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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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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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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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced the 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2017. While none of the items on the list were especially surprising, all types of violations should give you cause to stop and think about how well you’ve done with safety in those areas.

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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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For years, WERC (the warehousing education and research council) has offered a warehousing certification process that’s in-depth, rigorous and detailed. Busy logistics and warehouse managers might ask, “why would I take the time?” That’s a good question. Here are some answers.

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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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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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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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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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