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Atlet News & Stories is the place for up to date material handling news and knowledge. Here you’ll find articles about Atlet, trucks, material handling companies and lots more. For press material, please visit our press room.
Do you work in front of a computer? If so, try to imagine that you are left-handed, but must use the mouse on the right and that there's no support for your arms. Picture the screen left of shoulder, and you must to turn your head in order to read this. How does that feel? That's how forklift truck operators have been working for years, several hours a day – until Atlet invented the mini steering wheel.
Atlet's mini steering wheel prevent forklift operators from developing strain injuries. It also enables lift truck operators to recover from sick leave to return back to work. How does the mini steering wheel help? Atlet has added a movable arm rest, moved the steering wheel closer to the body and made it small and easy to manuever, similar to a computer mouse.
The steering wheel of a forklift is subjected to thousands of turns ever day. The old large wheel design and positioning meant that operators' shoulders, necks and wrists were exposed to considerable strain. In reach trucks and sit-on stackers, moreover, the operator sits at a 90-degree angle to the direction of driving, which creates even more strain.
A forklift operator's daily routine is physically demanding. What Atlet has designed is the best ergonomic solution possible, so that forklift operators can do their work efficiently without harm to the body.
The mini steering wheel enables more natural movements, while reducing the strain on the body. The operator's arm is constantly supported, the wrist is kept straight, and the hand rests gently above the steering wheel. Turning the head to the side is easier too.
The mini steering wheel was invented back in the 1980s. With the help of physicians and occupational therapists, Atlet developed ways to reduce the strain on forklift operators. The result was a completely new forklift model – Tergo®. That model is no longer manufactured, but the mini steering wheel lives on as an ergonomic success in Atlet's reach trucks and sit-on stackers.
Mark Rayos , Inside Sales
Autoliv has been developing safety for motorists for more than 50 years. It all started with seat belts. Now the company also develops and manufactures airbags, whiplash protection, integrated child seats, control systems for airbags, and more. But how important is safety in the company's in-house work?
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Autoliv innovations and products have been protecting motorists since the 1950s. Safety is also at the heart of what the company does in-house - to safeguard deliveries in a tight production chain, and also to protect its staff.
When you have safety as a business concept, perhaps it is not that unusual to develop a tradition of prioritizing the work environment and keeping work-related injuries to a minimum. – "Quite simply, how we view people is important. People are a crucial factor in our development and success," says Erik Tönsgård, Group Head for logistics development at Autoliv.
Autoliv has an active safety committee, and safety representatives who have a part to play in important decisions. No matter what the issue - procurement of equipment, rearrangement of flows or layout changes in the warehouse - all decisions are made with stringent work environment requirements in mind. These are deliberate measures that pay off, including when it comes to Swedish Work Environment Authority audits.
For Autoliv, safety is also part of guaranteeing production and deliveries. The company has a tight production chain with lots of goods passing through, short lead times and daily deliveries. What is completed today has to be sent out tomorrow.
- "If anything goes down, production will stop within the hour"
These tight tolerances make materials handling a critical function at Autoliv. - "If anything goes down, production will stop within the hour," says Erik Tönsgård.
About a decade ago, this created a major logistical challenge for Autoliv. At that time, the company had an automated system with narrow aisle trucks, a kind of hoisting crane on rails which could not be moved or modified. This was a risk factor when it came to delivery reliability.
Autoliv collaborated with Atlet to come up with a more flexible solution, with free-moving sit-on stackers. These could be moved around between various applications as required, and their design was adapted to suit Autoliv's own specific requirements.
First of all, Autoliv needed trucks which could travel particularly quickly on antistatic flooring. They were also customised to allow faster, easier battery changes. Finally, the sit-on stackers were also fitted with special seats which were designed to provide the right ergonomic conditions for long periods of use.
The sit-on stackers selected also included a unique innovation from Atlet, S3, which prevents the stackers from overturning. The technical solution adapts the speed automatically according to the angle of the steering light, and the height and weight of the load. This ensures that the stacker moves at the right speed while maintaining maximum safety.
The main feature of the company's partnership with Atlet is personal relations. For example, Atlet service engineer Anders Benjaminsson is a key person in Autoliv's operations.
"Anders knows everyone here and is very familiar with what we do. He knows what demands we face in terms of tight lead times and so forth."
