Every industry from healthcare to manufacturing requires some heavy pushing and pulling. The science behind ergonomic alternatives to these tasks involves many factors. In 2001, Darcor put out a manual that covers these factors in great detail. Its purpose is to help companies choose equipment that best meets their needs. The manual also includes a… Read more
Over 94,000 people are injured in forklift accidents every year. If you Google “forklift accidents,” you can find several videos offering a front-row seat to what some of these accidents look like. One clip that is highlighted in all videos shows shelves full of product crashing to the ground as two forklift operators are buried… Read more
Human beings want to work smarter. We want more done in less time for less money. We also don’t want to break ourselves to get the job done. In manual material handling (MMH), the power tugger has proven to be an effective work-smarter tool. Purposed for a variety of tasks in many industries, power tuggers… Read more
If you’re pushing product or parts around a warehouse floor all day, you’re probably sore when you get home. If you’ve been doing the same job for years, soreness may have graduated to pain. It may be a burning pain in one of your muscles or an unexpected shooting pain as soon as you move… Read more
Even the simplest work-related injuries can be physically and financially devastating. In a previous article, we outlined everything an employer needs to know to figure how much an on-site injury will cost his or her company. To take that a step further, we can examine the cost of individual injuries. According to the Liberty Mutual… Read more
Manual material handlers are amongst three groups who report the most work-related injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) each year. These injuries and MSDs have a significant impact on finances and morale. In a previous article, we examined the employer’s cost for the most common work-related injury – injury to the back. In this article, we… Read more
Let’s be honest. The top reason that employers go the extra mile for employee safety is money. Yes, everyone cares about the well-being of their employees, but the direct and indirect cost of worker’s compensation is measured more easily than risk of injury. Fortunately, safety and saving money go hand-in-hand. Yet people can’t calculate cost… Read more
The national annual cost of occupational injuries and illnesses is billions more than the costs of all cancers, diabetes, and strokes*. The estimated cost of nonfatal occupation injuries for 2010 (the most recent available data) was $196 billion. Of that, $53 billion came out of workers’ compensation specifically for musculoskeletal injuries**. These are the injuries… Read more
The cost of work-related injuries in the US is astounding. Businesses spend $30 billion every year on back injuries alone. The CDC, NIOSH, and OSHA have all been involved in helping improve onsite safety. This has been a significant and ongoing process. However, most Americans don’t only subject themselves to injuries at work. Activities at… Read more
Manual material handling is not for everyone. It takes organization, focus, and a very strong work ethic. Manual material handling (MMH) is repetitive and laborious. It is also dangerous; MMH is consistently included amongst the most likely jobs to result in illness or injury. In other words, finding the right person for the job is… Read more