Many businesses rely on box trolleys to move items around the storage areas and offices. Box trolleys are safe to use provided that they are designed well and workers are trained in their safe use.
Highly automated fulfilment centres like Amazon and Ocado use robots and other automated systems, but some manual handling is still carried out by human workers. Large retailers such as Next, Joules and Asos rely on box trolleys to move items from shelves to packing stations but have strict safety protocols in force to ensure that manual handling is a low-risk operation.
The employer’s legal obligation
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), manual handling is:
“…transporting or supporting a load by hand or bodily force. It includes lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving loads.”
An employer has a legal obligation to assess any injury risks from manual handling operations and must lower the risk as much as possible.
The HSE says that, where it is practical, employers should avoid manual handling and use automation, but for most warehouses, full automation is either too expensive or impractical.
Assessing box trolley risks
Where box trolleys are used, the risks need assessing. This will include how far a load has to be lifted from shelves to the trolley, how heavy loads are and the lighting.
After the risk assessment, many solutions to reduce risk are obvious. Poor lighting can be replaced, sharp objects can be covered with protective packaging, non-slip floors can replace slippery ones and cramped working areas can be redesigned.
Workers need to be assessed for fitness. Those with medical conditions such as back issues and muscle injuries need to be medically checked before being allowed to work with box trolleys.
Box trolleys with safety built in
A key part of the safe manual handling of boxed items is to use the appropriate box trolley. There is no standard box trolley suitable for all items; boxed items come in all shapes, sizes and weight. At Steely Products, we make a variety of box trolleys with tote boxes that fit snuggly in trolleys, meaning they won’t fall off when moved.
For working safely in narrow areas or in offices, the compact tote box trolley has minimal footfall.
All box trolleys are equipped with high-quality swivel-mounted castors that make them easy to move and steer. The box trolley handles are at the correct height so that operators don’t have to strain to reach them.
Our bespoke trolleys are modified for individual users’ requirements. When designing new box trolleys, our design engineers make sure that they have safety built-in.
Box trolleys use tubular steel which is strong and lightweight. The steel is welded together by skilled metalworkers with firm joints that won’t come apart. Provided the maximum load limits are not exceeded, box trolleys will last a long time.
To discuss all your manual handling equipment needs, contact Steely Products by using the contact form below, or give us a call.
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