Benefits of WORKMATES Lifting Equipment

WORKMATES lifting equipment helps decrease the risk of workplace injuries and reduces lost time. This results in a higher productivity rate and better staff morale.

Manual material handling increases the likelihood of back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders, which result in compensation costs and work loss. This equipment can prevent these problems, as well as make the job easier for employees.

Ergonomic

When workers use ergonomic equipment to perform lifting tasks they reduce the need for bending, reaching and other motions that increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs are conditions or injuries caused by repetitive movements that put strain on muscles, ligaments, tendons and/or vertebrae. This can lead to discomfort and even chronic pain.

These types of injuries can cost your facility money due to lost productivity, medical expenses, and worker’s comp claims. A study by Studocu found that ergonomic lifting systems significantly decrease the effort needed to lift, pull or push materials. This results in more productive work and higher quality products.

With a WORKMATES lifting solution, you can help your employees avoid injury. Employees that experience discomfort at the end of a shift won’t be as efficient. They may even miss work due to illness or other issues that can affect their morale and productivity.

In the long run, the investment in a WORKMATES lift assist device will pay off in terms of reduced employee absences and lower costs. The company also sees a boost in morale and lower turnover rates due to the fact that employees no longer leave work exhausted.

Safety

For all the benefits lifting equipment can bring to a workplace, it is important to ensure WORKMATES lifting equipment safety procedures are followed correctly. This includes proper use, inspection, training and regularly replacing any parts that show signs of wear or damage.

Depending on the work environment, employees must have access to a range of personal protective equipment including hard hats and heavy-duty gloves. A thorough risk assessment should be conducted before each lifting operation to identify potential hazards, evaluate their severity and determine the necessary controls. It should also be confirmed that each employee is fully trained on the equipment they are using and receives regular prompting through safety signage to ensure all safe working practices are being adhered to.

In addition to these precautions, employees should plan and prepare each lift before executing it. This includes ensuring they are in the right area, that there is no obstructions and that they have a good grip on the load. Any handles or grips on the load should not be slippery and employees should check that they are not exceeding the recommended load weight for the equipment.

This can help prevent the risk of serious injury such as back strain and hernia. Both of which can be caused by improper lifting techniques or excessive physical exertion. For hernias, these can often be repaired with surgery but for strains, the recovery period is usually a lot longer.

Efficiency

Many maintenance departments spend time working on high-rise buildings or other hard-to-reach areas. When lifting assistance equipment is used to perform these tasks, fewer back injuries occur. Owners can save money by reducing legal costs, deductibles and time lost to injury as well as avoid potential worker compensation claims.

Adding raw materials: In cosmetics, food or pharmaceutical manufacturing, products often require large quantities of ingredients to be added. Lifting solutions efficiently help with this process, ensuring that the same pace can be maintained throughout shifts without physical strain for employees. Keeping up productivity also increases cost efficiency. WORKMATES vacuum lifters enable workers to empty 120 heavy bags of flour into a mixing bowl in the same time it takes for two people to do so manually.

Maintenance

As with any material handling equipment, a proactive maintenance plan is essential to preventing issues that can lead to accidents in the workplace. Scheduled inspections identify any potential problems and allow for timely repairs. Regular lubrication helps prevent wear and tear, prolonging the lifespan of your lifting equipment. And promptly repairing or replacing damaged parts keeps your team safe and enhances performance.

Test benches are an excellent tool for evaluating the effectiveness of your lifting equipment. By simulating real-world conditions, they reveal hidden faults and weaknesses that can otherwise cause serious damage or injury.

If a thorough examination shows that an item of equipment is in a dangerous state, it must be removed from service immediately. Your department must have a clear procedure in place for WORKMATES lifting equipment receiving inspection and maintenance reports and taking equipment out of use as required. You can find more information on this subject in the LOLER regulations.