Safety in the workplace is not something that just happens; it is planned, implemented and practiced every day and covers a lot of territory. Two areas in the warehouse that are extremely vulnerable to accidents – rack systems and blind corner intersections.

One thing you’re sure to see in every warehouse is racking. Rack systems are the backbone of warehouse storage and fundamental to daily operations. They’re also vulnerable to damage; even collapse. They need to be protected.

Here’s the thing. Rack systems are made from many parts that together make a strong structure capable of holding thousands of pounds of materials. But, if any one of those components is damaged, the safety factor is compromised. Go beyond a certain point and the rack collapses. It’s a little like the human skeleton that supports the body – break even one bone and it’s painful.

Any guesses on the number one reason rack systems fail? Forklift damage. Ninety percent of rack failure is damage from forklifts with the most damage occurring between the floor and the first horizontal beam. End frames and corner uprights are most vulnerable because forklift drivers “turn into” the bottom of the racking system when they come around a corner when entering or leaving an aisle. Rack protection minimizes rack damage and helps preserve the structural integrity of the rack.

Rack Sentry and Rack Sentry CONTOUR rack protectors feature a patented air chamber that absorbs the impact force and deflects energy away from the rack. Exclusive to Sentry products, the air chamber acts like a mini-air bag that absorbs repeated impacts without being damaged beyond its effectiveness. At 18 inches tall, these rack protectors attach to the uprights with hook and loop straps and are easily removable for rack inspections. With a variety of sizes and configurations, Rack Sentry and Rack Sentry CONTOUR protect at all angles and fit rack uprights three inches to 4.75 inches wide and are the only brands featuring the exclusive cut-out.

Speaking of forklifts coming around the corner. What about blind corner intersections? When you can’t see around the corner to see if anything is coming up the aisle, that’s dangerous.

Collision Sentry makes it less dangerous by “seeing” around corners where drivers and pedestrians can’t. So how does it work? Mounted to the rack using integrated magnet mounts, Collision Sentry sends a synced visual and audio warning only when motion is detected on both sides of a blind corner. That’s when conditions for a possible accident are created. And, the warning is sent in plenty of time to take corrective action.

What sets Collision Sentry apart from other warning systems? First, it’s self-powered so there’s no costly hard wiring or additional electric needed. Just snap it to the rack, pull the tab to activate the batteries and it’s ready to go. It’s portable, compact and lightweight, with a low-battery indicator. The lights are positioned for maximum visibility and sound is adjustable. The Collision Sentry is highly visible and reliable when it comes to making blind corner intersections safer.

Think about it. Safety is far too important to be an afterthought. Be proactive and be prepared.

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What is a forklift battery?

A forklift battery actually has two functions:

• The first function is to provide a power source to the forklift.
• The second, and lesser known function, is to provide mass as a counterweight, which aids the forklift’s lifting capacity.

An industrial forklift battery is typically comprised of the following components:

1. Battery case.The battery case houses the battery’s individual cells. The number of cells can range from six to 36, depending on the voltage. Voltage is usually 12, 24, 36 or 48 volts.
2. Battery cells.The battery cells are essentially small, self-contained individual batteries made up of a series of tightly-stacked lead plates filled with sulfuric acid.
3. Battery bars.The battery bars are large lead bars that link the individual cells, creating a complete circuit.
4. Battery cables.These cables can vary in size from 4-gauge wire, which is roughly the diameter of a pencil, all the way up to 4/0 cable that can be more than an inch in diameter. Stout wiring is required in order to handle the high amperage some batteries can generate. Some batteries can have an amp hour rating of as much as 1,200 amps. A typical arc welder needs only 250-300 amps to melt and weld thick steel. You can see why large cables are critical to the operation.

What does a forklift battery cost?

Forklift batteries cost between $2,000 and $6,000 depending on specs and size. When selecting a battery, be sure to answer the following questions:

1. What is the vehicle voltage or number of cells in the battery?
2. Does the truck require an EE or EX battery?
3. What is the compartment size of the truck?
4. Is the truck compartment covered or does the battery require a cover?
5. What kind of charging connector is used on the truck?
6. What position on the battery do you wish the battery cables to come off the tray?

Can I buy a used forklift battery?

Used forklift batteries usually cost around $1,500 to $3,500. You can buy used industrial batteries through a local material handling or battery dealer. Used batteries go through rigorous testing and maintenance before being sold. This ensures the battery to work at maximum capacity by being cleaned, equalized and filled with fresh acid.

