Manual material handling tasks require great physical effort, often to the detriment of the worker. These tasks are extremely taxing and often fatigue the operator, causing decreased productivity, downtime due to injury, and ultimately employee turnover due to occupational stressors. In 2019, 888,220 nonfatal occupational injuries in the private sector resulted in at least one lost day of work. And freight, stock, laborers, and material movers accounted for the highest number of cases at 64,160 cases resulting in missed days of work followed by heavy and tractor-trailer drivers, according to BLS.gov. Those staggering numbers represent downtime for your operation that creates a financial burden to your bottom line. That fact makes it imperative that your business operates unparalleled equipment that keeps your industrial athlete in control with exceptional ergonomics, improved efficiency, and longer maintenance intervals. Keep reading where we review the superior features of the Linde MH Order Picker that will help your operation decrease turnover and help increase your ROI.
The Cost of Workplace Injuries
Filling orders is demanding work, takes diligence on every front, and requires the operator always to be alert. But in a busy warehouse, fulfillment, or distribution center, if your operator does not have comfortable equipment, their productivity and efficiency are negatively affected.
Workplace injuries cost employees physically and financially and create a financial burden for organizations. And according to the 2020 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index (WSI), workplace injuries cost organizations more than $59 billion annually in operational costs, including medical expenses and lost-time wages. In addition, many of the common injuries noted in the material handling industry involve musculoskeletal disorders. As pointed out in the Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling, “Manual material handling (MMH) work contributes to a large percentage of the over half a mission cases of musculoskeletal disorders reported annually in the U.S. As a result, scientific evidence demonstrates that “effective ergonomic interventions can lower the physical demands of MMH work tasks, thereby lowering the incidence and severity of the musculoskeletal injuries they can cause,” according to NIOSH.
The Demanding Nature of Order Picking
Your industrial athletes are on their feet eight to even twelve hours a day while dealing with upwards of 1500 cases with weights that can go from an individual box to an average of 20-30 pounds. And many operators are tasked with 50-75 picks per hour from lower racks and 20-35 picks per hour at height, making the demanding nature of order picking a significant contributor to increased employee turnover. This fact alone makes it vital that your operators have the best ergonomic equipment to avoid workforce injury, turnover, and unnecessary expenses.
The Ergonomic Advantages of Stocking the Linde MH Order Picker in Your Operation
Finding long-term solutions designed to support your industrial athletes, including the technology to help improve their output and your operations, is critical to ensure a thriving business. And focusing on equipment that is comfortable and secure will keep your operators focused and performing at peak levels.
The Linde Material Handling Order Picker is designed around your industrial athletes to give them the tools they need to succeed. The operator’s panel is adjustable to meet the needs of your labor force, so they’re not struggling with how they can engage the controls. And equally as important is the speed control that incorporates large muscle movements instead of small movements that are commonly associated with the wrist or a motorcycle-type grip typical of carpal tunnel syndrome. This movement enables the operator to move their whole hand forward instead of using a twisting motion while their hand is on the control.
Keeping your operators comfortable also requires innovations that work in unison for overall confidence. The ergonomic hand-control sensors are sensors located in the handle that prevents the truck from operating unless the truck knows your operator has a grip on the handle. The multi-function control handle is stationary, allowing a solid four-point stance position in the operator compartment using a thumb tiller to travel. These features ensure that your operators are secure and confident while operating the truck.
Increase your ROI by Investing in Your Industrial Athletes
Your industrial athletes need to be happy and confident while transporting products to keep your operation productive and protect your bottom line. That means avoiding lost-time incidents and employee turnover due to fatigued drivers from poor positioning and work stress. The deliberate ergonomic design of the Linde Material Handling Order Picker reduces injuries by arming your operators with advanced ergonomic features to enhance throughput and efficiency, keeping your industrial athletes working by keeping them confident.
