Years ago, direct-to-customer fulfillment was a niche business, dominated by catalog companies. Most distribution was mostly retail-oriented, with pallets of items shipping to store locations rather than to millions of front porches. Sometimes, retail brands would allow customers to order at stores and have their purchases shipped directly to their homes, but it wasn’t nearly as common. Today, speed from placement to shipment has become critical. Let’s dive into some ways you can improve this crucial warehouse metric.

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In the first installment of Cisco-Eagle’s new video series, Shoptalk, Taylor reviews how to measure Steel King Steel Guard rail for a perfect fit into your space.

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In many warehouses, the floor level of a rack aisle is used for pallet storage. Those slots are frequently designated for manual each or carton picks. These loads can be most anything, up to heavy dies, compressors, parts or bulk item containers.

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You try to run away as fast as you can, aware of the scary apparition chasing you with each breath. You turn to look back, and stumble onto the ground. Paralyzed with fear, you watch as the shape moves closer and closer. Suddenly up close, you can see that there was no way you could escape, as safety issues could not be stopped.

Blumhouse horror movie? Not really. Warehouses can be dangerous places to work in. It is important to understand common warehouse dangers and hazards because they can cause injuries and in extreme cases death, haunting your warehouse for years to come. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an average of 16 fatalities every year in the US warehousing and storage sector and a reported injury and illness rate of 5 out of every 100 warehouse and storage workers. With these ghastly statistics in mind, we review some of the most common warehouse safety bogeymen and offer tips and resources to help you avoid their terror.

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When it comes to protecting pedestrians from forklift accidents, focus on processes—the ways you segment, train, manage and work on a daily basis. Preventable accidents happen when a process is absent. When it comes to forklifts and pedestrians, accidents are far too common and frequently serious.

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A manager’s job is never done. There is always a cause to undertake or situation to help control. I should know, I was a warehouse manager for a day.

Why was my tenure so short? Well, it was because my “job” consisted of directing some employees with whom I shared a unique bond….my children. We were working in General Mills Lift, Load & Haul distribution center at the Scott Family Amazeum, which provided a fantastic showcase for them to see just what efforts and machinations go into getting each and every package out to its destination.

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If you run a warehouse or distribution facility today, it’s likely that you are busy — really busy — and scrambling for time. E-commerce has changed the game, as customers demand more, faster, better. Managing a warehouse has always been a battle for time and the pressure never seems to subside. When we talk to warehouse managers and operators, here are some of the issues they face on a daily basis.

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If you run a distribution center, factory or warehouse, it’s not news to you that labor is in tight supply. Demands is up, and workers — particularly skilled, motivated, productive ones — have more options than ever. E-commerce has transformed the business, with constantly-escalating demand for pickers, packers, assembly workers, drivers and warehouse labor. With national unemployment rates below 4%, many other industries are competing with you for the same labor pool. What can you do to cope with these issues?

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One of the best things about warehouse automation the way it helps your labor force become more flexible.

With the right automation strategy, you can add new people without long training curves. This allows you to expand, hire temporary workers as needed and juggle shifts. When it comes to safety, though, there are behaviors you must account for, no matter how much conveyor or how many robots are at work to simplify the work. Let’s break down the ways you can work to keep people safe near conveyors.

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Fall protection dominated OSHA’s top 10 list for safety violations. Again.

Worker safety when above ground is an area that every business, from manufacturing to e-commerce, takes careful consideration to address. And with good cause. According to the National Safety Council, fall injuries contribute to a large percentage of workers’ compensation and medical costs for companies from all types of industries. This cost has been approximated at 70 billion dollars annually in the United States alone. You want to provide your employees with the best in fall protection equipment, but what should you look for to create that safe environment?

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