The United States is unique among industrialized nations in its approach to ergonomics legislation. Many employers abroad are legally compelled to protect workers from the risks of injury associated with manual material handling. Although, in the U.S., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is left to correct the most egregious ergonomic violations with the General Duty Clause of the… Continue Reading
Two scenarios: A Battery Extractor System is purchased with a total cost of $500,000. Total annual spend on equipment is less than $2,000,000. Section 179 allows a full deduction of $500,000 of your Battery Extractor System. 100% of the cost! Total annual spend on equipment is greater than $2,000,000. Bonus depreciation: $250,000 Standard depreciation: $35,714 Total depreciation expense: $285,714 Nearly… Continue Reading
You can’t leave anything to chance in an industrial setting. The material handling equipment you need to keep shipments moving in a warehouse, or to send raw materials down the line in a manufacturing facility, has to be tested before it’s put into daily use. That’s not just common sense; it’s also the law. It might not surprise you to… Continue Reading
Anyone who has a question about a workplace safety standard issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can go straight to the source for answers. The agency regularly publishes Standard Interpretations, which are responses to the letters they receive asking for clarification on a particular regulation. In 2015, OSHA published 67 of these letters; between January and May… Continue Reading
Even veteran material-handling experts break into a cold sweat when faced with a shipment of compressed gas. Gas cylinders carry unique hazards, and employees must treat them more carefully than virtually any other material in the warehouse. To add to the challenge, gas containers are shaped awkwardly. They don’t fit onto pallets or typical racks. Good luck trying to pick… Continue Reading
Rosemary Stewart of Elida, Ohio, was convinced that her employers were asking too much. She was frequently required to lift heavy loads, and she didn’t have access to Lift Tables or other material handling equipment. Some of these loads weighed up to 100 pounds, and Stewart rightly worried about the potential for injury. Surely there must be some kind of… Continue Reading
