I find the direction that truck driving, hauling and product delivery is going very interesting. This is a group of companies like Pepsi, Frito Lay, Kraft, Eddy’s Ice Cream, Schwan’s, Ecolab, and others that are engaged in the local delivery of products of services.

At one moment they have employees who are professional drivers, and the next they are engaged in physical delivery of products or services. The work involves driving through city traffic all day long, and making dozens of stops to deliver goods. It’s physically demanding work. Needless to say, crashes and physical injuries are common.

Lately, some of these delivery companies have been approached by organizations selling technology that monitors the driving performance of the delivery drivers. These on-board devices range in complexity, usually recording rapid vehicle movements like sharp turns or hard stops and sending the data via cell technology to data centers for processing. Some of these technology companies even uses video to capture incidents for coaching. I must admit that this is great information and is quite accurate in capturing near-miss events (and a few crashes as well). Occasionally, the video clips show the lack of seat belts and cell phone usage. It’s great information for behavior change coaching. I call it “Automated Near-Miss Reporting”.

The more I have learned about these systems, the more I see their value. However, I also see them being used inappropriately. Rather than used to find drivers who need to improve their driving habits and providing coaching toward that end, some companies use the technology primarily to weed out bad apples.

Okay, I’ll be the first to say that some bad apple weeding may be necessary. But, since these systems are usually catching events that involve something that’s wrong, they can’t be used very effectively for positive motivation. What about all the good things done all day long, and over thousands of miles driven? How are they reported and rewarded?

Then, imagine being a supervisor who receives and email about an event. She has been told that each employee involved in an event must be coached within 3 days. Now let’s suppose that she has 14 drivers and today she receives a total of 4 event reports. Where will she find the time to talk with or coach these drivers? And now the next day she gets 2 more event reports. Are her drivers really that bad? Sometimes they are, but not always.

With most of the devices in use, the drivers know immediately when an event is recorded, so they are waiting for the call from their supervisor. The drivers already know that they will have to sit down with the supervisor and discuss the situation that set off the device. They brace for, “What were you doing wrong?”, “Slow down and don’t follow so closely!”, “One more event and you’re out of here!”

I think you see the trend. Not only are the events in and of themselves negative, but the interactions and their repeat nature are negative as well. Automated near-miss reporting can be very good, but how do you factor in the “catching you doing something right” situations. It can’t be all bad if we want to engage the drivers and get them to change for the better!

There are many factors needed in order for near-miss reporting to be effective. Included are: a willingness by the organization to learn from its mistakes, open and honest communication between workers and supervisors, the removal of fear of reprisal for reporting, positive motivation to report near-miss situations, and positive actions taken immediately to eliminate the problems reported.

It will be very interesting to see how these technology companies and their systems develop over the coming years. I’ll bet that the technology company that figures out how to help their clients improve their overall safety culture, while using their devices will be the big winner. And the Board costs directly through the technique of the distribution will capture the target for the development of an effective and sustainable safety culture to offer, to improve job retention and profitability.

Getting goods from A to B is hard enough. Finding the right way to carry those goods is another headache. Once, we loaded and unloaded goods item by item – those were the days when labour was cheap. Then the Second World War came. This mother of many inventions brought us the wooden pallet. This, combined with a fork lift truck, enabled goods to be moved quickly and with less labour.

Wooden Pallets

The wooden pallet was a great idea. So good was the idea that it is still going strong to this day. However, things have changed. Pallet pooling can be an expensive business. Rental and purchase costs have risen to reflect the increase in timber costs and the extra burden of fumigation and quality control.

Escalating fuel costs have taken their toll on the inevitable dedicated trips that are made to repatriate empty pallets when imbalances occur in the supply chain. These fuel costs – and driver shortages – have also forced an examination of the space and weight taken up by the ubiquitous pallet.

The pallet is a bit like the air that we breathe. It is all around us yet we don’t see it. It is easy to forget the extra cost that the pallet adds to the value chain. Perhaps now the time has come when, in some eyes, the pallet has outstayed its welcome. Rather than being the carrier, is the pallet itself being carried by the value chain? Rather than wait for another world war, a ready solution has been found and is tried and tested. That is the Slip Sheet.

Enter the Slip Sheet

Slip sheets have been around for some time, especially in the

U.S. where the free market has always had the knack of taking the path of least resistance. European countries tend to prefer centrally planned systems and standardization. Slip sheets lack firmly agreed international standards and this may be one of the reasons why they have not been popular in Europe. The greatest reason is ignorance. Many simply have no understanding of slip sheets and how they work – so they don’t bother.

So perhaps it’s time to right this wrong here and now.