"We have been working with Anders for as long as I have been at Autoliv, so for at least five years. He knows everyone here and is very familiar with what we do. He knows what demands we face in terms of tight lead times and so forth. He gives us great help fast if any problems arise," explains Erik Tönsgård.
Nils Engelbrektson from Atlet is another valuable resource for Autoliv. He acts as a sounding board and as a source of knowledge and new approaches. "When we were renovating the warehouse a couple of years ago, we were able to discuss appropriate walkway widths with Nils in relation to the spaces for pallets so that we could use the available space as effectively as possible. We have also been able to ask for his advice with regard to driving licences for various types of trucks," says Erik Tönsgård.
These good relations create security and continuity, all helping to ensure that Autoliv is able to maintain high levels of delivery precision and reliability.
Would you also like a personal partner who can advise you on your materials handling? Contact your local Atlet representative.
Mark Rayos , Inside Sales
During the last few years, Lindab in Grevie, Sweden has improved safety in their goods handling processes (to employees and equipment). The annual costs of damages to their automated lift trucks have been reduced by a total of 73 percent!
- "Safety for our staff was our primary concern. That led to cost savings was a bonus", comments Tony Ivarsson, truck manager.
Lindab Ventilation in Grevie, Sweden has had a rental and service plan with Atlet for many years. When they wanted to improve safety in their goods handling processes, the obvious first step was to complete a risk assessment.
- "When you see something everyday you sometimes don't notice the details. That’s when you need new eyes to help you see things more clearly", comments Tony Ivarsson, truck manager at Lindab Ventilation (who also is in charge of lift truck management for the whole Lindab group).
The risk assessment performed by Atlet, proved that significant improvements could be achieved with a few simple changes. For example, staff no longer had to work in tight spaces with large forklifts. Electric walkie pallet trucks are used in tight areas since they're small, easy to use and access.
These changes resulted in less collisions and a larger production area at Lindab. The repair costs for automated trucks alone have been reduced by 73%, from 210,000 to 57,000 SEK.
As part of the safety improvement project, Atlet held team leader courses focusing on responsibility and safety.
- The trainer was very knowledgeable, and the Atlet team leaders added value to trainees with their in depth experience on safety and responsibility. "Trainees enjoyed the learning experience and earning their forklift driving permits", comments Magnus Grönborg, factory manager at Lindab Ventilation in Grevie.
In addition, Tony Ivarsson has completed Atlet’s instructor training course and is now qualified to train lift truck drivers within the company.
In addition to improving safety, Atlet also helped Lindab increase efficiency and capacity. Lindab learned how smart changes can create significant improvements to their operations.
- "Atlet’s tools for storage analysis are excellent and they’re good at using them", says Magnus Grönborg.
One of the changes Atlet suggested was to use order picking trucks instead of sit-on stacker trucks. By using lift trucks specifically designed for picking the entire chain can become more efficient.
Atlet is not only a forklift supplier for Lindab, but also a trusted partner.
- "We understand that a valuable partner could improve efficiency in our warehouse. Even if improvements reduce revenues in the short term, significant improvements in efficiencies means long term savings", says Magnus Grönborg.
The collaboration with Atlet has led to a more reliable number of lift trucks and better customer satisfaction. This is a critical factor for Lindab’s operations.
– "If a customer has rented an expensive crane to lift our products to the seventeenth floor, they can’t wait for a delayed shipment to arrive. The smallest delay may cause great inconvenience. If the lift trucks don’t work, nothing works", says Magnus Grönborg.
Lindab is an international organization that develops, produces, markets, and distributes sheet metal and metal products and solutions in order to simplify construction and improve indoor climates within its business areas of Ventilation and Profile.
Mark Rayos , Inside Sales
Good ergonomics are a requirement for a safe and profitable material handling operations. Apart from the proper work environment you are required by law to provide, there are also additional benefits to be gained. Safety and ergonomics are prerequisites for efficiency, up-time, reduced costs and a good working environment. How can you achieve this? Start by demanding proper ergonomics from your supplier.
Ask your supplier to deliver quality ergonomics! Suppliers should possess expertise in materials handling. Their advice and training can help you better bear your responsibility as an employer, keeping you away from costly injuries, product damage and worker compensation claims.