What is a forklift battery charger?

The industrial charger is responsible for charging the forklift battery as quickly as possible without shortening the battery’s lifespan due to overheating and overcharging. Before the advent of the current generation of forklift battery chargers, the operator was responsible for setting the desired voltage and amperage for charging the battery, thus opening the door for human error and damage. Today’s industrial charger contains a complex network of cards and sensors that effectively remove the human from the equation. Today, chargers have preset parameters that protect the battery from overcharging and damage. These preset parameters will actually stop charging and display error codes if there is a problem with the battery instead of pumping the battery full of power until it either boils over, or in worst case scenario, catches fire.

There is a myriad of choices as for industrial chargers from small portable chargers that plug into any wall socket, to large wall mounted units that require large amperage capacities with dedicated wiring. Current chargers allow the user to custom tune a specific charge cycle. This customization allows you to control everything from the amount of voltage, amperage, charging time, and even the fill rate over a given time span. These controls allow you greater flexibility in charging, as well as longer battery life and performance.

Modern industrial chargers might contain the following components:

1. The charger case, which houses all of the internal components of the charger.
2. Circuit cards, large capacitors, and very large transformers sometimes weighing 100 pounds each. Sometimes, as many as four transformers can be found in some chargers and diodes. These transformers are responsible for transforming AC electricity into DC electricity.
3. A digital display shows the operator the vital statistics of the battery, the selected charge cycle, and its status.
4. The charger cable, and heavy gauge cables, which transfer the high amp loads and voltage to the battery.

What does a forklift battery charger cost?

Forklift battery chargers’ range in cost from $500 for a portable charger that will plug into a standard 120-volt AC outlet, up to about $3,000 for a charger that must be wired into to the building’s electrical system by a licensed electrician. The price varies depending on specifics of the charger.

Can I buy a used forklift battery charger?

Used forklift battery chargers are available and are generally priced about 40-60 percent less than a new forklift battery charger.

Can I rent a forklift battery and charger?

Forklift batteries and chargers are available to rent together or separately. Prices depend on battery weight, battery specifications, and desired charger specs. When renting a forklift battery, see” What does a forklift battery charger cost?” earlier in this article.

When renting, or purchasing, a forklift battery charger, ask the following questions:

1. What is the voltage of the battery that you want to charge? The voltage of your battery must match the charger voltage.
2. What phase of electricity (1 PHS or 3 PHS)?
3. What is the battery AH (amp hours) rating?
4. What is the line voltage at the location at which the forklift battery charger will be used? The charger and line voltage must match.
5. Will the battery charger be stored in a freezer or cold storage? Batteries should not be charged below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is a forklift battery changer?

A forklift battery changer is a mechanical device that assists in the safe removal and installation of electric forklift batteries, which typically weigh from 800 pounds to as much as 4,000 pounds.

Some forklift battery chargers are on wheels and are manually moved by the operator. Some changers are attached to a powered piece of equipment and driven by the operator. Lastly, some forklift battery chargers are fixed fixtures, meaning the forklift is driven up to the charger. The operator then extracts the battery, positions it to be charged in a holding rack, removes the charged battery from the holding rack, and then installs it in the forklift.

What is battery monitoring?

Battery monitoring is the act of monitoring an industrial battery. This can include monitoring water levels, amp hours, temperatures, electrolytes and voltage imbalances. There are two main ways to monitor a forklift battery.

Battery Monitoring Devices. It is important to note that the way batteries are charged and discharged affects your warehouse productivity. Batteries need to be charged and discharged properly in order to maintain their full available capacity. Improperly discharged batteries can lead to more battery replacements and the battery will not be able to run at full performance.

Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation offers battery monitoring device called iBattery. This device is attached to the truck and provides the following information for the operator:

• Battery temperature, water levels, charge intervals and state of charge
• Low water levels
• Battery temperature conditions, weight and overcharges
• Maintenance alerts
• Undersized battery alerts

The information gathered by iBattery can be viewed on your computer, tablet or smart phone. Some of the benefits of using a battery monitoring include decreased cost of ownership, optimized efficiency, increased productivity and assurance with warranty requirements.

Battery Water Monitors. This is a device that monitors the battery’s water level (also known as its electrolyte) and alerts the operator know when the battery needs watering. An LED light is placed on top of the battery and will blink green when electrolyte levels are okay and blink red when the battery needs watering. LED light colors can differ, but these are their usual colors.

