Unfortunately, the days of the fully automated warehouse are not yet upon us. Automation plays a key factor in most modern warehouse facilities these days, but complete automation is not yet a reality. It may arrive sooner than you think – already Amazon is threatening to replace package delivery companies with drones. Who knows what the Internet giant has in store for the future?
So, until the robots fully take over your warehouse operations, you’re ‘stuck’ with human intervention. You can say what you like about your employees – but they’re very useful at moving things from point A to point B, either by hand, or by using material handling equipment. Your warehouse could not operate without the hard work of your employees.
However, your employees can only operate at maximum efficiency if they have the right tools for the job – and when it comes to the movement of items in a warehouse, then you should possess a fleet of hand trucks.
You might feel that hand trucks are a bit of a luxury. Your employees have arms and legs, after all. Sure, it’s hard work shifting items along the workflow of your warehouse production floor, but your workers have to earn their money somehow.
But, what you’re saving on wages, you’re losing in employee productivity, and you are also likely having to contend with the following issues:
- Employee fatigue
- Employee injury
- Employee absences
You wouldn’t expect your automobile to run adequately if its engine consisted of fatigued elements, so how do you expect your warehouse to run efficiently if it’s full of fatigued employees?
The answer to your ailments is at hand – invest in hand trucks!
No Large Scale Warehouse Can Run Efficiently Without a Fleet of Hand Trucks!
If you visited any modern large-scale warehouse, business or print shop, there is one item you would certainly expect to see in abundance – a hand truck, also referred to as a dolly truck. These items are extremely valuable and extraordinarily versatile even though they are designed to only perform one basic function – the transportation of items of various sizes and descriptions. If your company requires the transportation of items from one area of your warehouse to another, or for loading vehicles for delivery, then having a number of well-maintained hand trucks is essential.
How Hand Trucks Can Work for Your Business
There is still some amount of human effort that is required to use a hand truck, of course. Items still need to be loaded onto the toe-plate and then carried to their destination. The beauty of a hand-truck is that the majority of the weight is carried by the wheels, and not by the person doing the pushing! Modern hand trucks come with heavy-duty casters that perform brilliantly, and can safely transport substantial loads over even rough and uneven surfaces.
Hand trucks are readily available in many different designs and styles, and are suitable for a number of different applications. What type of hand truck will suit your business depends upon the task you need your hand truck to perform.
Only Have Basic Needs? Then Only Buy Basic Hand Trucks
The basic design of the hand truck has been around for centuries – they were originally designed to transport cargo at port from boats and ships. You have a frame with two handles, the platform at the bottom (commonly known as the tail plate), and the all-important wheels. Most hand trucks only have two wheels, but some have four, arranged in pairs. Such hand trucks are suitable for heavy-duty applications. You can find hand-trucks in all dimensions – the size of truck you should purchase will be dictated by the size of the objects you need to transport, and how many items you wish to transport at once.
Hand Trucks Can Move Vertically and Horizontally
In best practice, your warehouse should only operate on one level, but sometimes this is not always the case. Often, you will need to transport items to your offices, which typically are on higher floors. If you do not have the luxury of an elevator, then you are faced with the challenge of mounting stairs.
Some Challenges Warehouse Workers May Face
Warehouse operatives will no doubt tell you of the agonies of transporting items upstairs by hand – there is no task more energy-sapping. Even a ‘basic’ hand-truck is only a slight help in this matter as it’s designed to move horizontally, and not vertically.
Happily, a Solution is at Hand
You can acquire special stair mounting hand trucks that have three small wheels at either side of the axle at the back of the toe-plate. These wheels are mounted on a separate spindle, around which the entire assembly can rotate. This means that when you’re moving items up stairs, the wheels take the brunt of the load, turning easily around that central spindle. Such stair-climbing trucks are just as useful as normally-performing hand trucks, as when they are in a level position only two of the three wheels are in contact with the ground. A stair-mounting hand truck really is a great all-round tool to have, but is especially useful if your warehouse staff have to take items up and down stairs on a frequent basis.
Folding Hand Trucks at Your Service
Hand trucks can take up space when they are not in use, and space is at a premium if you are only in possession of a smaller warehouse. The solution to this is also at hand – a folding hand truck. With these items, both the wheels and the toe plate fold away when the truck is not in use, meaning it becomes completely flat. This makes storage much less of a problem. As an additional benefit, drivers can take folding hand trucks with them when they are delivering, and can use them to make deliveries at their destination.
To learn more about hand trucks, or to find out about any other type of material handling equipment, contact Douglas Equipment today. We can be reached at 800-451-0030 (305-888-3700 if you are in the Miami area), or you can contact us via our contact form
