People can carry things without any equipment, but the human body is not very efficient in carrying multiple heavy objects. This is why trolleys were invented.
The first widespread use of trolleys were L-shaped sack trolleys that dockers used when unloading and loading ships. They could lift heavy sacks by hand, but the sack trolley meant that they could move more sacks with less effort. This suited their bosses because workers could work for longer hours without becoming exhausted.
Health and safety
All businesses have a responsibility to their workers’ health and safety. Every year, many working days are lost through work-related muscle strain and back injuries caused by either lifting heavy objects or not lifting them correctly.
Pushing and pulling puts less strain on the body than lifting and carrying. A trolley enables items to be moved through pushing and pulling. It is still possible to suffer from musculoskeletal disorders when pushing and pulling, but a well-designed heavy duty trolley will minimise the risks. Risk assessments can be made to make sure that all aspects of operating trolleys are done safely, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) produces a pushing and pulling checklist to make this easy to do.
What’s wrong with a cheap lightweight trolley?
There are many different models of trolleys available. Home do-it-yourself stores sell ones from around £35 made from thin steel. Before you go out a buy a few cheap trolleys though, it is important to question why they are so cheap. Cheap trolleys are not designed to be used every day. People occasionally use them in the home for moving furniture or transporting things like compost sacks in the garden, but they are not designed for frequent moving of heavy loads. They won’t last long in a busy warehouse or retail environment.
The advantages of heavy duty trolleys
Whether you are using a sack trolley or a platform trolley, you want it to last under heavy use. A heavy duty trolley is made from tubular steel joined together with strong welds. Tubular steel is able to withstand stress and is hollow so that it does not add excessive weight to the trolley. The steel is coated to protect it from corrosion.
A heavy duty trolley can carry loads of up to around 500kg; loads that are far too heavy to carry by hand.
A well designed trolley that can carry large loads moves items quickly, and increase the efficiency of the workplace. This saves a business money because a well organised warehouse costs less to run. You need fewer workers if items can be moved more quickly and efficiently.
You may need different types of trolleys for different loads. For example, the window trade requires trolleys especially adapted to transport glass panes and window frames. Matching the right heavy duty trolley to the job is important.
If you have a busy workplace where lots of items have to be moved each day, you definitely need heavy duty trolleys.
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