Workplace Material Handling and Safety

By George King, Contributor Private industry employers reported 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics1. That broad number is a reminder that readiness cannot be limited to the incidents a safety team sees most often. A choking emergency may be uncommon in a warehouse, plant, jobsite, or distribution center, but when it occurs, the first minute exposes whether the response system actually works.

The new walkie pallet jack is an accessible and affordable solution for everyday operations The Raymond Corporation introduces an addition to the Raymond Basics product line: the RBW45 Walkie Pallet Jack, which is lithium-ion-powered and engineered to provide a simple and efficient solution for a wide range of material handling operations. This new model is ideal for retail, delivery, dock work, warehousing, trailers, mezzanines and elevators.

AlignOps SafetyReports, an application that enhances training by ensuring that workers are educated, tracked, and audit-ready, will be featured in NSC Booth #4031. Fully customizable, this robust risk management program allows users to easily create job-specific safety training requirements and then verify attendance by capturing signatures on-screen or with photos.

New deal registration program protects Channel Partners investment in developing new business opportunities Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, has announced its Vanguard Partner Program developed to further serve the Channel Partners that are the foundation of its sales strategy.

Nearly $13M is available for worker safety and health training The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of $12.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to support the delivery of training and education to help workers and employers identify and prevent workplace safety and health hazards.

ABB Robotics has launched PickMaster® Lite, a streamlined version of its PickMaster software suite designed to help packaging OEMs and system integrators deploy high-speed, vision-guided robotic picking applications more quickly and with less complexity. Offering essential functionality for common picking tasks, PickMaster Lite reduces engineering effort and simplifies system setup, enabling faster commissioning and lower total cost of ownership.

The Datalogic SLS series safety laser scanners are now offered in enhanced models, delivering advanced protection for machinery, robotic cells, and mobile automation applications. These next-generation scanners use time of flight measurement technology to safely monitor up to a 72 m² area with a wide 275° scanning angle, ensuring reliable detection in even the most demanding industrial environments.

Global Industrial Company, a value-added distributor and source for industrial equipment and supplies has announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31.

PFlow Industries, the pioneer in vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) technology, has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2026 honor by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This marks the third consecutive year PFlow has received the recognition. Top Workplace award winners are determined solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC.

How Reducing Manual Product Handling Improves Safety, Productivity, and Profitability Contributor: Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC Walk through almost any manufacturing facility and you’ll find operators performing tasks that seem routine: aligning products, loading cartons, transferring cases, clearing jams, or repositioning items as they move between machines. Individually, these actions may take only seconds.