walkies and riding tugs, you’ll also find our products to be less costly to purchase and maintain. Implementing forklift-free solutions with DJ Products equipment offers multiple benefits, including:

Decreased operating costs, particularly equipment purchase and maintenance costs,
Decreased floor space needed to maneuver equipment,
Decreased worker injuries and attendant medical, insurance, workman’s compensation and lost man-hour costs,
Decreased liability,
Increased plant safety,
Increased worker morale, and
Increased efficiency and productivity.

DJ Products can help you plan your transition to a forklift-free environment. We specialize in solving ergonomic material handling applications with battery-powered, walk-behind tug and tugger solutions. Many of our motorized cart products can be custom configured for adaptation to almost every heavy cart pushing or pulling application. Click here to request a free brochure or video about DJ Products’ ergonomic solutions. We also offer a free demo trial program so you can try out a CartCaddy cart pusher at your facility before purchase. Our expert Sales Engineers can discuss the details of your particular application and suggest ergonomic products that will provide the appropriate solution. Click here to contact a DJ Products Sales Engineer and begin your transition to a safe, cost effective, forklift-free work environment today.

Freight Solutions for Small and Medium Sized Warehouses

A forklift is a great asset for moving palletized freight or heavy loads from point a to point b in your facility, but not every plant or warehouse that handles heavy loads has the storage capacity or room to maneuver for a forklift to be a viable option. In many of these establishments, employees are manually handling these heavy loads and workers are risking injury every single day in order to perform their job.

You don’t need extra wide aisles in order to operate a powered machine that can move heavy equipment or loads from one end of your warehouse to the other; you can get the same power delivered by a full sized fork truck in the smaller and easier to maneuver CartCaddy4SC powered hand truck from DJ Products.

The CartCaddy4SC allows workers to quickly, safely and easily handle loads up 4,500 pounds in situations where a full sized forklift would be too big a piece of equipment. The CartCaddy4SC can also be an incredible compliment to a full sized forklift in high volume warehouses that require multiple large loads to be handled at the same time but that don’t have the budget, need or space to merit having two forklifts on site.

Just like all of the material handling equipment from DJ Products, this powered hand truck is built with both functionality and safety in mind. This piece of equipment is easy to use, quiet, ergonomically designed and can run for a full eight hour shift with regular use on a single charge.

Your business can operate much more smoothly and safely with the proper equipment for the job and if you need heavy loads moved in tight quarters or need to safely get heavy equipment or stock from one place to another while your forklift is in use elsewhere – your business could certainly benefit from having a powered hand truck on site.

Weighing the Options

Functional equipment operated by quality employees is pretty much the lifeblood of the material handling industry. Unfortunately, with the state of the economy over the course of the last couple years, many warehouses and distribution centers are operating with outdated and broken down equipment that is hampering their employee’s productivity and putting them at risk of injury. Some owners feel that equipment upgrades simply aren’t in the budget, but at the same time they constantly have to pay for costly repairs on the machines that they are using and losing time and money when equipment is down. If all of the repairs and lost income from delays over the course of a year were tallied, odds are that the sum would far outweigh the cost of an equipment upgrade.

Upgrading outdated material handling equipment in favor of the safer, more reliable and more efficient powered carts from DJ Products will have many benefits, both immediate and long term, which will far outweigh the initial one time investment of the purchase.

The material handling equipment from DJ Products is ergonomically designed to be among the safest equipment that your employees can use, this helps to ensure that your employees avoid many of the injuries often associated with manual material handling. You’ll also get unparalleled reliability, with carts that can operate strong for an entire shift on a single charge with no worries at all about failure.

Healthy employees and reliable equipment will dramatically increase your operational productivity, this will allow you do satisfy more customers and do so in a quicker fashion. Equipment that can help to keep your employees healthy and allow you to fulfill customer orders more quickly will pay for itself in no time, regardless of the cost of the initial investment.