Month: July 2021

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Warehouse Safety

Warehouse Safety Topics | Osha Safety Guidelines

OSHA Warehouse Safety

In today’s society, your warehouse safety plan is crucial to the survival of your business. Hazards are everywhere, and your safety plan keeps your employees safe from these dangers. It also keeps your company protected should something happen. You need to be proactive and make safety a high priority. 

Companies are struggling to keep up with warehousing giants, and safety processes are changing frequently. Injury and fatality statistics are on the rise in the industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)‘s changing requirements can be hard to keep up with, and sometimes, companies are delayed in implementing them. But you are in danger of lawsuits, fines, and losing your good employees if you don’t have a solid safety plan in place.

Warehouse safety topics

Improving warehouse safety requires commitment by everyone working in the warehouse, not just the safety team. Your entire staff must consistently work toward keeping your warehouse safe. Employees must be trained, and the required certifications must be kept up to date, but it’s more than that. Having relevant meetings regularly can help bring awareness to the safety rules in your warehouse. Some topics for your next safety meeting can include:

  • Forklift safety
  • Working at heights in the warehouse or with a lift safely
  • Complying with PPE policies
  • Handling and storage of hazardous materials
  • Falling objects
  • Electrical hazards

At these meetings, always take a minute to review any new OSHA warehouse regulations that pertain to your industry.

Today’s warehouse safety challenges

Every warehouse has challenges that are unique to its personnel and industry, but there are a few that plague every warehouse. These challenges can hinder productivity and cause your employees to feel unsafe in the workplace.

  • PPE – Personal protective equipment is key for the safety of your employees. Some companies fail to provide the proper equipment, and some do not enforce wearing it. Hardhats, gloves, safety vests, and proper footwear can be a lifesaver for your employees. 
  • Clean the job site – A clean warehouse is usually a safe warehouse. There is less of a risk of slips and falls in a clean workspace. Dispose of debris and encourage workers to clean up after themselves. While most people dislike cleaning up, remind employees that it is part of the job.  
  • Hazardous materials – Flammable liquids, acids, and other hazardous materials must be handled with care. These can cause serious physical harm and disfigurement from improper handling. 
  • Training –  Take the time to train your employees and make them feel safe. Training can give them the confidence they need to take care when they work. It may take time away from productivity, but your company can be more efficient if no one is injured on the job. 

Training employees for warehouse safety

As mentioned above, training employees in today’s warehouse is a big challenge. There is a push to get everything done faster and with fewer employees, but this is not always in the interest of safety. OSHA warehouse safety regulations require a certain amount of training for your employees based on your industry. 

Keeping PPE available for your employees is a must. While the required gear changes based on your industry, some of the key pieces are:

  • Gloves
  • Safety Vests
  • Harnesses
  • Proper footwear
  • Hard hats or other headwear
  • Earplugs
  • Eye protection

Warehouse safety is a big issue, and it is not one easily solved. With so many injuries happening each year, it is crucial to create and maintain a safety policy that will keep your employees free from harm. No one wants to go to work fearing injury each day. For more information on solutions you can put into place in your warehouse, visit our services and solutions page. 

How to Put a Warehouse Safety Plan into Motion

Following OSHA warehouse safety guidelines and regulations decreases danger to employees. It also increases productivity because there are fewer incident-related delays. OSHA guidelines help create a culture of safety. By reinforcing this culture at all levels, warehouse management ensures enhanced safety and productivity. To find out more about how you can promote safety at your warehouse, visit our services and solutions page or contact us to request a custom quote today.

Categories
Workspace Solutions

Warehouse Storage & Office Space Solutions

Warehouse storage & office spaces

Industrial and warehouse spaces demand quality furniture and storage solutions. From workstations and benches to packaging stations and industrial cabinets, effective space management is key to every successful business. When good quality products are combined with great design, you can improve employee engagement and workplace performance. And, when productive work zones are combined with smart storage solutions, you can increase productivity and boost workplace safety.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more than 145,000 people are working in over 7,000 warehouses across the United States. Every one of these businesses requires professional infrastructure solutions. 

Let’s take a look at common furniture and storage items for industrial and warehouse operations.

Workstations and Workbenches

A workstation is a specially designed furniture item capable of accommodating multiple staff members. A typical workstation includes 4-8 workers seated next to each other, with parallel, corner, and modular configurations all available. Workstation furniture differs considerably based on industry sector and business size. Some units are designed for group work and collaboration, while others offer privacy screens to improve workplace focus and performance.

