{"id":10924,"date":"2017-11-28T09:00:39","date_gmt":"2017-11-28T15:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/?p=10924"},"modified":"2026-02-12T10:14:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:14:04","slug":"improving-ergonomics-in-the-warehouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/28\/improving-ergonomics-in-the-warehouse\/","title":{"rendered":"Improving Ergonomics in the Warehouse"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_18597\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18597\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18597\" src=\"https:\/\/images.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Lifting-Boxes-Rack.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Lifting-Boxes-Rack.jpg 650w, https:\/\/images.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Lifting-Boxes-Rack-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-18597\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p>With the rising costs of workers\u2019 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\u2019s compensation claims associated with manual materials handling, insurance companies are raising their rates\u2014or mandating ergonomic improvements for continued coverage.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<aside class=\"tldr-summary\" style=\"padding: 10px 20px 15px 25px; margin-bottom: 50px; border-radius: 15px; border: 2px solid #e4dddd; margin: 4px 10px 4px 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 8px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2), 0 6px 20px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.19);\" data-type=\"summary\">\n<h4>TL;DR \u2013 Enhancing warehouse productivity through ergonomics<\/h4>\n<p>Improving warehouse ergonomics is a critical strategy for reducing the 65% of workers&#8217; compensation claims linked to manual material handling.<\/p>\n<p>Key focus areas include using lift tables to keep loads within the &#8220;ideal zone&#8221; of 30\u201340 inches from the floor, implementing ergonomic forklift features such as high-visibility masts and vibration-reducing seats, and designing conveyor workstations that deliver products directly to the worker without requiring stretching or twisting. These enhancements not only lower insurance costs but also drive significant gains in operational efficiency.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n  \"headline\": \"Warehouse Ergonomics and How to Improve Them\",\n  \"name\": \"Warehouse Ergonomics and How to Improve Them\",\n  \"description\": \"Warehouse ergonomics is essential for reducing workers' compensation claims and increasing productivity. Effective improvements include utilizing lift tables to maintain ideal handling heights, enhancing forklift operator comfort and visibility, and optimizing conveyor systems to minimize repetitive stretching and twisting during order fulfillment.\",\n  \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/28\/improving-ergonomics-in-the-warehouse\",\n  \"datePublished\": \"2017-11-28\",\n  \"author\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Person\",\n    \"name\": \"Evan Fleishacker\"\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Ergonomics matter for every facility<\/h3>\n<h4>Lift tables optimize access to loads, items<\/h4>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: right; width: 100%; max-width: 300px; height: auto; margin-left: 10px;\" src=\"\/\/static.cisco-eagle.com\/images\/Presto-Lifts\/Category-Medium\/658.jpg\" alt=\"workers with sheet metal load on lift table\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One way to minimize worker fatigue and ease back strain while lifting is to keep the material being handled at a height between 30 inches (the average distance of a person\u2019s knuckles to the floor) and 40 inches (the average distance of a person\u2019s hands to the floor when the elbows are bent). When it comes to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/vector\/1784\/dallas-lift-tables-scissor-lifts\"> lift tables<\/a>, they\u2019re often used to load pallets because they position the pallet off the floor and keep the cartons being loaded or unloaded within the ideal 30 to 40 inches.<\/p>\n<p>A variety of tables can do things like rotate a load, automatically adjust its height, tilt a bin of parts and present product at the correct position for workers, and make pallet loading and unloading much less stressful and difficult.<\/p>\n<h4>Forklift features for comfort, ease of operation<\/h4>\n<p>The ergonomic features and enhancements offered in stand-up and sit-down <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/category\/255\/carts-trucks-vehicles\">lift trucks<\/a> start at the point of entry. Once in the vehicle, there\u2019s an increased emphasis on using mast designs that enhance visibility of the load and its destination, particularly at heights up to 500 inches. High visibility also extends to the latest displays, as screens are becoming easier to read, with larger numbers and messages that explain an issue, rather than a code that has to be looked up in a manual.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically within stand-up models, where an operator can often spend a full day upright, features for postural relief include hip padding, leaning perches, and large active floorboard areas that allow operators to move\/shift their feet. Vibration reduction is also critical on sit-down vehicles, which can be outfitted with special suspension seats and armrests that adjust in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n<h4>Technology at workstations minimize repetitive motion strains<\/h4>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%; float: right; max-width: 200px; height: auto; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/images.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/double-wide-work-enches.jpg\" alt=\"gravity roller conveyor\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/category\/241\/workbenches-stations\">Workstations<\/a>, particularly those used for packing products prior to shipment to individuals, can provide a large range of ergonomic enhancements.<\/p>\n<p>Customization is king. To that end, a number of workstation solutions integrate the supplies and equipment right at a workstation\u2014such as protective packaging, printers, scanners, scales and computer components\u2014to maximize work space and provide the packer with easy access to these items. \u00a0With the rise of omnichannel retailing, more retail stores are adding one or more packaging workstations to their back room areas.<\/p>\n<p>Looking forward, expect to see more manufacturers and distributors implement collaborative robotics solutions to further improve worker ergonomics, letting the robots do the heavy lifting and transport from conveyor to workstation for example.<\/p>\n<h4>Conveyor ergonomics are critical in distribution facilities<\/h4>\n<p>Since employees frequently interact with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/category\/972\/conveyors\">conveyors<\/a>, one of the best ways to increase ergonomic performance is to focus on your conveyor system. Are the workstations designed for picking in the golden zone? Do employees have to bend or stretch to reach loads? Are they forced to strain to move loads on or off the conveyor?<\/p>\n<p>These are all issues you can solve by designing your conveyors with ergonomics as a top priority. Built right, a conveyor system will reduce\u00a0\u00a0musculoskeletal disorders; wrong and it could exacerbate the issue.<\/p>\n<p>When your conveyor delivers a load to a worker for packing, picking, shipping or assembly, that load should be in position. Don&#8217;t force the worker to rotate, shove or lift it. There are plenty of\u00a0 methods to lower, raise, position and rotate conveyor loads.<\/p>\n<p>See\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/category\/3364\/conveyor-workstation-design\">Ergonomics and conveyor workstation design\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n<h3>Poorly designed ergonomics is less productive, more expensive<\/h3>\n<p>These are just a few examples of how improving the ergonomics of certain areas in your facility can lead to fewer injuries and more efficient employees. In the typical warehouse or factory, there are usually multiple opportunities to increase ergonomics and reduce the chances of injury and worker compensation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the rising costs of workers\u2019 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\u2019s compensation claims associated with manual materials handling, insurance companies are raising their rates\u2014or mandating ergonomic improvements for continued coverage. Equipment [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21585,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[232,710,43,310,274,315,69],"series":[],"class_list":["post-10924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-safety","tag-ergonomics","tag-material-handling","tag-order-fulfillment","tag-order-picking-fulfillment","tag-plant-safety","tag-safety-ergonomics","tag-warehouse-safety"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2027-04-13 08:37:11","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21585"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10924"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33766,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10924\/revisions\/33766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10924"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=10924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}