Safe Work At Height With Aerial Work Platforms

A 34-year-old man from Colchester has been seriously injured after using a makeshift aerial work platform in order to replace a light fitting. The incident occurred at Adhere Industrial Tapes in Colchester a year ago, and the injured man is still undergoing physiotherapy and using crutches, faced with the prospect that he may never work again after suffering multiple fractures to his skull, leg, back and wrist. The man, who has not been named, was standing on a cobbled-together aerial work platform which had been created by placing a metal cage on top of a wooden pallet, before being lifted by another truck. As he began to carry out maintenance on a light fixture, the cage fell from the truck’s forks and the man fell a total of seven metres to the ground.

It was ruled by Colchester Magistrate’s Court last week that the company involved had failed to ensure that right procedures and equipment were in place to carry out work at height. The work that the man carried out was not properly planned, nor was it appropriately supervised. The company involved was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after it was revealed that none of the company’s drivers had been trained in lifting persons, nor were the essential safeguarding standards adhered to. Restraint harnesses were overlooked and there was no means to secure the cage to the forks of the truck. The work was inherently dangerous and did not conform with the health and safety standards laid down by the government; the man should have been using a verified, safe and secure aerial work platform for the job, which would have surely prevented his injury and saved his career.

Aerial work platforms offer a safe and economical solution for one person to work at height, and features such as their emergency down and stop buttons, levelling indicators and the closed-in nature of the platform help to ensure an employee’s safety when using one. They are most popularly used in hospitals, schools, warehouses and other areas where carrying out maintenance at height is often required. Most aerial work platforms are supplied with integrated chargers and built-in battery indicators, and are considered to be much more versatile than static mobile towers, as their heights can be adjusted with just the touch of a button. This also contributes to safety regulations, as should employees experience a problem whilst working at height, it is a simple process to return them to the ground.

It is vital for all companies to ensure that safe systems of work are in place to protect their workforce, and it is also the company’s responsibility to provide the correct equipment for all tasks which need to be carried out. If there is the chance of any employee having to carry out work at height, companies must ensure they purchase an aerial work platform such as Midland Pallet Truck’s MJCPT 3.0m mobile aerial work platform, rather than allowing employees to construct a dangerous alternative which could put them at risk. 

Lightweight Pallet Trucks To Prevent Back Strain For Employees

Injuries that occur as a result of muscle strain in the back or the shoulders are one of the most common types of workplace injury that can befall an employee, and this is especially true for those who manoeuvre heavy pallet trucks around a busy workplace all day, every day. One in five of all workplace injury complaints are related to back pain, with the manual handling industry being one of the largest culprits. Pallet trucks are constructed entirely for the purposes of moving heavy loads from A to B, and so it follows that the actual construction of the trucks should be as lightweight as possible, not only to ensure that there is no unnecessary weight added to an already heavy cargo, but also to drastically cut the chances of complaints such as back or muscle strain.

Using a lightweight hand pallet truck is paramount to ensuring staff safety without compromising on high quality. Trucks such as the i-ton 1000 Hand Pallet Truck offer a piece of equipment that weighs in at just 38kg, yet can carry up to 1000kg safely and easily. This is due to a highly advanced Techno-polymer compound, a lightweight material that is as rigid and robust as the steel which pallet trucks are normally constructed from. The material also protects from external corrosive agents such as water or harsh chemicals, in much the same way as a galvanized or stainless steel pallet truck might. The operating lever which controls the lifting mechanism of the truck can be used with both right and left hands, and the hydraulic pump elevates the truck to its highest height in just three strokes; both of these mechanisms combine with the incredibly lightweight nature of the truck to make it extremely easy and safe for staff to use without picking up a strain or muscle complaint.

For smaller loads and even smaller spaces, the ML0308 Portable Folding Pallet Truck weighs in at just 26kg and when not in use, it can be easily stored by being hung up on a wall or on the side of a cupboard. Despite its incredible lightweight construction, it can still safely carry and lift up to 300kg of cargo, and like many other trucks which boast lightweight credentials, can be used within a van or truck to truly take the strain off employees for a while.

When using lightweight pallet trucks in a car, truck or other form of transport, it is vital that they are used in conjunction with a pallet truck chock, which works by immobilising the rear wheels of a truck and ensuring that they can’t roll off the edge of a loading bay or truck bed. As well as providing extra security for the items within the truck, pallet truck chocks also help to protect staff members against the dreaded back strain by enabling them to place the truck into the van without risking an injury in turning it onto its side or lifting it into a tyre.

