Ergonomics

Vertical material handling is always a challenge. Raising a loaded pallet to mezzanine-level with a forklift can be risky and time-consuming. Freight elevators require costly inspections and frequent, expensive maintenance. It’s not always possible—and it’s rarely safe—to have employees carry heavy loads up and down stairs.

In 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the injury rate in warehousing was significantly higher than the average for all industries: 4.8 injuries per 100 workers in warehousing and storage, versus 2.7 per 100 for all industries combined. In an effort to improve warehouse safety and bring down these injury rates, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a five-year initiative beginning in August 2022. It’s called the Regional Emphasis Program (REP) for Warehousing Operation.

Academically, ergonomics is the study of work and how it interacts with the human body. As an applied science, ergonomics involves matching the work to the worker. The goal is to eliminate discomfort and injury on the job.

If you rent forklift batteries, you probably prefer to handle maintenance yourself. Reliable forklift batteries keep customers coming back — and regular service is essential for battery health. Besides, those batteries aren’t just sources of motive power. They’re also core business assets. Protecting them is also protecting your bottom line.

When Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors investigate a workplace injury, they ask a lot of questions. One of the first is always, “Was the employee properly trained?”

Proactive ergonomics improves workplace safety, but that’s just one of the benefits. It can also cut costs to help your business grow.

To keep up with global population growth, we’ll have to produce more food. Just how much more is debatable. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated that we must increase food production by 70 percent by 2050 to feed the world’s population; the FAO later revised that figure to 60 percent. Meanwhile, an influential 2011 study by Tilman et al. estimated that we’d need to produce between 100 and 110 percent more food by 2050 to keep up with demand.

Not sure whether you should use a platform cart or a furniture dolly? Or even what the difference is? Find out here.

OSHA requires employers to report injuries and illnesses. Here’s what employers should know — and common mistakes that can impact compliance.

How can independent electrical wholesalers compete with the Amazons of the world? These value-added service tips provide the solution.