A workbench features a similar design, only this time, people are seated side by side. Seated and standing workbenches are both available, along with custom designs for specific industry sectors and production line needs. There can be a difference in application between workstations and workbenches, with the former typical in office spaces and the latter used in a range of industrial, manufacturing, and commercial situations.

Office workstations and workbenches play a central role in many business environments. While isolated desks and chairs still have their place, these products are a great way to save space, manage employee movements, and improve staff engagement. At Handling Solutions, we have multiple workstations and workbench products, many of which feature integrated storage solutions.

Packaging Stations

Packaging stations are integral to many businesses, including factories, warehouses, and logistics operations. Whenever goods are leaving your facility, it’s important to have them packed professionally. A packaging or preparation station is a custom workspace dedicated to the art and science of commercial packaging.

Depending on the individual design, these stations can include a flat, stable surface for item placement and manipulation, storage shelves and drawers for packaging materials, and dedicated spaces for packaging rollers and machines. At Handling Solutions, we have a range of professional packaging stations, including integrated ergonomic workbenches and standalone solutions.

Industrial Cabinets & Storage Systems

When you’re running a warehouse or manufacturing plant, organization is everything. From how you lay out workbenches and machinery to the location of your production lines, space management is the key to workplace efficiency. While it doesn’t get much attention, storage is central to this process. The materials you use every day should always be accessible to your workers and located next to your production line. Good storage is not just about being neat and tidy; it’s also about placing things at the appropriate location.

Industrial cabinets and storage systems should be functional, ergonomic, and accessible from work zones and production lines to ensure maximum performance. Good storage habits also have a significant impact on workplace safety, with messy environments associated with accidents, injuries, and compliance issues. At Handling Solutions, we have several cabinets and storage solutions to satisfy the needs of your workplace.Quality furniture and storage items are central to every successful business. From general workstations and integrated benches to dedicated packaging and warehouse storage solutions, the relationship between your workers and your production line should always be a chief concern. If you’re looking for professional warehouse storage solutions for your business, please request a quote today.

Categories
Conveyor Belts Conveyor Systems

What is a conveyor system? | Automated conveyor systems

What Is a Conveyor System?

Conveyor systems are used across industry sectors to move and manipulate materials and products between locations. These machines are fast, efficient, and based on mechanical components for automatic operation. From factories and distribution centers to retail outlets and airports, this ubiquitous technology is designed to replace or augment human labor.

A conveyor system is a collection of mechanical handling devices that move materials from one place to another. These systems are commonly used to manipulate heavy materials, but they also excel in moving small products and components between different manufacturing, delivery, or transactional stages. Conveyor systems offer a range of benefits to businesses, including more efficient material movement, greater operational control, reduced labor costs, and increased workplace safety.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for conveyor systems is projected to reach $7.43 billion by 2027, including 4.5% annual growth between 2020 and 2027. Let’s review different types of automated conveyor systems and how to choose the right conveyor line for your needs.

Types of conveyor systems

Conveyor system technologies share a number of features, including moving parts to hold materials and frames to guide materials between stages. Depending on the application, conveying equipment may use rollers, wheels, a belt, or a chain to transport objects. While most conveyor systems use motorized drive rollers, magnetic, pneumatic, and vibrating systems can also be used to move certain materials.

In the most typical installation, conveyor systems consist of a belt stretched between multiple pulleys. There are multiple variations available, however, with the following conveyors in common use:

  • Belt conveyor – These devices include a moving belt turned by pulleys and attached to a motor. The most common type includes a single drive pulley powered by a rotor. Metal and plastic belts are available alongside standard fabric designs. 
  • Chute conveyor – This conveyor type functions as a slide for materials and packages. This technology is often used to transport items between different levels of a building.
  • Roller conveyor – These conveyors include gravity rollers and powered or live rollers. The former type consists of cylindrical rollers on a decline, and the latter type uses a chain or belt to move the rollers.
  • Bucket conveyor – These conveyors are often used to move grain and other agricultural products. A series of buckets attached to a chain or cable is used to scoop up, transport, and dump materials.
  • Ball transfer conveyor – This type of technology is used in some manufacturing plants to move objects around. A series of ball casters on a table enables multi-directional movement.
  • Chain conveyor – These conveyors utilize a chain instead of rollers or a belt. Chain conveyors are used to move heavy objects close to the ground, with slat conveyors using two chains and a guiding system for additional control.
  • Trolley conveyor – Common in manufacturing plants, this entire family of conveyors is designed to carry loads beneath the track rather than on top. An inverted monorail conveyor is a trolley conveyor turned upside down.
  • Vertical conveyor – As their name would suggest, these conveyors are designed to lift materials and products between levels of a building.