Looking To the Future: Invest In Manual Handling Aids

The vast majority of businesses have their Christmas contingency plans in place already, and are well-equipped to deal with whatever the festive season may through at them. But the savviest and smartest of managers are already looking far ahead, beyond the Christmas season, to the time when business returns to normal and the profits are reduced after the busiest time of year. Recession and austerity is plaguing the country, and many businesses are in two minds about how to approach 2013. Popular advice dictates that businesses should make cuts, but this causes harmful redundancies among staff, budgets reduced across the board and profit margins made much smaller. Other schools of thought believe that the best way to combat the effects of recession in the next twelve months is to invest.

With markets so unpredictable, and the country teetering on the brink of falling back into recession all the time, warehouses, factories, distribution centres and other businesses in the freight and logistics field are reluctant to make huge investment in aspects such as staff training and company equipment. But devoting larger portions of the budgets to the correct training of their existing staff members, and purchasing new apparatus such as pallet trucks or stacker trucks, can help to secure the future of a company. Once the markets begin to rectify themselves, businesses will be fully equipped to take their company to the next level, aiding growth and expansion.

The key for many companies is to try and look further ahead than the next few months. The financial crisis will not last forever; some businesses are saving money by taking on inexperienced, young staff members, or renting pump trucks to avoid buying their own. This leads to less productivity, smaller budgets and a smaller likelihood of emerging from the financial difficulties with any semblance of profit. Those who invest in the foundations of their business, in items such as hand pallet trucks, lift tables or new storage systems, will stand themselves in good stead for the future.

A good workforce is only fully functional if it is fully equipped. By making cuts and reducing budgets, workforces are forced to adapt their processes and become less productive. When purchased as new and properly maintained, much of the equipment that is vital to these processes can last a lifetime, and will serve a company for years after this country escapes this era of austerity.

Why A Manual Stacker Beats A Forklift For Cost-Effectiveness

When faced with the prospect of purchasing new apparatus for a warehouse environment, many managers often find themselves in two minds over two specific pieces of equipment: the forklift truck and the manual stacker truck. One of the biggest considerations given when trying to make the decision is the cost-effectiveness of each truck. Which will initially cost the most? Which will cost the most to run in the long term? Which will have the highest return on the investment? This thorough guide examines the ways in which hand-operated stacker trucks can be much more cost-effective than a forklift truck, and why businesses should be looking to invest in the for the long term.

When purchasing a forklift truck, many managers tend to disregard the extra costs they will have to invest as time goes on, to ensure the maintenance and proper operation of the truck. Some will purchase a forklift with the idea that they will pay a one-off lump sum for the equipment, and not have to splash out on another truck for many years. What they don’t consider is that forklift trucks often have a number of additional hidden costs. Training, for instance, is compulsory for any employee who will be operating it. Courses to ensure an employee has the correct qualifications to operate the apparatus can cost thousands, with refresher courses needed every few years to ensure their training is up to date. One of the main advantages of buying a manual stacker truck by comparison is that they currently require no license to operate in the workplace, and though basic safety training courses may be necessary, there are no specific qualifications or top-ups needed for staff members. This saves on training and also means that anyone in the workplace can operate them, rather than a specified few who have undertaken training.

The cost of actually running a forklift truck when compared with a manual stacker is often overlooked too. There is the option to purchase a gas-operated forklift, which won’t need charging, but it will go through expensive canisters of gas and use up just as much energy from a different source. As suggested in the name, a manual stacker truck such as the 1000kg 1.6m manual stacker from Midland Pallet Trucks is operated entirely by manpower and manual labour. Hand and foot controls lift pallets to workable heights without needing to be connected to a power source at all, saving on all kinds of fuel expenses.

Maintenance on battery and gas-operated forklift trucks is also an added expense. Levels of distilled water within battery cells need to be constantly monitored to check that they are maintaining a consistent level. Without this maintenance, batteries can dry out and need replacing, which results in an even higher bill for the equipment department. Manual stackers’ freedom from the use of power sources means that the only maintenance required is of the aesthetic type, protecting the truck from corrosion and rust, and ensuring that all joints are smooth and well-oiled.

In summation, the cost of running a manual stacker truck when compared to a forklift truck is lower in every aspect. From initial outlay to employee training, and from fuel allowances to maintenance costs, the money saved when using a manual stacker can be used to great effect elsewhere within a business at a time of great economic uncertainty.

