Whether you believe it or not, based on the report that was issued by the National Safety Council, a couple of years ago, forklifts were the cause of around 80 work-related deaths and approximately 7,300 nonfatal injuries.
Most of these injuries and deaths were a direct result of people being hit by different falling items. All these incidents could have been easily prevented, and as an employer, it is your responsibility and duty to do whatever you can to keep these accidents at bay.
So how can this be accomplished? A helping hand comes in the form of vertical material lift which represents an affordable solution that’s going to keep everyone safe. Want to know more about it? Keep reading then!
The Likelihood of Workplace Injuries Is Significantly Decreased
You are probably aware of the fact of how common workplace injuries and fatalities have (sadly) become. However, if you opt for vertical material lifts then you’re going to dramatically decrease the risk of injuries and deaths at your company. Based on several studies, those who work in the manufacturing industry are at a very high risk of different disorders that impact:
- Blood vessels
- Muscles
- Nerves
- Tendons
- Ligaments
Why is this the case? Well, that’s because their duties involve carrying extremely heavy things on a regular basis which definitely takes a toll on someone’s physical health. However, when these lifts are leveraged, they can effectively prevent most of these injuries making sure everyone is as safe and healthy as possible, and, concurrently lowering the number of workers’ compensation lawsuits.
It’s essential for everyone who utilizes material handling equipment, like forklifts to be extremely cautious and skilled. A vast majority of industrial incidents happen because the workforce is simply too exhausted, and, sometimes, distracted by many things.
Of course, there are also people who do not have the required skills and experience. Whatever the situation may be, when you have vertical material lifts, you are provided with a tool that makes things so much simpler, and, most importantly safer when it comes to material handling.
As a matter of fact, it’s much better to make use of it, than to force your workers to carry heavy objects manually.
Inventory Management Will Be Boosted
With effective retrieval solutions and automated storage, these lifts offer full control over stock locations and levels. Precisely this type of automation drastically lowers any risk of human errors that are linked with manual inventory handling, making sure that everything is properly picked and restocked.
In addition, these systems that frequently accompany vertical lift modules are capable of tracking inventory in real-time, and, at the same time, offer detailed insights into different movements, trends, and stock levels.
With this level of control, you’ll be able to make better decisions and decrease overstocking, or any problems that are related to understocking, resulting in effective and simplified operations.
Efficacy, Productivity, And Safety Are Leveled Up
As previously concluded, carrying heavy objects can be very challenging for most employees, which can often result in injuries and fatigue, not to mention the fact, that it’s time-consuming as well.
As time goes by, these people (due to various activities) become more and more exhausted and are no longer able to transport various materials between floors. But when vertical lift steps in, things suddenly become a lot more streamlined because it becomes easy to unload and load objects, which leads to increased productivity.
Speaking of vertical lifts, it’s worth mentioning that they are packed with a variety of different safety features that are designed not only to safeguard your employees but also materials. This refers to:
- A limit switch that controls the transportation of the carriage
- Adhering to ASME B20.1 Safety Standards
- Chain sensors that turn off the lift if chain tension is lost
- Safety cams that prevent carriage descent if chain failure occurs
These Lifts Can Integrate With Various Systems
One of the best things about vertical lifts is the fact that they can easily merge with any warehouse management system that you are currently using, along with the enterprise resource planning solution.
This sort of compatibility ensures that this implementation is seamless and cannot easily be disrupted. The cutting-edge tool that accompanies it can efficiently communicate with the ERP and WMS, offering real-time updates regarding order statuses, inventory levels, and storage locations.
Precisely this integration enables you to perfectly coordinate between various aspects of the warehouse management, making sure that all the decisions you make are well-informed. By improving the interoperability of the systems, vertical lifts contribute to a more effective operational framework.
You’ll Accommodate Your Customer Demands And Needs
Another superb thing about these lifts is the fact that they are extremely customizable. For example, you can put them in an unused elevator shaft, close to the mezzanine, or balcony, or near the current pick module through a floor.
The point is that they are designed to meet the lifting needs of your consumers, and besides that, they also offer a space-living solution to help you quickly move materials. It’s safe to say that they are a lot more effective in comparison to freight elevators or inclined conveyors.
With Vertical Lifts, You’ll Boost Employee Morale
It’s more than obvious that all that heavy lifting can take a serious toll on the physical (and, at times, emotional) well-being of your workers because everything they do is very physically demanding.
However, when vertical lifts are included, they radically alleviate the burden, and, simultaneously, minimize all of these physically challenging activities, which results in a work environment that’s both safer and more comfortable.
Since these lifts are very fast and effective, it means that your workforce won’t be forced to waste a lot of time on various repetitive tasks that are often very time-consuming and tedious. Instead, they’ll shift their focus on activities that are far less burdening to them which will inevitably result in improved job satisfaction.
Based on everything that was written today, there’s one thing that can be concluded and that is that vertical lifts are more than essential and that they are the ones that will turn any workplace into a safe and productive environment.