2017 | Warehousing Insights | Material Handling Systems
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How to Prepare Your Warehouse for a Client Tour

December 13, 2017

warehouse ready for tour

When a prospective client wants to visit your 3PL facility, it’s critical; you could be on the verge of new business.

You want to show them why they should select you as their 3PL of choice; that you’re the best choice; that you can be trusted to help them serve their clients. It’s no easy task running a successful warehouse or third party logistics company – it’s a multi-faceted organization with its own specific attributes and specialties.

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Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|

How Can You Go Forklift-Free?

December 12, 2017

forklift in a distribution center picking aisle

The forklift is ubiquitous in warehousing, manufacturing, distribution and other industrial operations, but many companies are actively working to reduce fleet size—or eliminate forklifts entirely.

Why eliminate forklifts?

This seems to be mostly about safety. Powered industrial trucks ranked sixth for OSHA violations in the most recent data. They’re always near the top. They cause about 100 deaths in the United States every year, and tens of thousands of injuries, with a high percentage termed “serious.” Forklifts are often the single most hazardous machine in any facility that operates them. Can you truly make a warehouse forklift free, as many EHS experts recommend? Maybe not, but you can minimize forklifts and keep them out of the most dangerous areas. Let’s dive into some methods.

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Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|

How to Use Conveyors to Increase Warehouse Ergonomics

December 7, 2017

conveyor ergonomics in a warehouse distribution operation

Conveyors are ergonomic equipment by nature. They reduce manual lifting, pushing, pulling and stretching by delivering product to workers and reducing the stress of carrying or pushing it manually. Whether in a large integrated system or a spur of gravity, conveyors are great for reducing the number of people who engage in potentially dangerous activities that could cause musculoskeletal issues. Let’s dive into ways to be sure your conveyors are contributing to an ergonomic operation.

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

Improving Ergonomics in the Warehouse

November 28, 2017

gravity roller conveyor

With the rising costs of workers’ compensation insurance and global pressures to increase productivity, warehouse and distribution center managers are taking a much closer look at improving ergonomics. With as many as 65% of worker’s compensation claims associated with manual materials handling, insurance companies are raising their rates—or mandating ergonomic improvements for continued coverage.

Equipment suppliers are responding to the need, engineering and designing features into their products to help workers minimize the strains associated with lifting, reaching, twisting, pulling and pushing. These new product features can also help address the demand for increased productivity as well.

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Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|

Download our Guide to Conveyors & Conveyor Systems

November 14, 2017

Conveyor systems guide book from Cisco-Eagle

Check out the exclusive Cisco-Eagle Guide to Conveyors, which features helpful articles, tips and links to extensive conveyor resources. It’s a quick, free PDF download.

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

OSHA Safety Standards for Mezzanines & Platforms

November 9, 2017

mezzanine handrailing in a warehouse

We help clients with structural mezzanines and rack supported systems in a range of facilities.

Mezzanine options range from professionally manufactured to home-made to local fabrication shop to professional contractors. If you have a mezzanine or storage platform custom fabricated, you need to be sure your contractor is complying with OSHA & local safety regulations, particularly on guard railing, stairs and gates. If your fabricator doesn’t routinely work with mezzanines, this is something you’ll have to do on your own. The best policy is to look at established vendors if you don’t want to micro-manage the details of building permits, code compliance, and OSHA’s blessings. Here’s a breakdown of the handrail issues you might run into:

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Posted in Mezzanines & Industrial Platforms|

How to Keep Workers Safe at any Height

November 7, 2017

maintenance worker at a factory, working at height

Working at height continues to rank high on the list every year when it comes to OSHA statistics, potential causes of major injuries and even fatalities.

Research shows that far too many people end up injured or worse because of their work on ladders, rooftops or other spots above the ground. As a result, it is extremely important for EHS leaders to be aware of the potential hazards their personnel face when working at heights, as well as the best ways to keep employees safe on the job.

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Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|

Download Cisco-Eagle’s Guide to Mezzanines

November 2, 2017

Mezzanine Guide

You’re already paying rent, taxes and for utilities of the space in your facility. Even if nearby space is available and suitable, using a work platform to expand makes sense because all these costs are wired in—and don’t typically rise with a mezzanine installation. Use platforms and mezzanines to leverage your existing space for offices, production equipment, storage areas, manufacturing process, product/conveyor sorting and much more. It’s a fraction of the cost of new construction and delivers long term value. Mezzanines also offer significant tax depreciation advantages.

Guide to Mezzanines and Platforms

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Posted in Mezzanines & Industrial Platforms|

The Top Causes of Inventory Inaccuracy

October 31, 2017

Stock counting in a warehouse

Inventory issues cut to the core of any warehousing or order fulfillment operation. When your processes are set up right, you’ll have more accurate inventory. Experts estimate that every .5% of inventory inaccuracy costs the equivalent of a full time employee in these various types of waste. The time it takes to track down, repair, correct, and re-do may make this a low estimate, depending on the situation.

What are some of the root causes of inaccurate inventory?

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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

Flow Storage and Inventory Slotting

October 26, 2017

carton flow loads in a distribution center

What’s the optimal storage concept for your operation?

The ideal storage equipment for a given product can vary based on load, picking method, throughput, shipping issues and many other factors. Usually it involves a blend of shelving, racks, cabinets, and other means of organizing product in a given footprint. One of the questions that comes to mind is the line where a product or group of them is best slotted into shelving and bins, or if that product is best suited for carton flow solutions. Let’s examine the factors.

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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

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