Deal With Online Orders This Christmas with a Range Of Material Handling Equipment

Statistics have found that online sales figures are growing at a faster rate than ever, especially in the run up to Christmas. Online sales amounted to around £6.4bn in the month of September, which is 16% more than twelve months previously, and 11% more than the month before, showing both a year-on-year and month-on-month rise in internet shopping. The busiest time of the year for thousands of distribution centres, warehouses and production factories means that a vast amount of businesses up and down the country are relying on their fleet of pallet trucks to be as versatile as possible. It is not too late for businesses to make the material handling equipment work harder in the run up to Christmas, from the packing process to the shipping.

Many forklift trucks, powerful as they are, have limitations that depend entirely on their construction and their frame. The length of the forks restrict the size of the cargo which can be moved at any given time, and so fork extensions are a vital aspect of tackling the increased workload around Christmas. They are fitted over the existing forks so that the truck can carry longer or larger objects with ease and without compromising the balance of the truck. Made from incredibly strong welded steel, the forks are robust and durable and they have a corrosion-resistant coating to ensure they stay in prime condition for a long period of time. Sets such as the Fork Extensions 3KR/3W Series were created specifically so that they would fit a large number of forklift truck models, from 3KR57 all the way through to 3KR59, with the addition of the 3W667 model. Extended forklift capability at this time of the year is a great way to cope with the increased workload and handle the extra orders with aplomb.

With such a huge increase in orders, the packing process also needs to be extremely streamlined and efficient to ensure that a backlog doesn’t start to mount up. Manual stacker trucks can speed up the packing process, and are available in a wide selection of different height, with varying lifting capabilities. They can retrieve goods or stack them at height, and are an economical solution for moving pallets around the workplace. Their steel construction makes them robust and hardwearing, and their precision-engineered operation makes for a smooth performance that ensures pallets can be lifted and lowered quickly and easily.

Once stock has been packed it can be moved out for shipping and distribution with the help of a hand pallet truck. The most versatile of all trucks, hand pallet trucks are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, as well as being able to carry up to 2500kg of cargo at any given time. The different typed of hand pallet truck, including long pallet trucks, traverse pallet trucks and rough terrain trucks ensure that goods can be carried across any surface and within many restricted environments, and their ease of use make them a must for this busy Christmas season.

Final Call To Prepare For Christmas Issued by Midland Pallet Trucks

Midland Pallet Trucks is issuing a final call to businesses to stock up on the vital equipment and apparatus to see them through the busy Christmas period. The last weeks of October are generally the calm before the festive storm, the relatively quiet time before the Christmas rush hits. The amount of business undertaken over the festive season can double or triple depending on the nature of a company and how in demand their services are, but many warehouses and factories distributing goods across the country can see workloads increase hugely. This means all equipment must be in absolute prime condition, to deal with the extra stresses and strains.

The benefits of purchasing extra pallet trucks to add to a fleet around this time of year can greatly decrease the strain on the rest of the equipment. Bolstering the workforce with brand new equipment is also a great way to streamline working processes and get every system working to its full potential. The addition of some basic 2000kg Lightweight Hand Pallet Trucks to the workplace can mean a larger volume of work can be carried out, and helps to take some of the strain off the equipment that might be past its best. These trucks are ideal for euro pallets, the most commonly used pallets in the UK, and the top quality hydraulic pump makes for easy lifting and transportation of goods.

The addition of a weighing scale pallet truck to a fleet of trucks can also speed up working processes tremendously. In many workplaces, there are a number of scales placed around the workplace where loads must be measured before they are packed and stored, or before they are distributed. Goods must therefore be taken all the way to the weighing area on the pallet truck, unloaded, weighed and reloaded back to the truck before anything can be done with them. The HP-ESR Weigh Scale Pallet Truck can completely cut this long process by weighing goods on the go. The number of operators needed is vastly reduced, as there doesn’t need to be more than one person to help with moving goods to the scales and back, and this means the surplus staff can carry out other tasks which will boost productivity and profits alike. This truck is battery-powered with an easy-to-read LCD display, and can carry up to 2000kg.

Traverse pallet trucks are also a great piece of equipment for taking vital time out of lengthy working processes. They are able to move long loads down narrow aisles with ease, which provides a high level of flexibility and convenience, especially at a time when workloads are increased.  The trucks can be used with both open and closed bottom pallets and are covered with a heavy-duty steel coating for optimum durability. It is these extra pieces of equipment that can make the difference this Christmas, where every cog within the working machine must be working to its highest potential. 