How to choose the right conveyor system

If you are setting up or expanding an industrial or commercial business, you may need to invest in new conveyor devices. Choosing between systems is not always easy, with so many issues to consider and variables to take into account. While you need to review product requirements, you also need to analyze procedural demands and infrastructure restrictions.

From the size of your building to the type of materials you need to transport, the following factors are important:

  • Building size and architecture
  • Material access points
  • Material type and requirements
  • Operational and workplace safety
  • Energy efficiency
  • Reliability and maintenance
  • Ability to expand or change over time
  • Total and opportunity costs

Commercial and industrial conveyor systems play a vital role in many modern businesses. As a key part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, conveyor line technology allows you to automate and control every aspect of your operation. In order to benefit from conveyors, however, it’s important to select different system types based on the unique needs of your business.If you would like to learn more about conveyors or to boost your production with new equipment solutions, please check out Handling Solutions today to request a quote on your next conveyor.

Categories
Conveyor Belts Conveyor Systems

Belt Conveyor Vs Live Roller Conveyor | Conveyor Systems

Belt Conveyor vs. Live Roller Conveyor

Conveyor systems move materials from one point to another. Though there are different conveyor system designs, they all share the same general structure: a frame with wheels, rollers, or a belt. The power can come from gravity or a motor. In some cases, someone can manually push the materials using the conveyor for assistance.

The two most common types of conveyor systems are belt and roller conveyors. Both are common in warehouses and logistics facilities, where they transport and accumulate products. Both belt conveyors and roller conveyors are used for assembly, sorting, inspection, and packing.

Though they have similar functions, there are important differences between belt and roller systems. Each kind has advantages that make it best suited for specific tasks.

Differences in Appearance

There are some noticeable differences between belt conveyors and live roller conveyors.

A roller conveyor consists mainly of solid, tube-shaped rollers, which directly contact and transfer motion to the materials that they transport. These rollers may be steel or composite tubing. Some roller systems are gravity-powered, but live roller conveyors rely on a motor.

A belt conveyor, on the other hand, has a single, flat steel or composite belt for its surface. It provides stable support for the materials, and it gets its power from a drive pulley or a rotating cylindrical tube driven by a motor.

There are many subtypes for both conveyor systems. For example, roller conveyors may be belt-driven, roll-to-roll-driven, and chain-driven. On the other hand, belt conveyors can have an angled design (such as trough belts) or be completely level (flat sidewall belts). There are numerous designs, but for this article, we will focus on two of the most common: the powered belt conveyor and the live roller conveyor.

Live Roller Conveyor Definition

Live roller conveyors use steel or composite rollers that directly contact with and transmit motion to the conveyed product or material. The name “live rollers” comes from the fact that they get power from a motor (instead of gravity or manual operation). Live roller conveyors can be either belt-driven or chain-driven.

Live rollers are most common in settings that call for transporting large or heavy products, including cartons, boxes, and pallets.

Powered Belt Conveyor Definition

Belt conveyors have a steel or composite belt that sits on top of rollers or a smooth slider bed. Typically, a motor-driven cylinder underneath the belt or at the end of the conveyor powers the system. The belt comes into direct contact with the conveyed product or materials. 

This conveyor system provides a high degree of control, especially when moving materials on incline, curve, and decline. Belt conveyors are common for jobs that require moving irregularly shaped objects, small and medium boxes, and fragile objects. They are also regularly used for moving objects of all sizes up or down an incline.

When to Use a Live Roller Conveyor

Live roller conveyors are ideal for general-purpose operations where precise positioning and control are not important or when products are likely to be in continuous flow. However, it is essential to note that transfer speed will not remain constant. Instead, it will depend on the weight and volume of the materials. 

Typical applications for live roller conveyor systems include:

  • Long-distance conveyance
  • Return lines
  • Pallet transport
  • Bulk goods receiving
  • Load transfer and accumulation
  • Delivering products to and from automated manufacturing or sorting stations

When to Use a Belt Conveyor

Belt conveyor systems are most appropriate for complex situations requiring more precise control and positioning. They are especially advantageous when transporting products on a sloped surface or moving fragile or irregularly shaped objects. 

Typical applications for this type of conveyor include:

  • High-speed conveyance
  • Assembly
  • Automated manufacturing systems
  • Scanning
  • Inspection or sorting
  • Incline and decline conveyance

How to Choose the Best Conveyor for Your Needs

Choosing the right conveyor system can improve productivity and efficiency and limit the chances of damage to products. To learn more about different conveyor systems and get help with the selection process, visit our conveyor product page or contact Handling Solutions to request a quote.