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 ...
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As Lithium-Ion Batteries Grow in Prominence, Safety Remains Top Consideration
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 ...
Read More »Increased Use of Sophisticated Safety Tools an Important Trend on the Loading Docks
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 ...
Read More »Cranes, Overhead Handling Systems Adopt New Tools to Strengthen Safety
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 ...
Read More »Is Your Facility OSHA Inspection Ready?
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 ...
Read More »No Matter the Load, Worker Training is a Priority for Hoist Equipment Makers
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 ...
Read More »Rapid Growth in Mobile Automated Vehicles Cannot Leave Safety Behind
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 ...
Read More »Protecting Your Greatest Asset
CEO Update This famous quote has never been truer, yet while managing unpredictable supply chain disruptions and meeting increasing customer demands, many businesses overlook the importance of the worker experience and having a strategic workplace safety program in place. At its core, it’s about caring about your people and creating a culture that they want to be a part of—one ...
Read More »Use Ergonomics to Up Productivity, Retention
Solutions Spotlight: EASE BY KATIE KUEHNER-HEBERT Being able to operate equipment without being injured or too fatigued to do much of anything else for the rest of the day goes a long way in keeping employees happy—something particularly important in this era of the Great Resignation. Members of MHI’s Industry Group EASE—Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment—know a thing or two ...
Read More »The Hidden Costs of Workplace Injuries
Transportation and warehousing companies that are serious about reducing costs need to take a good look at the effectiveness of their workplace safety programs. Feature BY MARY LOU JAY BIGPIXEL PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM According to a 2022 report from Liberty Mutual, non-fatal workplace injuries where employees lose more than five days of work cost these industries nearly $4.67 billion annually ...
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