With the massive worker compensation costs related to musculoskeletal disorders, finding ways to reduce the risks is imperative. In May, we discussed the impact of work positioning. This time, the focus on the effects of extreme movements and how to counteract the risks.

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It’s common sense: if you deal with a business owner, you get better service

People with a stake tend to be more proactive than people who just work at a company. And while there are plenty of dedicated, service-oriented employees at companies that aren’t employee-owned, owners are more productive according to academic studies.

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A few years ago, I looked out a Chicago hotel room window at the sub-roof of a skyscraper hotel. A long run of pipes and air ducts cut the roof in half, so that anyone who needed to work on it would have to walk a long way around or climb over. Since there were obvious points of maintenance and other equipment on both sides of the obstructions, I’m guessing that maintenance workers were doing exactly that. They needed a crossover, and a roof top isn’t the easiest place to install one, particularly post-construction.

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Above: flow storage installed on pallet rack beams in a distribution center

To increase warehouse productivity, reducing the time it takes for people to execute a task is always going to pay off. One way to do that is to concentrate on picking areas so that people are able to get what they need faster and more efficiently. A common gravity flow application is to mount shelves of flow storage on pallet rack so you can mix & match gravity flow and bulk pallet storage in the same structure for both existing and new rack systems.

Whether you’re adding flow storage to an existing rack system or building it from new, this guide should help you get started.

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Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a common reported source of missed or restricted work in America. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, WMSDs account for over 33% of all worker compensation costs.

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Above: a distribution center pallet flow application enforces FIFO picking protocol

In the age of eCommerce, fast shipping and obsolescence, first-in/first-out (FIFO) storage strategies are critical tools. Some products fit the mold (food, perishables, some electronics, medicines and many other retail goods), while other types of inventory are more about storage density and efficiency. The question is, what type of storage strategy works best for you? And what types of storage systems should you use?

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During the Covid-19 crisis, many office workers are sheltering in place. They’re working through conference calls, web meetings and mobile technology. They are also ordering groceries and other staples and having it delivered to their doors to help prevent the spread of the virus. They’re hitting retail stores. All of this is helping reduce future cases of the virus.

It’s also straining the retail and eCommerce supply chains, and someone has to fill those orders: The warehouse worker.

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Rebekka Carr has been named Cisco-Eagle’s ESOP Employee-Owner of the Year for 2019-2020, an annual award presented by Cisco-Eagle’s ESOP (employee ownership) Advisory Committee. The employee-owner of the year is awarded by a committee of peers, based on nominations from all Cisco-Eagle employee-owners. This is a critical part of the award: employees–not management–determine the winner.

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We don’t know what the next month holds, much less the rest of 2020 and beyond when it comes to Covid-19, but we know changes are coming. However, several things are known in the current situation.

1. The supply chain must function. Food and medical chains are the priority, but all types of other products must still reach Americans.
2. This work can’t be done remotely. People must staff warehouses and factories.
3. Like other facilities, the warehouse requires social distance to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and make their workers safe.
4. The supply chain must be safe for its workers and its consumers.

We’ve put together some ideas that may help you as the situation evolves.

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How can you turn part of your rack into a different type of storage? What kinds of safety equipment can you install to prevent damage, maintain flue space or eliminate falling items? Let’s take a look at some options.

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