Questions to Ask before investing in material handling equipment

by Martin Jacob Equip2go

Countless injuries occur each year from using the wrong storage and material handling equipment. This article will help utility cart buyers become more aware of their role in preventing workplace injuries.It is said that location, location, location are the three most important factors in buying a home. When buying the material handling equipment from Reflex equip, it can be said that ergonomics, ergonomics, ergonomics are the three most important factors.

Listed below are the top ten questions a utility cart buyer should ask in order to achieve the greatest possible harmony between work and worker (maximum ergonomics):

1) What is work? Utility vehicles have become very special. The names of many utility carts (janitor carts, laundry carts, mail carts, book carts, audio visual carts, luggage carts, tool carts, ladder carts, etc.) define the purposes for which they were designed. Many utility carts that have fewer specific names (platform cart, tilt truck, hand truck, moving dolly, etc.) are designed for different tasks.

2) What is the work flow? Choosing a utility cart that can't easily navigate tight aisles or lifts will eventually result in injury when the worker compensates for a poor selection of material handling equipment.

3) What is the floor surface? Workers put themselves under stress by carrying materials on rough surfaces on small wheeled carts. Special wheels may be needed to move heavy loads on the dirt or sand found on a typical construction site.

4) What is the weight of the material to be stored or transferred? Utility vehicles come with maximum load capacity. Often, the same cart structure is rated differently due to the structure and the wheels used to support the load.

5) What is the height of the load? Instability of storage and/or handling equipment often occurs when large loads are placed above the ground. Long and narrow devices should be avoided due to stability concerns. When work entails potentially unstable equipment, special precautions should be taken such as the use of tilt inhibitors or permanent attachment to a concrete structure.

6) What is the minimum size of worker? A job utilizing the skills of a small woman (librarian, IT trainer, etc.) will require special attention to ensure that the utility cart chosen is sized for the person driving it.

7) What is the frequency of work? Utility carts come in standard, medium, heavy and extra heavy duty constructions. Vehicles exposed to duty cycles for which they were not designed will wear out quickly. Wearable devices are a major cause of injuries at work. Additionally, even though a task is easily done once, injuries can occur over time if the equipment and the task are not properly matched.

8) What is the best height for a utility cart? Avoid lifting. What goes up must come down and vice versa. Try to choose a vehicle that makes the most of the height at which the work will be done.

9) What movement does the worker need for the job? Twisting and bending are the causes of most back injuries. Guard carts that are ergonomically designed for specific tasks, such as mopping the floor or emptying trash cans, can significantly reduce injuries.

10) Which utility car will the worker buy? Given the opportunity, will the actual employee purchase the same equipment the purchasing department is planning to purchase? If not, why?

Final thoughts

The buyer should not sit at the desk while asking the above question. At a minimum, the buyer should try to walk through the area, talk to people, and search for past injury records.