In many industries, people who are working must make lots of movements each day to perform different operations of the manufacturing process.
That is the reason why a pallet changer becomes one of the key pieces of equipment for the material handling process. Top Industries located in Florida USA is one of the best manufacturers of this important equipment for different industries.
Not only these pallet changers can make the process more efficient, but also increases the safety of the operation. They can handle and reorient all kinds of loads irrespective of the weights and sizes of the load like cartons, boxes, drums, or any other types of loads.
Few safety tips for pallet lifting
Train your employees
All employees involved in the handling of equipment must follow a few important ergonomic principles while lifting heavy wood pallets.
With proper training, warehouse workers will minimize any strain on their spine, lower back, and shoulders by knowing the proper lifting techniques and also avoiding any injuries.
Avoid pallet lifting only by a single person
As per the recommendation of OSHA, no single person should handle weights of more than 50 pounds. Hence 2 persons must take such loads.
Empty reusable pallets, if weighing more than 50 pounds, may often cause lifting injuries and hence 2 persons may be engaged in that activity.
Avoid overloaded pallets
Ensure that pallets must carry the loads within their rated capacity for dynamic loading. Any kind of uneven density of pallets (wooden) may unbalance your loaded pallets, hence avoid loading any overloaded/unevenly loaded pallets.
Don’t stack empty pallets too high
As per OSHA guidelines, pallets should not be stacked higher than 15 feet on any smooth-level surface. If the workers are stacking the empty pallets with their hands, then they must wear protective gear and never stack pallets higher than 6 feet.
The warehouse floor must be safe and clean
Any pallets placed on the floor must be marked with bright coloured materials, and never leave unused floor-level pallets unattended.
Also, stray splinters or nails from any damaged wood pallets may pose a serious injury risk hence warehouse floors must be clear of such debris.
Few plastic pallet features that can enhance warehouse safety
Unibody construction
Since plastic pallets may not contain any nails or fasteners and also a single piece rather than pieced together as in wooden pallets.
Hence a plastic pallet can always enhance the safety of the operation.
Lighter weight
Plastic pallets can be 35% lighter compared to wooden pallets.
Non-absorbent surface
Unlike wooden pallets, the weight and integrity of plastic pallets may not vary because of moisture content. Their weight and integrity will remain consistent and reliable.
Uniform size and shape
Plastic pallets will not have any dimensional variation from one pallet to another, unlike any reused wood pallets. Hence plastic pallets are more suitable for automated storage and retrieval system.
Ergonomic design
Built-in handholds on plastic pallets increase the ergonomic effectiveness of manual lifting. Additionally, the notches’ rounded corners make it easier to insert a fork into the pallet.
You may get more safety tips from Top Industries on the official YouTube site https://www.youtube.com/c/TOPPYpalletchanger.
