Safety and lifting should always go hand in hand. As anybody who is lifting manually for a living should know, it is all about correct posture because without this, the weight can cause serious damage to the body. The same is as true for lifting equipment as it is for the human body, except that the weights being lifted could be as much as 1000 kilograms, placing a huge burden on safety and reliability. When moving such large loads safety concerns can never be eschewed in favour of greater productivity; time and care must always be given. The operator must also know their equipment well, particularly since similar looking models may have different lifting capacities which could lead to the possibility of overloading. Clear weight markings should always be immediately visible on the equipment. With the appropriate care, an investment in a lift table could greatly enhance both the safety and productivity of a warehouse that is adapted to storing heavy goods.
Specifications
When investing in a lifting platform, it is always important to note the safety certifications. A CE marked product with BS EN 292 and BS EN 1570 standards should satisfy the requirements for daily warehouse use. It will then be the owner’s duty to maintain the equipment properly to ensure that it is always fit for purpose.
Other specifications such as the exact dimensions of the loading platform as well as the loading mechanism will go a long way to ensuring further safety. Large platform loaders exist to ensure that larger goods have a firm base on which to sit and do not represent a threat when they are lifted.
Manual varieties are typically available in foot pump models whereas electronic options offer not only an increase in speed but also weight. This is not however such a clear cut area. Many foot pump models exist that can lift as much as 800 kilograms in weight while also drastically reducing cost. If a business is not to use their lifter that often it could be far more economical to buy the manual variety. After all, the weight limit of many electrical options is capped at 1000 kilograms anyway.
Going Electric
For those operating busy warehouses that require effective and safe lifting trolleys, electric lift stackers are the best way to go. Many offer a great lifting weight that should be sufficient for the vast majority of applications, but there will be a requirement to choose the size of the stacker. This is where one must think ahead to the size of aisles in the warehouse as well as the type of goods likely to be lifted. Some of the largest varieties can lift up to 3700 mm high and sport a battery that can keep going for between 6 and 8 hours, although this does depend on battery life. With a variety of different lift height options as well, it could prove an indispensable part of warehouse storage.
Manual Options
A cost cutting alternative to both electric is manual. These can hold more than most foot pump offerings reaching the 1000 kilogram capacity. The maximum height could be significantly lower and operational times may also be increased. Like all good stackers manual options should have a very low profile not being much bigger than the overall size of the pallet.
Author bio: Darren Taylor is a London-based freelance copywriter with a particular interest in the warehousing storage, handling and transportation industries, using websites such as http://www.