How Slip Sheets Work

1. Slip sheets are durable sheets of material that are designed to carry a uniform load of goods with plan dimensions (or “footprint”) of roughly 1 metre square/40 inches square (typically they may be designed to carry a footprint of 40 inches x 48 inches – 1m x 1.2m). The slip sheet is made to these dimensions plus a pull tab – an extension to the sheet – of up to 6 inches/15cm. There may be just one pull tab sticking out from under the load on one side. There could, however be pull tabs on 2, 3 or all 4 sides. Slip sheets can be made of

fibreboard or plastic.

2. Goods are loaded directly onto the slip sheet within the creases that border any pull tabs. A push-pull attachment on a forklift truck is used to drag the load onto the truck by gripping (one of) the pull tab(s). The push-pull attachment has very flat ground-level forks that are designed to go under the

slip sheet whilst it is under load

3. To unload, the forklift truck pushes the load, complete with slip sheet off of itself and withdraws

Pros and Cons

Slip sheets are not the panacea to all distribution needs. For one thing, all parties in any supply chain will need to invest in the push-pull attachments, which are not cheap. The staff training that will be required, especially for forklift truck operators, can also be expensive. Perhaps the greatest factor, though, is the uniformity of the load itself. This exposes the slip sheet’s greatest advantage – and greatest disadvantage. Slip sheets may not be able to cope when boxes are awkwardly shaped or where there is a mixed load of different shapes. Conversely, if a company is shipping out large quantities of the same sized box, then slip sheets are ideal. As such, slip sheets lend themselves to operations further upstream of the supply chain. As loads are broken down further downstream, then pallets may be more appropriate. The good thing is that loads of slip sheets can be easily transferred to pallets. A good example of the advantages of using slip sheets is where parts for goods are manufactured and shipped through a long distance sea route. The space and weight saving can result in a significant financial boost for the value chain.

Co-operative Value Chains

Another great factor in all this is uniformity of slip sheet systems. All parties in the supply chain need to be using the same specification of slip sheet and ensure that all staff are fully trained to ensure delivered loads are configured correctly for the receiving party. This requires value chains that are highly co-operative, or, to be realistic, it requires a value chain that has one dominant party who will simply dictate their requirements. The U.S. has pioneered slip sheets and has used them for many years. However, the dominance of the supermarket sector in some European countries may be forcing the change there also. The ability of large supermarkets to influence their supply chains means that they are in a position to take a strategic view of the benefits that slip sheets can bring. They are in a position to arrange for both senders and receivers to be ready to handle products on slip sheets. Things are changing. Maybe the concussion of the palette used in the industry.

This space. There's a huge cost savings and environmental benefits will be significant can be obtained. Conversion of the entire supply chain to a dead end, but it's part of the exemption for the registration of the product leaves, in particular, just, inevitable – is not desirable in Europe.

Pallet inverters are constructed from heavy duty steel plate, pallet inverters are hydraulically operated and are controlled electrically from a central control box, situated towards the front of the machine. Full security fencing is provided. The painted finish does not absorb any dirt, blood, grease or bacteria. The pallet inverters can be loaded with a palletised load on the inverter base with a forklift truck.

Once activated the machine is operated in order to clamp the product and pallets (Pallet gripping devices are available as an optional extra) it then rotates the pallet through 180° unclamps and the pallet can be removed now inverted. The machine can be stopped in any position say 90° and unclamped in order to change the pallet or remove a damaged layer of product. A Pallet Inverter can be manufactured to meet your exact product size and requirements.

A new type of pallet exchanger – 60 seconds or less

Following the massive worldwide success of existing Pallet Exchanger machines, comes a new type of Pallet Exchanger. This new, improved design enables the pallet exchange of any size and type of pallets under any type of palletised load and is completely format free. Bags and drum loads not a problem. The cycle time is 60 seconds or less with manual operation. The machine has been designed to be the fastest Creepy on the market to support the most cost-effective solution. It's really good fun of their crawler – was loaded manually rapid exchange of cheap car manufacturers tray.

For people uninitiated with what a load leveler is, they might find it confusing as there are a number of different equipments for various applications that carry the same name. When the terms load leveler is mentioned, usually the first thing that comes to mind is the type of platform used in handling heavy cargo and machinery. This form of device is specifically called as the hydraulic load leveler is touted to enhance the productivity of workers handling cargo and helps minimize worker fatigue.

