How Lifting Tables Improve Ergonomics and Productivity in Warehouses

Simple, yet effective.

That’s the best way to describe lifting tables, a material handling solution common in warehouse environments. Lifting tables are simple devices. As the name implies, they’re designed to lift a load or an object to various heights. For example, a lifting table might be used to raise pallets on an upper store shelf to make it easier for workers to unload. Or they might be used to lower or raise products to a certain level so that workers don’t have to continuously bend over to pick up items or awkwardly reach for items that could put them at risk of injury.

Though simple, lifting tables offers a lot of benefits. In this post, we’ll discuss how they can help improve worker ergonomics and further streamline warehouse operations, aligning with continuous improvement strategies. Read on to learn more, or contact A-Lined today.

Ergonomic Benefits of Lifting Tables

According to the Department of Labor, warehouses’ injury and illness rate was 5.5 incidences per 100 workers in 2021. And though warehouses only account for a small portion of the millions of worksites that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversees, the illness and injury rate in these environments is about double the incident rate (2.7 per 100 workers) across all other industries.

Many of the injuries sustained in warehouses are ergonomic—aches, sprains, and strains from handling heavy items, bending to retrieve items, reaching for items, or even awkwardly turning to get to certain items. Using a lift table lets equipment do the heavy lifting, minimizing worker fatigue and reducing ergonomic injuries, which in turn supports customer demands for faster, more reliable service.

A safe, healthy workplace is also proven to be a more productive workplace. According to studies, workers who feel safer in the workplace are likelier to perform better than those who feel unsafe. One way to enhance safety in the workplace is by removing any potential hazards. Another way to improve safety is to invest in equipment, like lifting tables, that can reduce strain and help workers perform better while meeting customer demands more efficiently.

Types of Lifting Tables

What type of lifting table is right for you? You have plenty to choose from. From manual lifting tables to hydraulic lifting tables, several options are available. Here’s an overview of the most common types of lifting tables and some of the accessories you can outfit them with to optimize your warehouse layout:

• Manual lifting table: These types of tables tend to be inexpensive and ideal for light-duty applications. As the name implies, a worker must manually operate either a crank or a pump to lift the table up or down.
• Pneumatic lifting table: Pneumatic lifting tables are powered by airbags, which are inflated to raise loads and deflated to lower loads. They’re more expensive than manual lifting tables, but they’re also more streamlined and can effectively lift up to several thousand pounds.
• Hydraulic lifting table: Hydraulic lifting tables are the most advanced type of lifting equipment. They rely on pressurized hydraulic fluid to raise the table. They’re also able to lift the heaviest amount of load, optimizing storage capacity. Depending on the model, hydraulic lifting tables can effectively lift anywhere from 2,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds.

Aside from the type of lifting table you select, there are also some notable add-ons to be aware of that can further streamline the use of these devices. Some of these add-ons include:

• Turntables: These are available in manual and automatic styles and allow workers to easily rotate loads.
• Tilts: These can be incorporated to adjust the top of the lifting table at a specific angle, allowing for better access to certain products.
• Caster frames: These accessories are ideal if you regularly move a lift table from one location of the warehouse to another, which helps warehouse processes.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Time is money in most workplace environments, and the warehouse is no exception. Lifting tables help streamline the transportation of goods around the warehouse, reducing travel time and improving efficiency. Lifting tables simply work to streamline the speed and transportation of goods around the warehouse. They can do heavy lifting in a fraction of the time that it would take a human or a team of workers to perform the same task. In addition to streamlining efficiency and keeping warehouse operations on track, lifting tables can help warehouse managers reduce labor costs and operational costs more effectively.

It’s also worth noting that lifting tables are versatile equipment. Aside from raising and lowering loads, they can also be positioned most efficiently for usage when integrated with a warehouse management system.

Reducing Workplace Injuries

We already told you how warehouse injury and illness rates are more than double that of all of what OSHA oversees. One of the leading causes of workplace injuries in the warehouse is overexertion from lifting, which represents about 35 percent of all missed time from work. In some cases, lifting injuries can be debilitating and only resolved by surgery and/or extensive rehab.

Lifting tables can help reduce workplace injuries due to lifting. And just because it’s worth mentioning again, studies show that a safer workplace is also a more productive one.

Choosing the Right Lifting Table for Your Warehouse

How do you select the right lifting table for your warehouse? It’s important to weigh several factors, the most important being how high you need the device to raise and how much weight you’re going to require it to move within the warehouse regularly. If you only need something for light, moderate lifts, a manual lifting table might be good enough for you. But if you’re planning to be lifting heavy loads regularly, then your best bet is likely to be either a pneumatic or a hydraulic lifting table due to their ability to lift loads up to several thousand pounds and in a more automated fashion that doesn’t require manual operation.

Contact A-Lined Today

If you want to improve the efficiency and safety of your load lifting, a lifting table could be an ideal fit for your warehouse. Designed to streamline efficiency, improve productivity, and enhance ergonomics and overall safety when it comes to lifting heavy loads, a lifting table is an ideal piece of equipment for any facility looking to improve its warehouse operations and customer satisfaction.

can serve as the ideal piece of equipment for your facility. Contact us today for more information on lifting tables.