Safety Tips for Heavy Duty Carts

Factories, facilities and warehouses make use of heavy duty carts to carry, transport and present pallets, boxes & bins, containers and other materials. These carts make it easy to move, reposition, or transfer a wide range of heavy parts & equipment from one area of a warehouse or factory to another. They help make operations become more efficient, productive, and convenient.

Push carts can help facilitate work. They make transport fast and easy. While the use of industrial push carts, tugger trains greatly improve the overall safety for operators compared to the use of forklifts. However, you need to know how to use the carts properly; otherwise, they can pose certain hazards.

Safety Tips

You want to avoid accidents and prevent injury in the work place. Reduce the risks associated with the use of heavy duty carts by taking note of the following safety tips:

• Make it a point to push – and not pull – the cart.

You need to exert more effort and work harder when you pull a cart. Pulling a cart also puts you right in front of the cart. You are likely to lose control and get hit by the rolling cart.

Push the cart to eliminate this risk. You will also need less energy to move the cart.

• Make sure that you have a well-balanced cart load.

Pushing a cart that is not properly balanced is difficult and awkward. You tend to push more on one side rather than the other. Achieve balance by putting the heavier things on the bottom shelves. Even out the distribution of weight from left to right. You will notice that a cart with a well-balanced load is easier to push.

• Make sure that nothing sticks out from the sides of the cart.

Anything that extends from any side of the cart can cause injury for anybody who stands near the rolling cart. People are not likely to notice the overhang, especially if they are not facing the approaching cart. A person can get hit by the overhang and suffer from nicks, contusions, scratches, serious cuts, and other similar injuries.

When you push a cart with objects sticking out of the sides, you will find it difficult to make your way through tight areas and doorways. The cart may abruptly stop.

When you load a cart, always check that everything is contained inside the cart and that nothing hangs over the sides.

• Park the cart against a wall.

Always see to it that you park a cart near a wall. Do not park it near a walkway, exit, or door. Doing the latter makes the cart an obstacle or a stumbling block. The cart is likely to obstruct the flow of operations. In the event of an emergency, the cart can become a real risk to safety.

• Keep your hands on the handle bars.

Keep your hands safe from harm. Keep them on the handle bars. Do not carelessly let them hang against the sides of the cart that you are pushing. You are likely to hurt them as you go through tight doorways or along walls or other equipment.

• Keep your view clear.

You should be able to see where you are going. Load your cart in such a way that nothing obstructs your view. An obstructed view prevents you from reacting fast and moving away from other individuals, objects, or machineries that get in the way of your cart.

• Wear protective equipment.

Depending on the situation, you may need to use protective wear. Frequently recommended personal protective equipment includes the following:Leather gloves

• Back support belt
• Protective footwear
• Special foot guards, shoes, or boots

Heavy duty carts help increase productivity and efficiency. They make it easy to do work that would otherwise require great energy and time. Just make sure that you use the safety tips listed above so that you keep yourself safe from injury.

If you’re looking for a FlexQube solution, reach out us at sales@flexqube.com

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