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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing guard rail can be confusing unless you understand clearly what kinds of conditions you are guarding against and what assets you are protecting.

Whether it be asset protection from industrial vehicle usage or fall protection for workers, there is a guard rail that can fit each need. Our new Guard Rail Guide offers you insights on the various options that we offer, as well as handy comparisons of rigid and flexible systems. We also help you understand how guard rail impact ratings are calculated and used, so you have the knowledge to make the right selection for your facility.

Guide to Warehouse Guardrail Systems

As the “greatest supply chain expo on earth,” ProMat is an opportunity to discover the latest manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain solutions to move your business forward. This year, the show featured four keynotes on new ways to drive productivity, in addition to more than 100 show floor seminars on autonomous vehicles and sustainable facility solutions.

Read the rest of this entry »

When working with palletized goods stored at floor level beneath a rack beam in a typical warehouse, there are significant issues for order pickers who execute these tasks daily, including strains and stresses that can lead to major injuries, down time, and worker compensation expenses.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ergonomics should be wired into the design of all the processes of a modern industrial operation. Whether that means designing conveyor workstations with ergonomics in mind, utilizing work benches and stations that are adjustable for “right height” operations, adding turntables to rotate product, finding ways to reduce order pickers’ bending and stretching, or designing storage areas so that bending and stretching are minimized, well-designed operations bake ergonomics into their work processes.

One of the common areas you can attack is hand tool use. In many operations, strong younger workers may not complain about using heavy, hand-held tools for 8+ hours a day, but that stress is taking its tolls.

Read the rest of this entry »

I recently attended a product training class on high volume low speed fans, and a statistic was thrown out to the audience that really got me thinking. A NASA study, Compendium of Human Responses to the Aerospace Environment*, showed that worker productivity falls significantly for every degree over an optimum temperature of about 72 degrees. If the temperature hits 85 degrees in the workplace, productivity drops by 18% and accuracy a walloping 40%.

Read the rest of this entry »

Work on rooftops is dangerous – even for those with long experience. It’s easy to get over-confident, forgetful, and unaware of how close you are to a potential fall. Workers often push the limits to finish up faster, step unexpectedly in the wrong place, or trip and fall into a skylight or roof hatch. In fact, according to OSHA, falls are the #1 cause of fatalities in construction, with nearly 400 deaths in 2014 alone.

What can be done to protect these workers and contractors?

Read the rest of this entry »

Often we think of hazardous chemicals storage in light of EPA and other regulatory requirements – what will I get cited for if I don’t comply? Forget citations – isn’t the real reason the safety of your workers and your facility? Let’s discuss safety measures that don’t require a large effort, but may help prevent significant issues.

Read the rest of this entry »

Most people work less effectively, are less comfortable, and have poorer attitudes in a messy environment. For industrial facility operators, housekeeping can sometimes lag behind with busy days where people hardly have time to look up, much less deal with the clutter and byproducts of meeting shipping deadlines or production demands.

Read the rest of this entry »