Now that cars are lighter, smaller and have better fuel efficiency, the US Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency are now turning their attention to trucks that haul freight. Last week, the two agencies called for tougher fuel efficiency standards on medium and heavy-duty vehicles to be built between 2021 and 2027, including … Read more
Every business has a trash area that includes, at the very least, a dumpster. Managing your trash area is important because it could potentially be one of the most dangerous areas of your facility — not to mention the smelliest! Trash comes in many different forms: There are liquid wastes, paper, solids and industrial byproducts. … Read more
(Editor’s Note: In today’s Thursday Feature, we examine a potential danger that crops up every year about this time: Heat illness and heat stroke.) Each year, thousand of workers are overcome by excessive heat while working outdoors under the scorching sun. Many even die. But heat illness is entirely preventable if you know the signs … Read more
The latest generation of cargo container ships are monstrously sized and capable of carrying double, triple or even quadruple the number of cargo containers that older ships can accommodate. And officials at the Port of Oakland — the West Coast’s third largest cargo gateway — say they are ready, willing and able to handle these … Read more
Last week, hackers linked to China were reportedly responsible for a cyber attack that resulted in private information about every federal employee to be stolen. Now a Danish research company is claiming that there is compelling evidence that a similar attack on nation’s port system could be next. And if it happens, it could have … Read more
In my last two blogs I discussed the general topic of picking and went into some detail about piece picking. In Part III of the series on Picking I will go into detail about the method of Case Picking. Case Picking is collecting full cartons or boxes of product on to a pallet. So if … Read more
(Editor’s Note: In this week’s Thursday Feature, we take a closer look at one of the most common types of personal protective equipment: The respirator) Respirators are protective devices that cover the nose and mouth or the entire face or head in order to protect against gasses, dirty air, or other atmospheric dangers. There are … Read more
In the wake of a disruptive labor dispute at West Coast ports, Senate Republicans have introduced a bill that would give state governors the ability to end labor disputes involving US ports. In February, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents the owners of ports up and down the … Read more
Warehouses are used to store all sorts of products. That can include massive equipment used by manufacturing plants; small items like nuts and bolts usually sold by hardware stores; clothes, generally sold by retail stores; and more. The product sold is going to influence the way a warehouse is operated and what methods are used … Read more
(Editor’s Note: In today’s Thursday Feature, we take a closer look at one of the most common and frequently used tools in any material handling operation … the ladder.) We use ladders so often that we tend to take them for granted. But when you are in need of a ladder and don’t have one … Read more
