Dealer Storage Tips

Objective Observation Turns up Operational Efficiencies
Ever notice something “new” about an office building you’ve seen thousands of times on your commute in? Was it the new car in the parking lot, a different sign on the building, or the way folks access the property from the Interstate?

Want to bet how many times you walk by what may appear to be an obvious aspect of your parts and service area operations without even noticing that “one-thing” that may mean a big change? The change may be a safety issue, a way to cut cost or improve efficiencies. Why not invite a storage and material handling expert to conduct an objective facility assessment? If you do here’s what you can expect.

Before we step into your back room we’ll conduct a client interview. We will listen as you describe your present system: how material is received, processed for storage, pulled for use within the facility and finally shipped.

Next we’ll address your goals. What is causing your distress? What would you like to accomplish but don’t know how to accomplish it? What ideas do you have that you are considering or have seen elsewhere? What if anything is management forecasting as far as growth, storage mix, new processes or eliminating processes? Armed with this information we’ll venture out.

The on-site assessment consists of two elements:

Information Collection

1. Understand the storage medium (pallets, gaylords, cartons, bags, drums, odd sized items, etc.)
   
   
2. Determine what equipment if any is being used to move product through the facility (fork lift, conveyor, pallet jack, etc.).
   
   
3. Understand the frequency of product changes that occur in a given period.
   
   
4. Determine causes of product changes: seasonal or market fluctuations, customer demands, and supplier restrictions.
   
   
5. Determine frequency and type of work-related accidents.
   
   

   On-site Observation.

   We’ll spend time observing the operation at different times of the work-day to see how things are handled presently.

   After determining a number of recommendations we usually will ask for a meeting with you along with building operational managers. Many times this process identifies management priorities not yet realized or verbalized. Contact us for a complimentary facility assessment.

You Do That?

Solve Storage Dilemmas
Storage Opportunity:

My current parts room is at capacity and additional storage space is required to accommodate a major increase in inventoried parts. Our existing shelving is 15 years old and it has evolved into a challenging maze with little thought to uniformity, flexibility, or proper workflow. With ample ceiling height, it appears we are wasting valuable space in this area. We're trapped and being held hostage by our own shelving...can you help?

EQUIPTO Solution:

Absolutely...EQUIPTO's free standing post supported Mezzanine over the top of your current shelving would be the obvious answer, however it does not address your current shelving layout and work flows. We would suggest a new and more user friendly layout of EQUIPTO's V-Grip Shelving with wide drawers and accessories to increase your storage capacity and traffic flow. EQUIPTO's V-Grip Shelving then becomes a foundation to support a Deck-Over design which doubles your storage space. Complete with several choices of floor grating, safety rails, drop gate, and stairway, this upper level can instantly accommodate your existing shelving or you can add new storage systems from EQUIPTO.

EQUIPTO - providing customers with: "One Decision - Infinite Solutions!".

Ergonomic Best Practices

Material Handling - Do's and Don'ts
Many employees in the industry spend significant amounts of time loading and unloading items and lifting heavy materials. This manual handling, and the twisting and turning that occur when they perform these tasks, can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) or cumulative disorders (CTDs), such as injuries to the back, shoulder and neck. The cumulative effect of even minor injuries of this nature can become more pronounced over time. Standing on hard surfaces for long periods of time can also lead to injuries, all of which can result in serious medical claims and lost productivity for employers.

CTD and MSD disorders can take a major toll on the body, causing pain and suffering for the employee and having a significant impact on your company's business. In 2003, the average medical claim associated with a CTD was more than $43,000 according to MostChoice.com. And that doesn't include the hidden costs of lost productivity when an employee is disabled or the cost of hiring and training a replacement worker.

Simple Ways to Help Protect Your Employees - and Your Balance Sheet

Here are other actions your company can consider to help protect your staff and your balance sheet:

1. Stress the importance of good posture whether standing, sitting or walking.
2. Keep workspaces free of clutter. Cluttered areas can cause awkward positions that make handling tasks more difficult. Remove obstacles, such as pallets of paper, which your staff could trip over or reach over unnecessarily during normal work activities.
3. Use proper lifting techniques (see Proper Lifting Techniques chart) that can make a job easier
4. Follow common sense measure to prevent injuries. Adjust the height and location of printing presses and work spaces, see what other equipment is available, and take advantage of training.
5. Appoint someone on your staff to take responsibility for safety issues. Have this person research ergonomics best practices, review resources provided by your workers' compensation insurance company, train employees, and make changes to workspaces as needed.

Interested in having your own lifting guide? Download one here.