Drum Handling Options – Applications Matter
When handling drums safely, you have options available for both workers and machines
Drum Handling Equipment Inquiry
While not every facility moves or uses drums for storage, those that do have a necessity to keep them safe. Whether they contain hazardous material or not, the effort to keep barrels upright and from spilling never ends, because who wants lost product or an unsafe work environment?
To ensure your workers keep drums handled correctly, there are multiple solutions available.
How your drums are transported and stored matters
Drum handling equipment comes in various offerings depending on your needs. Each option ensures safer transit and easier placement, whether powered by a forklift or an employee.
Forklift drum handling requires a robust solution
Drums and barrels come in a variety of sizes, that’s obvious. For those that are heavy and awkward to move around, utilizing forklift power is key. When you need to move your drums via the forklift route, you have choices with just how to carry them:
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- Drum carriers – For the lift and pour procedures, drum carriers are the most effective handling attachment. With clamps that hold a drum securely and the ability to both tilt and rotate (360 degrees), provides a way to grab and pour with ease. Add in an optional remote control (0ver the standard cable version) and workers can maintain a safe distance while pouring.
- Drum handlers – When you’ve got to move heavy drums, but don’t need the pouring option, using a drum handler attachment makes sense. This option grasps and holds the drum securely and effectively via its jaw-like gripper. The key here is the availability of capacity choices with the handler. Drum handlers come in a selection of 1 or 2 drum capacities so you can increase productivity and efficiency optimally. They are also available with 1 grabber head or 2 grabber heads.
- Drum rackers – In horizontal storage applications, a drum racker is a great option. The carriage-mounted racker aids in safety when inserting or removing horizontally stored drums in racking. Even lift vertical drums and rotate them to a horizontal position for placement in the rack.
Read more: Forklift accessory options
Manual drum handling shouldn’t skimp on the efficiency
When your cargo isn’t as bulky or heavy, and doesn’t require a forklift, that doesn’t mean you want just anything to move it around. On the contrary, you want to make sure your workers are using equipment that’s just as ergonomic and efficient!
Just as there are forklift options available, so it is with human-powered drum handling. Just as with powered versions, the operating procedure is key in helping your decision on which equipment to use.
Do you need to just carry a drum from one area of the facility to another? Then using a standard drum truck or dolly will most likely work. Both offer safe transport for single drums, blending efficient movement (using 2, 3 or 4 wheels depending on the option) with secure transport and handling.
For movement that includes pouring, you’ll want to use a drum carrier. This option offers a seamless solution for the hassle-free transportation and pouring of 55-gallon drums. Their unique design allows for effortless manual rotation, providing a full 360-degree range of motion for efficient mixing without the need to open the container. Additionally, these carriers feature a versatile locking mechanism that can secure the drum in both an upright storage position and a pouring configuration.
Whether looking for a drum handling attachment, or single-use options for workers to move, you’ve got safe and sturdy options. Each is designed to make drum movements easier, and safer and protect those doing the moving.
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At Cisco-Eagle, we pride ourselves on being a single source for your material handling needs with a long history of performance you can rely on. Because we also believe in empowering our customers with detailed information and options, we’re proud to offer the latest version of our company catalog.
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Evan Fleishacker is a Marketing Strategist at Cisco-Eagle. You can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/evanf