Materials Handling Exhibition to Take Place in 2013

Pre-registration is now open for businesses to attend IMHX 2013 – the International Materials Handling Exhibition, which will take place at the NEC in Birmingham on 19-22 March next year. There will be more than 400 exhibitors showcasing products and services, with onus placed specifically on food and drink, wholesale and retail industries. The event as a whole includes exhibits, seminars, labour-saving and cost-reducing tips, and a chance to network with many industry contacts, as well as getting up to date on the innovative material handling solutions that are becoming more and more commonplace as the country looks to beat the recession. An ‘Operator Of The Year’ competition will be taking place with the chance for the successful entrant to win a brand new car simply for showcasing their expert pallet truck operation skills, and companies who have confirmed their attendance include container supplier Olivo, battery solution provider Hoppecke Industrial Batteries, and Plastic Extruders Ltd, a company who supply tensional strapping to many businesses.

Attending such events in order to pick up on ideas to streamline working processes and possibly to network with potential clients or customers is important to a business as a whole, but the key to really honing working methods in the workplace is obtaining the right equipment. Within the food and drinks industry, specialist equipment is often required to make sure that materials are handled in the correct way. Hand pallet trucks which can operated in extremely low temperatures, or exceedingly wet conditions, are vital when they will often be used within freezers or other adverse environments. Corrosive environments which will see a lot of salt or brine in the air can damage conventional trucks, and so more specialise equipment is often required just to do the simplest of jobs.

Galvanized pallet trucks are one of the most popular choices within the food industry, as well as medical and pharmaceutical fields, for their sheer strength and ability to withstand harsh environments. Often constructed from stainless steel, with nylon and rubber parts wherever necessary, these trucks are ideal for situations where sterility and hygiene is of utmost importance. They can be blasted with chemicals, harsh sea water and sent through the incredibly low temperatures within some freezers all day long and will emerge unscathed, along with their cargo.

High-lift galvanized pallet trucks are also available when goods need to be lifted higher than a standard pallet truck. They operate like conventional pallet trucks, but when the height exceeds 200mm, the wheels will lock for safety reasons. This equipment is crucial in workplaces such as docks, ports, pharmaceutical plants and food processing factories, and any logistics tips or material handling solutions picked up at the IMHX 2013 will become redundant without such specialist equipment in place.

Safety By Numbers: Assessing Equipment

After the recent drives to ensure all staff members are competent and adequately trained in all areas of their safety process this Christmas, it should follow that there are similar campaigns to keep all equipment in good working order. Throughout the UK, four accidents involving fork lift or pump trucks occur every day, with this number rising over the busy festive season. As a result of these accidents, 25% end in hospitalisation or even death. This can be due to the aforementioned lack of safety procedures as well as inconsistent maintenance of all equipment. There are basic rules in place which can help all employers improve the safety of their workforce and prolong the life span of their lifting and handling apparatus, including pallet trucks. These rules can be broken down into four key steps, which are easy to understand and simple to put into practice. Risk Assessment All apparatus, whether it be an extendable ladder or an electric pallet truck, should to be subject to a thorough risk assessment before staff are allowed to operate it. Controlling and minimising risk is the key here, and it is important that both safe methods of work and appropriate records are maintained. Workers should document all hazards they come into contact with, and should be trained in all aspects of detecting defects, inspecting their equipment and carrying out essential daily or weekly maintenance. Some of the most dangerous incidents which can be subject to risk assessment include the truck overbalancing due to too much cargo, hydraulic fluid leakages or the malfunction of improperly maintained wheels. Training Any employee who will be operating certain pieces of equipment will need to possess the adequate licenses and training to be able to use whichever truck they are in charge of. Some pieces of equipment, such as hand pallet trucks, require only the bare minimum of training and no special licenses to operate, but other more specialised forms of handling equipment demand that theoretical and practical training be undertaken by the users. It is also recommended that refresher courses be taken every three years to incorporate any changes in legislation or safety practises which may have come into play since the last qualification was obtained. Maintenance As covered in the risk assessment section, the maintenance of all types of handling equipment, including pallet trucks, forklift trucks and high lift pallet trucks, is crucial to its safe operation. As well as any checks specified by the employer, workers must also be prepared to carry out extra checks recommended by the manufacturer. The time between these inspections can vary in accordance with the working environment and how often the equipment is used, but the legal requirements state that a thorough examination is carried out on all trucks at least once per year.