As an employer/ manager you are responsible for safety and ergonomics, both legally, to your staff and upper management. What are the working conditions like and what are the risks that may lurk about? How can you improve the work environment to create a more satisfying and productive work environment?
You are an expert at your operations? Is your forklift supplier an expert at materials handling? Are they knowledgeable when it comes to logistics, risk assessment, and ergonomics?
When working with suppliers, it is best that they can envision the big picture with their clients; from daily tasks on the shop floor to long-term results. Good suppliers should be able to give you total costs of the entire project scope. An example is that they can provide costs related to worker injuries, longer pick paths, and reduced productivity.
Atlet News has outlined five requirements for ergonomics resulting in increased productivity. Use this guide to ensure you are maximizing the benefits you can gain from your supplier.
Ergonomics is key to a smarter, healthier and more productive warehouse operations. We use science to design Atlet lift trucks to not only fit the user, but to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which will reduce long-term disability and costly worker compensation claims. Atlet has focused on ergonomics to improve warehouse productivity over the last 50-years of our history and our long list of satisfied customers prove it.
If there's one thing worse than poor quality, it's when someone tries to hide their shortcomings. You should demand clear and honest information on the ergonomic features of the equipment, including possible weak points. Once you are well-informed on both the strengths and weaknesses of the lift truck, you can then make the right decision.
A good forklift supplier should have considerable experience in after-sales support, provide clear operating instructions, and offer driver training courses. At Atlet, we provide the best practices in forklift training, from introduction to ergonomics and health; ensuring that our customers get the best results from productivity and employee satisfaction.
You should expect honest information on potential risks associated with material handling. Forklift suppliers should assess any potential risks involved at the customer's facility. This professional risk assessment should be done long before ordering lift trucks. Atlet works hard at first understanding your business and operational needs before providing a solution. Because we pride in what we do, we do not want to sell lift trucks to a customer that first needs to properly set up their warehouse for optimal performance by reducing potential risks.
Once a risk assessment of your warehouse has been completed by your forklift supplier, they should provide recommendations to optimize your materials handling operations. Based on your situation, the supplier should help you optimize the ergonomics, warehouse layout, systems and forklift truck fleet. Atlet not only has the experience and know-how, but has the history of working and collaborating with customers and sophisticated tools to improve ergonomics for optimal warehouse productivity.
Would you like to see if Atlet is a quality supplier? You're welcome to contact us with any questions or comments about our products, services!
Mark Rayos , Inside Sales
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For optimal productivity and results, you know that you need the right equipment, routines and knowledge. Along with employees and supervisors, you are aware that ergonomics should be part of your operations to avoid strain injuries and worker comp claims, but sometimes you're too busy keeping your operations running at optimal levels.
Stress is a well-known risk to health. Many of us have experienced stress-related worry and pain. In the long run, stress can lead to illnesses such as depression, cardiovascular diseases and even thyroid gland disorders.
Additionally, stress can also indirectly cause problems in the warehouse operations. Hasty decisions and lack of planning affect the safety and ergonomics in everyday work.
Sometimes you buy or rent the cheapest or most available forklift and don't have the time or resources to optimize the space and layout of your warehouse. Your staff may not have time to stretch or rest strained muscles and joints.
So how can you ensure proper ergonomics and a healthy workplace when everyone is short on time and it's hard to see past the urgent matters everyone is busy with?
One first step is to be aware of what works and what doesn't. Here are some practical things to consider:
– Do the forklifts allow for your team to work smarter?
– Does the allotted time frame make it possible to work safely and ergonomically?
– Do your employees feel that they have power over their work situation?
– Are the staff aware of their bodies so they are in the correct working position?
– Is there enough physical space to work safely and ergonomically?
– Is the temperature and ventilation of the facility conducive to a healthy work environment?
– Do employees have sufficient knowledge, experience, and strength to work safely and ergonomically?
– Do employees work in proper working clothes and shoes?
– Is it easy to handle goods that must be manually lifted?
– Is the ground level and even?
– Is there enough time to complete precision work?
– Is the work environment free from disruption so that workers can concentrate on their tasks?
– Are the tools and equipment suitably designed and chosen for each task?
The key is to enable successful interaction between the individual's physical and mental prerequisites and the intended activity. After all, it is us humans that steer technology, and not vice versa.
Mark Rayos , Inside Sales
