Lift Trolley System: A Necessity for Safe and Easy Material Handling
Identifying the hazards and finding the best ways possible to eliminate them is the priority of every employer in order to prevent or at least reduce the chances for incidents and injuries.
Thankfully, we live at an age where we don’t have to fear the workplace as our ancestors did because technology and innovation have served for quite some time now in coming up with the much-needed solutions. Certainly every workplace has its specific requirements and hazards but one of the solutions that’s been used for numerous industries is the lift trolley system.
Investing in trolleys is sure to save workers from all the effort needed to do the heavy work and the injuries that result from it which allows them to be more focused with other tasks instead, so it’s important to find the adequate ones based on the weight of the loads, the layout of the workplace, the type of loads, the frequency as well as the duration to be able to make the most of the purchase.
When machinery takes the load off and there’s more room for productivity, it’s needless to point out the increase in profits as a result.
Considering that according to the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) accidents from lifting are among the most common along with the rest of the material handling activities, pulling, holding, bending, restraining, pushing, carrying and throwing included, having the adequate material handling system is essential in eliminating problems such as MSDs which occur due to repetitive work.
Reasons in Favour of Trolleys at the Workplace
Simplifying menial labour, reducing manual efforts which has its positive impact on the boost in productivity, plus reducing the chances for accidents and MSDs are just part of the series of benefits so there’s a lot more to the lift trolley system than it seems.
Having in mind how they can help out a business, increasing the income and eliminating costs such as those of compensation claims, they’re affordable and are bound to serve you time and time again with little maintenance every now and then.
What this means is they won’t break your bank and you won’t have to spend much time on taking care of them as they’re created to be low maintenance. Considering the materials they’re made of, as is the case with aluminium, you can bet they’re durable but regular check-ups are essential in carrying out timely repairs before they turn out more serious and costly. As for the wheels, it’s best to choose puncture-proof.
Furthermore, when you take a look at all the options of trolleys available, you see just how versatile they are so to choose the suitable one for your business requires more thought than simply the price; the weight capacity and the lift height for starters are two of the main aspects one ought to focus on because buying a trolley that isn’t meant for carrying heavy loads like yours would again put a strain on the employees.
This is followed by the size of the lift trolley system and you should choose based on the space you have available at the workplace, the size of the traffic area specifically, as well as the size of the goods you’re handling.
Speaking of goods, their type, the shape and the size specifically also have a say in the choice so don’t forget to include them in your calculations too along with the travel distances of load transportation. Last but not least, the design and the features.
Perhaps you’re up for a more compact design that’s easier to store, or you don’t mind the bulkier and sturdier type, maybe you require swappable accessories for different loads, a platform for general lifting, motorised trolley with programmable speed controller, a winch to lock the load at a certain height or adjustable handles – all of these aspects can help you make your final decision.
Since their design is meant to be user-friendly, they’re easy to handle and store, something that positively reflects on employees since they won’t need much time to get to know how to operate them properly. This isn’t to say, though, that you shouldn’t spend some time on training, both theoretical and practical, bearing in mind how crucial it is in preventing further accidents and damages to the material handling equipment.
Likewise, you can rest assured the safety of the goods being lifted and transported would be taken care of well so that’s sure to save you from additional expenses.
What Are the Different Types of Trolleys?
Starting from the simplest of design and the lightest of loads, there’s the hand lift trolley system capable of lifting and carrying up 150-250 kg, whereas for on-site services such as lifting items into vans you’d do well choosing the table trolley.
For the heavier loads up to 500 kg, it’s advisable to count on the platform type. Not only is it available in small and large sizes, you can find it in the open and caged designs too. In case you’d prefer a hydraulic operation, the alternative would be the electric scissor trolley.
When carrying paperwork and various boxes, you might want to get the help of tiered or shelf trolleys choosing the number of compartments and shelves based on your requirements or opt for the divider design. Now, for heavy loads up to 900 kg as well as transporting needs both indoors and outdoors you have the option of wagon hand trucks.
Motorised types, like the tow tug, are great for lifting loads up to 1000 kg despite their compact design. Apart from the impressive capacity, they’re ideal for long distance transport of loads. If you have a large warehouse and time is of the essence, this is the option to go for.
The Many Uses
Knowing the versatility, it’s no surprise this kind of material handling equipment serves its purpose in various workplaces, not just the industrial type with manufacture and warehouse storage but other industries like the pharmaceutical, hospitals, dental surgeries, businesses such as hospitality, offices, libraries, loading docks, shopping centres, food processing units and clean rooms to name some.
Surely, you’d agree trolleys are a necessity rather than just another business expense!
