Safety

BY TOM GRESHAM AUTOMATION IS HELPING to create safer material handling workplaces. However, humans still play a vital role in these environments, and overlooking their involvement can create safety risks without proper care and oversight. That is especially true for ergonomic‑related risks. “We know that it’s difficult to find talent today, so we have to keep the talent that we ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM Protective guarding solutions are an essential component of creating and maintaining safe environments in a variety of industrial settings, helping to protect not only workers but the equipment, products and facilities themselves. Due to the vital nature of protective guarding, users need to have the utmost confidence that the solutions they choose are up to ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM The Crane, Hoist and Monorail (CHM) Alliance serves as a liaison for overhead lifting companies to OSHA, teaming with the federal agency to promote a wide range of safety initiatives in the field. The alliance represents three overhead lifting groups—Crane, Hoist and Monorail, respectively—within MHI. The alliance’s collaborative efforts with OSHA are proving to be ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM The protective guarding industry has been busier than ever in recent years as those who operate warehouses and distribution centers demonstrate an increasingly sophisticated and determined commitment to safety. “I think we’ve seen a general increase in concern for safety,” said Kenneth Parrott, product manager for MHI member Impact Recovery and chair of the Protective ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM When energy is involved, safety is always a major point of emphasis, particularly in the material handling field. Founded in 2023, the Advanced Energy Council (AEC) is an industry group within MHI that represents companies that produce, implement and support advanced energy technologies and accessories. Safety unsurprisingly is a focus of the new group’s efforts ...

SAFER HANDLING BY TOM GRESHAM The loading dock is a flashpoint for safety, with approximately 25% of warehouse accidents happening in the space, according to OSHA. That makes it essential for the material handling industry and every organization with a loading dock to prioritize loading dock safety. “It’s important for us to do what we can to prevent those accidents and ...

BY TOM GRESHAM When automation first grew more widespread, the crane and overhead handling systems category was slow to adopt out of safety concerns. With time and more advances, however, that perspective has changed. Today, safety is the primary reason automation is being increasingly embraced in the field. “With the technologies that are out there now, you’re much more apt to ...

Feature Learn more about OSHA’s new national emphasis program for warehouses and distribution centers. BY CAROL MILLER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MHI Inspections for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations began on October 13, 2023. Announced this past summer as directive number CPL 03-00-026, the goal is to reduce and ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM The hoist equipment that falls under the umbrella of the Hoist Manufacturers Institute, an independent trade association affiliated with MHI, covers a wide spectrum of lifting needs—from smaller hoists with capacities of up to two tons to higher-capacity hoists that can lift up to 250 tons and above. Still, no matter the lifting requirements, the training ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM As warehouses and distribution centers increasingly aim to incorporate automation into their operations, the interest in Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) has escalated, leading to robust growth in the industry. For MHI’s Mobile Automation Group (MAG), it is essential that growth is accompanied by an emphasis on safety. In fact, MAG ...