If batteries are watered too frequently, an electrolyte boil-over can occur. This reduces battery capacity by 3 percent each time electrolytes spill over. If batteries are watered infrequently, permanent damage can be done to both the lift truck and battery. Battery water monitors can eliminate scheduled weekly inspections since the monitor simply alerts the operator when the battery needs water.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE BATTERIES, CHARGERS & ACCESSORIES

Related content: Forklift Battery FAQ: Maintenance and Care

The New Year is here, and we know that you are most likely doing everything you can to get your warehouse into tip-top shape. When it comes to managing a manufacturing or distribution operation, making sure your warehouse is in the right order and your processes and technology solutions are working correctly at the start of a new year is extremely important. How you begin the new year can be a strong indicator for how the rest of the year is going to go, so make sure that you are not ill-prepared for the new challenges the year will bring.

Organize your warehouse (even if you think it doesn’t need it). Organization is key to productivity. If your workers are walking around the warehouse looking for an item, you are wasting valuable time and money. It’s always a good idea to reexamine your warehouse organization and evaluate what’s working and what is not. Create a simple and specific system for organizing all of the products in your warehouse, making sure to keep high volume items front and center.

One of the most effective ways to reduce risk hazards in a warehouse is to initiate a comprehensive 5S program.  When properly performed, these steps: Sort, Set-in-Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain, will go a long way in keeping your area free of unnecessary items.  A clean, clutter free workplace will naturally reduce risks, improve quality, and boost morale.  

After being in this business for over 30 years, we’ve learned a thing or two about warehouse management. In order to help you prepare your warehouse for the new year, we’ve put together a few tips to get your affairs in order. Keep the following tips in mind as you look at improving your warehouse management situation.

5 Products to Prep Your Warehouse for the New Year

Storage Bins:  The many different storage bin colors, options, and sizes can help you organize your warehouse based on your particular needs. The different sizes allow you to choose the particular bin measurements that best fit the shelving. Also, a wide variety of available bin sizes allows you to choose bins to fit the items you want to store.

CLICK PHOTO TO BUY NOW!

Tables & Picking Carts: Picking can be one of the biggest time-wasting activities in the warehouse, especially if you are still using manual processes. Even one manual task can slow the process down and impact your entire productivity. This custom-made picking cage is specially designed to fit on an Orderpicker, including Raymond Orderpickers!  It is designed to be a durable mobile cart that can be secured to an Orderpicker or rolled around on the ground that also keeps product organized and secure with its multiple shelf design.

CLICK PHOTO TO BUY NOW!

Safety Floor Tape: Stop wasting time and money painting your lines and using thin vinyl floor tapes. Being productive and keeping your warehouse workers safe should be the top priority. These products are also a great way to 5S your warehouse.

 

Pallet Buster/Skid Breaker: Our Pallet Buster gets rid of unusable, broken and unsightly pallets safely and easily. Lightweight and easy to use, the unique dual pronged forks offer leveraged prying action that pulls the nails out with ease. Other uses the Buster can be used for including breaking down Wood Decks or even for Dock Board and Plate removal.

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Warehouse Safety Products:  Safety is #1...from mirrors, to racking and collision prevention products, we have everything you need to keep your workers and products safe. 

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By starting with this checklist, you can transform your warehouse management and already start improving your chances for success in the new year. More often than not, it comes down to having a plan of action and putting that plan into place at the right time.

Visit MaterialsHandlingStore.com for more great products to get your New Year started off right! Call us or email us: 1-844-445-1119 or store@raymondhandling.com

Who Doesn’t Like a Multi-Tasker?

Would you like to save time by capturing the weight of your goods while moving them around your warehouse? If the answer is yes, then we have the product for you!

Introducing the Fairbanks Scales’ Pallet Weigh pallet jack scales that combines the functionality of an extremely rugged pallet jack with the incredible accuracy of a Fairbanks’ scale. The Pallet Weigh scale is for checking incoming goods, shipping weight and general product weighing. This heavy-duty pallet jack scale provides a quick weight capturing method for fast-moving, limited space environments. The Pallet Weigh Plus is easy to maneuver and its safety yellow design reduces accidents. The simple operation keeps work flowing in fast paced environments. The scale meets, or exceeds, industry standards for accuracy, durability and repeatability.

