Canadian Occupational Safety

www.thesafetymag.com/ca 45 lifting tasks in awkward spaces need to be performed by multiple workers safely, while the use of an electronic lifter or tugger can perform the same task with just one employee without the risk of injury. Protecting employees from injuries For employers getting in the game, it may be a bit tricky to know where to dive in. What are the key things that employers need to consider when looking to implement ergonomic solutions? One place to start is "thinking about what the need of the operator is and how to solve the problem for the operator," says Gurr. The R&D team has tackled this problem many times when working with their clients. The first step is to assess the operations and facility space to find the best ergonomic equipment recommendation for workers. A recent R&D project had its specialists providing an ergonomic solution to safely moving a 2,200-kilogram transfer cart within a pilot area. The client was using six team members to manually push and pull a loaded transfer cart within an area, and this posed both ergonomic and safety concerns for its team members. After a visit from R&D's ergonomic equipment specialist, the Master Mover model MT300 electric tug solution was recommended as the best solution to allow ONE team member to safely and ergonomically move the transfer cart. Demands for businesses are getting busier and busier, with these demands driving many changes in different workplace environments. These changes may affect which ergonomic products are used or created, but ergonomic solutions will always be a "Anything that eliminates manual lifting for an operator — that's usually when we get called in to help solve an issue. We've got out-of-the-box solutions, and we also design and build lifting solutions." David Gurr, R&D Ergo tool for employers to ensure that workplaces are as safe as possible. Leading the market R&D Ergo has provided ergonomic solutions for more than 25 years and is one of the industry leaders. "We're known in the field as problem-solvers for ergonomic solutions," says Gurr. "We've been doing this for so long! We just have the experience and the knowledge. People know they can come to us for help in finding that solution." Even though COVID-19 has affected all businesses, R&D Ergo can still provide its services and help customers virtually. Finding the right fit It is crucial to have the right tools for the job. R&D Ergo offers a wide array of options, such as pallet or lifting solutions. "Anything that eliminates manual lifting for an operator — that's usually when we get called in to help solve an issue," says Gurr. "We've got out-of-the-box solutions, and we also design and build lifting solutions." R&D Ergo works with clients from several industries, including manufacturing, automobile, print, Brought to you by warehouse and retail. Right now, says Gurr, some of R&D Ergo's most popular products are aimed at solving issues for roll lifting — either in the printing industry or the packaging industry. "People are trying to find solutions for lifting these larger rolls, as everybody is turning to larger, heavier rolls to reduce the downtime that they have in production," says Gurr. About the company R&D Ergo provides high-quality engineered ergonomic and material handling solutions to safety-conscious business owners and stakeholders. The company works with your team to provide standard and customized devices ranging from vacuum lifters and portable and hoist-based roll handlers to cart movers and jib cranes and workstation cranes to increase productivity and reduce repetitive strain injuries. R&D is part of a group of companies that have continually worked for the past 30 years to support employee safety and facilities compliance. Find out more about R&D's extensive offering on its website: www.rdergo.com COS Vacuum lift assist systems eliminate the manual lift and tilt of heavy sheets of material for your operators.

• Cover