HEaltH & SafEty Sitting comfortably


A forklift operator’s office is the truck’s cabin so it is essential that every aspect of the cab’s design is considered if the operator is going to be kept comfortable and productive throughout the working day, says Toyota Material Handling UK’s Gary Ison.


STorInG conTAMInATEd WIpES contaminated wipes may emit volatile organic compounds (Vocs) or pose a fire risk, depending on the fluid they have been used to wipe up. to minimise risk to worker health and safety, they should be stored in a tightly closable container made of resistant material such as metal or special plastic (high- molecular, low-pressure polyethylene) before being disposed of in the correct way.


AlTErnATIvES With companies facing increased pressure to attain high standards of health and safety, the practice of an alternative strategy to disposable paper towels and rags has emerged. today, full-service contract third-party


suppliers are delivering high quality reusable absorbent industrial wipes to customers, along with robust storage containers that keep contaminated wipes safe and legally compliant until collection. the reusable service system also removes the significant burden of hazardous waste disposal from the company, reducing overall costs as well as mitigating potential health and safety fines. and because the wipes are delivered on a pre-agreed rotation, they are always to hand, so spills can be rapidly addressed to reduce the risks of exposure to chemicals and slipping causing injury.


EnvIronMEnTAl bEnEfITS not only do such services simplify cleaning and waste management, they are also more environmentally friendly than conventional alternatives. the wipes can be re-used up to 50 times and mEWa estimates that the adoption of this service by its customers prevents 85,000 tonnes of industrial waste being created. Even small changes to a typical maintenance


regime in plant and manufacturing facilities can yield considerable benefits helping to protect employee health and well-being, aiding regulation compliance and reducing your environmental impact.


MEWA UK www.mewa.co.uk


described as being ‘ergonomically designed’ it doesn’t simply mean that it is ‘suitable for purpose.’ Ergonomic means that special attention has been given to the development of a product to ensure that it is the best possible ‘fit’ for the user, the environment and the task it is expected to perform. it has long been accepted that reducing


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worker discomfort by placing greater emphasis on ergonomics has a positive impact on efficiency and productivity. in a modern office environment, for example, the design of desks, chairs, monitors, keyboards and lighting is assessed in some detail when creating a workspace in an effort to reduce the musculoskeletal effects on personnel of long sedentary periods spent staring at a screen. a forklift operator’s office is the truck’s cabin.


it’s the place where s/he spends some eight hours a day, so it’s essential that every aspect of the cab’s design – from the height of the step-in to the shape of the control levers – is considered if the operator is going to be kept comfortable, and therefore productive, throughout his or her shift. toyota material Handling UK has been


focussing on how ergonomic design can boost driver comfort for more than a quarter of a century. During that time it has introduced some ground-breaking features, such as the unique tilting cab used on the reflex E-reach truck series which reduces the strain on the driver and allows maximum visibility at height, but toyota believes that its new range of bt reflex reach trucks represents the most ergonomically advanced machine it has ever produced. With no less than 11 points of adjustment, it is


no exaggeration to say that the driver’s position in the new bt reflex collection can be customised in an infinite number of ways to deliver the perfect working environment for any size or shape of operator. from the ground upwards, the low step-in leads


to the cabin floor which is height adjustable while the accelerator and brake pedals can be raised and lowerd as required to suit a range of different operator heights or leg lengths, all of the new models have the option of a high-


quality air suspension seat which has no less than five points of adjustment to let the operator select the most comfortable driving position. the steering column has three points of


adjustment to allow its elevation, length and tilt angle to be switched to suit the operator’s physical needs, while the central control unit can be moved


rgonomics is often defined as ‘the science of fitting a workplace to the user’s needs’. but when something is


forwards, backwards and elevated vertically. to further enhance the operator experiece the


steering unit’s palm support has been refined for improved touch sensitivity and feel, while the new-style main control console - which is positioned to the right-hand side of the driver - makes the new models highly intuitive to control. the control levers have been arranged in a


contoured pattern to match the way human fingers naturally rest, while a new large colour touchscreen display provides a clear view of critical information and direct access to the truck’s programmable features and functions. like the main controls, the touchscreen has been designed with ease of operation in mind and its instinctive and interactive functionality guarantees a high level of efficiency. other nice extras that make a driver’s life


easier include additional storage compartments, a mobile phone charging point and optional bluetooth connectivity. forklift operators are any logistics operation’s


most important asset and they are becoming an increasingly scarce commodity in the labour pool. So it has never been more important to treat drivers with respect and a good way of doing that is by ensuring that their working environment is strain-free and enjoyable. by keeping the operator at the centre of its


design thinking, the new bt reflex range from toyota offers reach truck drivers the best possible driving experience. its innovative features guarantee comfort all shift long, which boosts truck performance and optmises intralogistics efficiency. and, of course, that means warehouse and rDc managers can sit comfortably in the knowledge that their forklift drivers are happy and throughput targets are being hit.


Toyota Material Handling UK www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk


factory&HanDlingSolUtionS | octobEr 2021 51


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