Fairbanks Scales’ Pallet Weigh Pallet Jack Scale:

Fairbanks Scales’ Pallet Weigh pallet jack scale combines the functionality of a rugged pallet jack with the incredible accuracy of a Fairbanks scale. This revolutionary product is easy to maneuver into space-limited areas and its simple operation keeps work flowing in fast-paced environments. Additionally, the Pallet Weigh meets or exceeds industry standards for accuracy, durability and repeatability in non-commercial application.

The Pallet Weigh Plus Pallet Jack Scale:

The easy-to-maneuver Pallet Weigh Plus pallet jack scale is ideal in legal-for-trade pallet weighing applications. It can be used to check the shipping weight of incoming or outgoing goods, to quickly count in-stock parts, and to fulfill general product weighing needs. This heavy-duty pallet jack scale provides a rapid weight capturing method for fast-moving, limited space environments.

Click HERE to view products on our store!

Sincerely,
Megan Davis
www.materialshandlingstore.com
Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation

This year’s online auction runs October 9-17, 2018. 

Announcing the 5th pink pallet jack auction for breast cancer

Building on the popularity and success of RHCC’s Pink Pallet Jack project, Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation will run the event this October 2018 for the fifth time.

This year The Raymond Corporation has painted a beautiful pink 8210 walkie pallet truck with gray covers. RHCC will auction it off starting Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. The auction will end on October 17, 2018, at 9 a.m. PST.

All proceeds from the auction will be donated to The Tina Turner Memorial Fund in Greene, NY and HERS Breast Cancer Foundation in Fremont, CA.

The 8210 Raymond AC walkie pallet truck was released by the Raymond Corporation in 2015 and is the perfect lift truck when you need to navigate tight spaces. It is an ideal option for grocery and retail stores as well as dock-to-stock applications.

The origin of the Pink Pallet Jack Project

In September 2014, Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation held its first annual Pink Pallet Jack Project. We painted a 102XM walkie pallet jack pink and auctioned it off on eBay for breast cancer awareness.

All proceeds from the lift truck were donated to The Tina Turner Memorial Foundation, part of the Community Foundation in Greene NY, and HERS Breast Cancer Foundation in Fremont, CA.

J&K Trucking out of California purchased the pink pallet jack for $4,150 and donated an additional $350. With that money, RHCC donated a total of $4,500 to the two charities

Breast cancer has personally touched the lives of many at J&K Trucking and they were grateful for the opportunity to share an experience so close to their hearts. J&K Trucking is a husband and wife operation

You can read more about that first Pink Pallet Jack Project here.

Four years of fundraising via the Pink Pallet Jack Project

This is the fifth year the whole Raymond dealer network is getting involved in programs to raise awareness for breast cancer and to provide funding. In previous years, Heubel raised over $27,000 last year, from a pink pallet jack auction and other efforts. Malin painted an 8210 pallet jack pink and donated it to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas, TX. In the past, The Raymond Corporation has donated $10 for every pallet truck sold in the month of October to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to help find a cure.

Why we donate to breast cancer charities

The Pink Pallet Jack Project idea came about in January 2014. Former RHCC president and great-grandson of George Raymond Sr., Steve Raymond, and another senior executive were having dinner in Greene, NY when local resident Shelly Howell recognized Steve. She and several of her friends struck up a conversation with the two RHCC executives about a charity golf tournament in honor of Tina, Shelly’s sister. Tina had lost her battle to breast cancer. The story touched their hearts and they decided to get RHCC involved.

Breast cancer has touched the lives of many at Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation, too. Among us, there are employees who have survived. Friends and family members who have lost their battles and some that are fighting today. We invite you to join us in this very special cause to raise money for two charities that support those who have been and currently are affected by breast cancer. There are three ways that you can help:

Come and see the pink pallet jack in Lathrop, CA.

Come to our Open House at our Lathrop, CA showroom on Wednesday, October 10th from 11AM-2PM. The pink 8210 pallet jack will be available for viewing. We will also have the Raymond Courier available, a new Raymond automated pallet truck and other new models.

The open house will be located at:

Raymond Handling Concepts

19107 Christopher Way

Lathrop, California 95330

Participate in the Pink Pallet Jack Project auction

The auction, which will be conducted on Ebay.com, starting October 9th at 9 a.m.  PST and run until Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. PST. Click the pink Bid Now button below to place your bid!

This year’s online auction runs October 9-17, 2018 – button will be enabled then.