Lifting Systems – more than a crane – custom material handling solutions

Material Handling Systems Improve Health and Productivity

Heavy-duty cranes, overhead cranes, jib cranes,
and other material handling solutions.

Overhead crane systems and material handling solutions can significantly increase the productivity, efficiency, and safety of your industrial workplace. As a crane dealer and solutions provider, Acculift can design a custom ergonomic solution for your specific application to effectively address your material lifting needs.

But what is ergonomics in the workplace? And how does it apply to material moving equipment?

Generally, crane companies think of ergonomics in the workplace as the science of designing work to fit the capabilities of workers in a safe manner. As an example, chairs and desks are positioned at computer workstations to avoid stress injuries. In industrial settings, it takes on a broader meaning and has safety and comfort of the operator at its core. To Acculift, this means operator-assisted lifting beyond vertical load lift. Essentially, remove the lift from the operator, and have them guide the load naturally without effort. Removing the lift from the work to be done vastly reduces the chance of injury or breakage.

Lifting equipment that enables the worker to handle and move the material with little effort, in a comfortable manner, such as lift tables, load balancers, overhead cranes, vacuum lifters, workstation cranes, etc. In combination, these devices form a solution custom-designed specifically for the material handling needs of that workspace. Eliminating the lift for the operator so they can get on with the work.

Preventing Ergonomic Injuries

Contrasted with workplace accidents that result in traumatic injury, ergonomic injuries tend to develop over a longer-term, as a result of prolonged job characteristics that result in musculoskeletal disorders. Such disorders include low back pain (related to manual lifting), cumulative trauma disorder to tendons (such as tendinitis and bursitis) or nerve disorder conditions (such as neuritis and carpal tunnel syndrome). Low back pain injuries are generally attributed to manual handling of objects, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, bending, reaching, and twisting actions. On the other hand, cumulative trauma disorders are attributed to the repetitive handling of tools and other objects. Involving repetitive motions of the upper extremities, these actions result in arm, elbow, shoulder, and hand and wrist injuries. Proper ergonomics seeks to reduce or eliminate the chance of both types of injury in the workplace.

What are intelligent lifting devices? Intelligent lifting devices go one step further than assisting in the vertical load lift. Not only do these systems remove the physical aspect of lifting it does so in a manner that is more intuitive, reactive, and more responsive for better load control by the operator. It provides a “feel” to the operator so they can understand the mechanics of the load and respond accordingly. Intelligent lifting devices fill the void between traditional lifting devices and completely automated robotic solutions. They enable operators to lift and manoeuvre naturally, as if the devices were an extension of their arms, and provide a combination of pinpoint precision and quickness of handling. It’s not intuitive to think in this manner but large heavy loads require finesse and delicate touch while handling to avoid damage. Intelligent lifting devices do this and can greatly reduce damage and increase profitability and so can electric chain hoists if configured properly.

You can read more about a specific example of intelligent lifting devices in action in this case study.

The answer for enlightened crane companies is clear: an ergonomic focused lifting plan and program makes good business sense, in terms of improved productivity, better product quality, and decreased costs of compensation claims and other related injury costs.