Lift Tables: an ergonomic solution for preventing worker injuries
Any industrial environment is full of heavy items that need to be moved up, down and sideways. Maybe it’s a pallet loaded with finished goods that needs to be raised off the floor for shrink wrapping. Maybe it’s components that need to be loaded into a machine for assembly. Or maybe it’s a large product that’s being worked on.
In all these cases, workers risk musculoskeletal injuries (like back strain) if they try to lift the items themselves. In fact, OSHA recognizes this as a significant hazard. The agency sees these work-related injuries as preventable.
Ergonomics is the answer, and that’s where lift tables provide a solution.
What’s ergonomics? And how can lift tables help? This blog post will explain.
What does “ergonomics” mean?
Ergonomics is a scientific discipline that’s concerned with understanding interactions among humans and other elements of a system. Basically, it’s concerned with fitting the task to the person, based on an understanding of the human body - its capabilities and limitations.
There are many benefits of ergonomics. As the basis of an efficient work environment, ergonomics in the workplace can improve productivity, employee satisfaction and retention, safety, and higher quality work
Think of a task that exceeds the capabilities of the human body. For example, lifting a 2,000 lb. pallet and holding it at waist height for several hours while the components on the pallet are fed into a machine. People can’t lift that weight and even trying could result in injury. An ergonomic solution would be to find a piece of equipment to do the lifting and holding. Enter the lift table as the equipment solution for this situation.
How lift tables help
The underlying idea of ergonomics, in general, and lift tables, in specific, is that it's easier, safer, and more productive to position the work than to position workers’ bodies. A lift table eliminates the lifting, bending, and reaching that can cause injuries.
Lift tables use hydraulics or pneumatics to handle weights of up to 12,000 lbs. They lift loads from the floor to a height that fits the comfort and convenience of the worker. Workers control the table’s lifting action with a foot or hand controller.
There are hundreds of uses for lift tables in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facilities. Accessories like turntables, conveyor tops, and tilt tops make lift tables excellent solutions in many applications. Typical uses include machine feeding and off-loading; product assembly; inspection/quality control; repair; feeding and unloading conveyors; and bridging different conveyor levels.
Lift table features to look for
If you’re in the market for a lift table, look for features like:
- Oversized cylinders
- Corrosion-resistant pistons
- Heavy-duty hoses
- Lubricated bushings
- Contoured legs for maximum strength
These features mean the table will provide reliable service over the long haul.
Rely on Morrison for the lift tables you need
Lift tables are an affordable solution for lifting and positioning work. They dramatically reduce the risk of worker injuries by positioning heavy loads where it’s convenient for individual workers.
You can rely on Morrison for a broad range of lift table solutions. We offer tables with different platform sizes, weight capacities, and lifting heights. Plus, we can tailor a table to your application with a range of accessories.
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