Hydraulic load leveler features a movable platform that can be lowered to floor height so that pallets can then be transported to and from it using the hand pallet truck. When loading, the pallet is placed onto the leveler’s platform and is then raised to its maximum height through the use of hydraulics. As more cargo is loaded, the platform consequently lowers so that every layer of cargo can be loaded at the same height. Meanwhile, when unloading cargo from the platform, it starts from its lowest height and is gradually raised as every layer of cargo is removed. This ensures that the cargo can be removed at the same height thus eliminating the need for strenuous movement by workers.  

This type is commonly found in cargo areas such as warehouses, ports and storage. Pallet load levelers are readily available in various sizes and designs from manufacturers of cargo equipment and machineries. This useful and helpful equipment is indispensable in storage operations today. They can handle great weights and are engineered to withstand the rigors of industrial use.  

Meanwhile, there is another type of load leveler apart from the one used for pallets. This leveler is an excellent addition in motor shops and even the garage. If ever you will need to lift or transport heavy objects such as transmissions and engines, the load leveler is indispensable. Operating this device is actually quite easy, all you need to do is attach the heavy equipment, be it a transmission or engine to the chains. You can now lift heavy loads with the use of a hoist. You can then turn the handle to balance the weight and level the load. This feature is very important especially in cases when you need to place an engine straight into the engine compartment and you need to balance it carefully.  

Another type doesn’t have any mechanical parts whatsoever. The so-called RV load levelers help ensure that your vehicle is at a level position when loading cargo on uneven land surfaces. They are made of extremely sturdy materials: pressure-injected plastic and structural foam. These levelers are designed to be non-slip, high-traction and help make work easier: be it in an industrial area or at your own home.  

Hydraulic load leveler usually comes with a platform size of 44″ by 48″ and a height range of 0.375″ and 28.375″. Typical shipping weight is at 1500 pounds but will not usually require a flat bed Trucks. Well, the big prizes of equipment, large equipment manufacturer quality and durability. In addition, the new Levellers installation or online shopping will see dozens of offers have been using a simple Web site.

A mobile yard ramp is designed to assist with the unloading of a standard ISO container or a rear loaded lorry, without the need of a permanent docking bay.

The ramp is attached to the back of the container or lorry and a forklift truck can then be used to remove the load. As the forklift can be driven into the back of the container/ lorry, unloading takes a fraction of the time that it would when using a pallet truck. And it creates a safer working environment as cargo does not have to be moved manually.

Five factors to consider when choosing a mobile yard ramp include:

1) Design

The design of a mobile yard ramp differs with every manufacturer but they share one common factor; the need for robust, hard wearing and solid construction.

The length of a ramp can vary between 10 metres up to 12 metres. Its width should be no less than 2.25m.

Ease of manoeuvrability and operator use are important factors when considering which design to choose. The front end of the ramp will normally have a towing hook or attachment device to enable the ramp to be towed by a forklift. Urethane-tyred wheels are ideal for moving the ramp. They are designed to be hard wearing but are inexpensive to replace if necessary. A hydraulic hand pump system will allow for easy height adjustment by the operator.

Light duty yard ramps can be made of aluminium but it is best to obtain one that is constructed of welded steel. This will withstand the rigours of the working environment with the minimal wear. A durable finish to the ramp with high specification paint will inhibit rust.

2) Capacity

The mobile yard ramp needs to be suitable for the cargo it is unloading. Its capacity must exceed the combined weight of the heaviest forklift truck and the heaviest weight of the loads that it will carry.

To anticipate heavy loads ensure the rated capacity of a yard ramp is at least three times the weight of your largest forklift truck.

3) Safety

Safety with a mobile yard ramp is very important, especially as you will be moving heavy loads with mobile vehicles on an elevated platform.

Choose a yard ramp that has safety chains to ensure it is securely attached to the back of the vehicle or container. Always use wheel chocks to prevent the ramp moving.

The decking on a ramp must have good grip. Open grill sheeting provides a tough, non-slip surface.

Always check the yard ramp for signs of wear and damage before use. Replace any parts as necessary.

4) Availability of Spares

Yard Ramps are built to last but because of the hard working environment in which they are used, damage and wear is inevitable. Only used approved parts for repair and maintenance, ideally obtained directly from the original ramp manufacturer.

Established companies such as Chase Equipment have their own team of experienced service engineers to ensure the mobile yard ramp is maintained in good working condition.

5) Rent or Buy

Renting is the best short term solution if the use a mobile yard ramp is temporary. But because of the expense of transporting a yard ramp to its location, purchasing a mobile yard ramp can be the more cost effective in the long term.

Whether choosing to rent or buy always go to a reputable company who have experience of loading bay and material handling equipment. They will be You and your most cost-effective solution that you can find the best advice is needed.

