Automation in the warehouse or manufacturing facility continues its momentum. In many locations, workers and robots of various forms co-existing are now the new normal. Operations want to increase throughput (as always) but are now in an hard battle for people….one that isn’t ending anytime soon. Systems are being installed to reduce time and increase productivity are becoming common for operations of most every size.
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Fall protection has such a stranglehold on OSHA’s yearly top 10 safety violation lists that any method to keep your workers safe at height must be a top priority.
Adding certain fall protection equipment, such as a tie-off system, provides life-saving protection for your employees. Combined with proper education and training, these systems can reduce worker falls during dangerous conditions at any height. One aspect to consider when implementing such a system is how you want to mount your fall protection. There are multiple options to do so, and each offers benefits. Which you choose depends on your working environment and needs.
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
As a long-term investment, pallet racks tend to “go the distance”; you can count on them to retain their strength and integrity for years.
Even so, replacing your pallet rack might be a matter of damage (over time or suddenly) or from other reasons such as age or changes in your storage operation. Let’s review the reasons you might want to partially or fully replace your rack.
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
Automated Guided Vehicles are no longer an anomaly when it comes to adding productivity and efficiency to operations. As robotics of many varieties infiltrate facilities and work alongside human counterparts, adoption is becoming commonplace.
With AGVs comes new considerations within your warehouse. Daily interactions lead to new precautions to protect workers and your new equipment from damage. One area that must be addressed is your floors and aisles, for they will see a new age of comings and goings.
Tags: Safety & Ergonomics, Robotics, AGV's
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
In this installment of Cisco-Eagle’s Shoptalk series, Jeremy reviews how to resolve pallet flow jams.
Tags: Shoptalk
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
Most industrial facilities utilize barriers to protect pedestrians, inventory, structure and equipment. When you walk around you will see these (mostly) yellow barriers installed in highly-trafficked or other zones where forklift impacts are possible. It’s a matter of safety. OSHA forklift and powered industrial truck regulations lack specific guidelines when it comes to barriers, but there are best practices to consider.
The options depend on your specific operating environment. Finding the right system (or set of systems) is important, so it’s a matter of this: what do you need your barriers to do?
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
Mezzanines offer an affordable way to increase the vertical cube of your facility. This expansion can fuel growth and reduce the need for additional locations (especially in this new normal of sky-high commercial real estate).
When looking at a mezzanine install, or even when operating with an existing version, worker safety is paramount. One safety aspect to pay careful attention to is the risk of falling items from your mezzanine. To help reduce these risks, there are multiple methods of protection available, but which one is the best fit for your mezzanine?
Tags: Safety & Ergonomics, Space Optimization
Posted in Mezzanines & Industrial Platforms|
With New Year’s Eve just now becoming a (possibly blurry) memory, beer providers are preparing not only for the next celebration but for the continued increase in consumption. With Covid-19 and its variants providing steady uncertainty, alcohol buyers are making sure their supply is stocked and that they have access.
To combat the demand and current supply chain woes, those that store and distribute beer, in particular, are faced with storage and accessibility challenges. You want to keep the flow (pun intended) moving so that sales are made and product is shipped on time, but what are some ways to help ensure this happens?
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
Above:Â Aluminum guard shack at facility entrance
Security considerations for any facility are a neverending search. In this day and age, you want to make sure your employees feel comfortable and safe from potential harm so that they can work without fear. One aspect of security that seems to only increase over time is the notion of access, and how much you want to allow for your operations. Especially in the new normal of Covid-19, access is now pushed to the forefront of a manager’s thinking concerning security.
One overlooked area in controlling access to your building is by way of a guard booth or shack. Sure, it can seem an afterthought, or possibly an expense not worth undertaking…..but to truly limit the access your facility gets, adding a guard shack is putting a secure solution on the frontlines of your operations, while also adding an engaging first impression to customers.
Posted in Security|
As new technologies emerge to help keep forklifts safer around pedestrians and each other, finding new ways to utilize your fleet of forklifts is more important than ever. Since supply chains are tight, more efficiency and safety should matter more than ever. Forklift accessories provide that aid in daily processes can offer that extra help without new lift trucks.
But what kind of accessories are out there?
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