Plastic has often been talked of in a negative light recently. This is due to the overwhelming state of waste, trash, chemicals, and unrecyclable materials taking over landfills, bodies of water, and the environment in extremely harmful ways. However, there are still many great uses. Plastic can be helpful, even when it comes to being green. Plastic pallets are one of these items.

Yes, plastic is synthetic, manmade, and formed with chemicals and oils. This does not mean that items that are made from or contain plastic are always bad. Plastic pallets can hold heavy cargo during shipping and be easily moved around by hand truck or forklift or stacked up one on top of another just like timber pallets. Mainly used as an alternative to wooden pallets, plastic pallets also have the ability to be customized for individualized shipping.

Plastic storage bins made out of this material can be used to store items and create more organization to be put on or integrated into the plastic pallet. This material can be molded and plied into any sort of shape, size, and configuration. It is durable and will not shatter like other substances, which can obviously be dangerous.

Plastic pallets are useful items that can serve as helpful accessories in many arenas. Pallets are used to store, hold, and transport different types of items all over the world. They are used in stores, warehouses, factories, trucks, and greenhouses. Ones that are made out of plastic are generally safe from the elements, sturdy, resilient and affordable. They come in different shapes, sizes, and variants, most of which are designed to be stacked.

Plastic is long lasting and durable. This is especially important in the case of used plastic pallets as these must support lots of items of various weights many times. They must also hold up when being lifted by a forklift or moved over many miles in trucks over many years, being left out in the elements time and time again between transports.

The material that has received some bad press lately is plastic. It is not inherently bad. It is how, why, and what we use it for that places it in a negative or positive light. When used in a green manner, plastic storage is friendly and helpful. This is very true of plastic pallets. These tools serve many purposes and cannot be unreliable or unsteady. Finding the right tools for storage and transport jobs is very important in many industries.

With health and safety regulations being what they are, it is important that people know the proper way to move or transport products around. This is as true at home as it is in the workplace, although the legislation is obviously more important for an employer to be aware of. It can be very easy to lift something in the incorrect manner, causing serious damage to the back or arms, which could lead to time off work or serious ailments in later life. The saying that you lift with your knees and not your arms is well known but sometimes hand trucks make life so much easier.

It may be that you have seen hand trucks in use but felt that you would not get the real benefit from having one at home. However, it is not until you have one of these trucks that you find the benefits from having one. With Britain having an aging population, more and more homes will have people who are getting on in years. Due to improvements in health, many elderly people are still capable of doing what they did in their youth but care has to be taken with lifting and moving. Having access to a truck can make shifting boxes or products so much easier.

Aside from the assistance with regards to moving products, the time benefit that hand trucks offer are of great benefit. Lifting boxes one at a time can be a very laborious task, taking up time and energy that could be better used in other ways. The fact that a number of boxes can be transported at the same time using one of these trucks indicates there is a great level of efficiency from its use. If your time is at a premium and you don’t want to spend all of your spare time lifting boxes, this is definitely the product for you.

An employer has to be aware of the safety provisions they are need to give their staff. If they don’t, they may find themselves facing a fine or disciplinary matters but equally, employees know that they need to follow the safety guidelines. Providing hand trucks in the office and offering detailed instructions of how it should be used and the correct way to transport products is a great way for everyone to know what is expected from them. Some companies only allow certain staff members to use these trucks but even so, their use helps to make moving products quicker and safer.

The range of hand trucks will ensure that there is something for every budget and every need. Even a company that desires to keep their brand logo and colours on everything they use will be Possible for them to find the truck. Small home office, delivered a big operation, because the window is clear of people. For your own safety, as well as time-saving benefits of these vehicles in traffic needs to move things make a big difference in how you can.

As with most machinery you do not necessarily need a license to operate a powered pallet truck as the company who are requiring you to use the pallet truck will provide the necessary training. If the company fails to offer such training then you are at risk of hurting yourself or another person in which the company is liable. Although it is not required some companies with their training of powered pallet trucks give certificates to show competence of the machine, whereas other companies usually smaller companies do not give out certificates and only provide the training.

So what kind of training do you need to operate a powered pallet truck?

If you are working in a job where using a powered pallet truck is necessary you will receive training. A general training regime may look a little like this:

o An Introduction

o Theory and Video

o Operators Safety Code

o Responsibility under the HSE act 1974

o Battery Charging

o Truck Stability

o Motive and Hydraulic Controls

o Pre-shift checks recording

Once the candidate has gone through the proper training a few tests will be performed that the candidate will be required to pass. In the event that the candidate fails the tests, he or she will need to sit through the training again and re-take the tests.

The candidate will Must pass: