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CHAPTER 1.

) INTRODUCTION TO WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS 1

INTRODUCTION TO WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS

A warehouse by definition is “a place in which goods or merchandise are held in storage


awaiting some future use.” The warehouse is just one component within a supply /distribution
chain that begins with raw materials and ends with the sale of finished products to customers.
The various types of warehouses are based on how they are owned and where they sit in the
supply chain.

In the modern era of global competition, warehousing management is increasingly looking


within their individual warehouses for answers on such matters as how best to set up or reset
warehouses for quick and efficient storage and retrieval of inventory, which in return will
result in decisions on how to set inventory placement within the warehouse. Warehouse
management is also looking at productivity achieved by other warehouse operators for
answers on how well they are doing in comparison to competition, including warehouse
placement, equipment purchases and usage, storage and retrieval processes, worker heath and
safety issues within the warehouse.

Customer demands have reduced the amount of time warehouses are given to respond to these
rapidly developing needs. Customer and global competition have caused warehouses to
develop quick response programs. Instead of being allowed to ship by the week, warehouses
must be capable of supplying their customers with multiple day, same day, or overnight
shipments. The performance standards for put away and order picking accuracy, caused by
customer demands for quality in warehouse distribution and competitive pressures, has forced
higher standards of accuracy to become a necessity. The most accurate of U.S. warehouse
operations achieve a level of over 99% in the percent of order lines shipped without
encountering errors. This means that the bar is set quite high by the best warehouse operators,
and other warehouse operators need to continuously look at their operations in order remain
competitive and remain in business.

In the past, ideas for change were largely created and driven by one individual within the
organization, and this individual was usually from management. In today's business climate,
change is created from a more sophisticated assessment of operations by management,
employee training programs, and teams of workers and management working side by side to
assess operations and offer creative new ways to improve operations.

The role of the warehouse worker has taken on a new importance and with it a new
responsibility to better learn the job and the overall warehousing industry. Today's warehouse
workers need to become and stay involved in the continuous improvement of their company's
warehousing operation, and the company's profitability and competitive position within the
industry, as it means a more secure future for all concerned. Today's warehouse worker is
becoming increasingly aware that the more the employee knows about not just their job, but
the overall operation of the warehouse and how their work fits into the overall operation of
the warehouse, that their job done well will positively affect the flow and productivity of the
entire warehouse.
CHAPTER 1.) INTRODUCTION TO WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS 2

With all of these changes, with all of these new and different customer demands, and with the
ever increasing need to remain globally competitive, worker safety has become one of the
most important issues confronting the warehousing industry and the warehouse worker. It is
no longer acceptable for the worker to "just do the job". Workers must learn how to do the job
safely, and then perform the work safely. To have an accident or injury on the job impacts the
entire warehouse operation. The warehouse worker must become aware and knowledgeable
about all of his job duties, and health and safety issues that could go along with the
performance of that work.

Such concepts and technologies as Computerized Warehouse Management Systems, rapidly


evolving unloading/loading, order picking equipment, automatic identification and
communication technologies, Just In Time (JIT) inventory delivery processes, are changing
how warehouse operations are conducted, and attention to some of these concepts and
technologies spell the difference between a highly successful operation and an operation that
is just surviving.

It is clear that warehouse operators are changing the way they perform their business.
Although most of the changes are being driven by customer demand, many of the changes are
brought along by competition trying to stay ahead of customer demand and stay ahead of the
rest of the industry, and some of the change is brought along by governmental regulations.
Whatever the driving force, change is now a part of life in this age of global competition.
These changes in warehousing operations are providing the everyday warehouse worker who
learns about the entire warehouse operation with an opportunity to have a positive impact on
his/her team and his company. This could be a roadmap to individual success, through
recognition by peers, recognition by the company for, and the possibility of advancement and
monetary reward for hard work and contribution to the success of the company.
CHAPTER 2.) TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on business structure 3

TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on business structure

There are two very basic forms of warehouses based on business or ownership structure:
private warehouses and public warehouses, although you can find several variations of public
warehouses.

Private warehouses: this form of warehouse business/ownership structure is essentially a


warehousing operation that is owned and operated by a company that uses it for its own
supply/distribution chain.

Public warehouses: this form of warehouse business/ownership structure exists when its only
mission is to set up a large or small warehousing operation that is for the benefit of others. A
public warehouse can provide short or long term storage to a wide variety of businesses, and
usually sets up its own staff to run the operation, and utilizes its own equipment. There are
some instances where the client may provide or partially pay for the equipment used in storing
its product. These types of warehouses may charge a client based on a variety of inputs, but
usually charge some combination of fee based on loads or square feet utilized, and the number
of inbound and outbound transactions. Public warehousing operations are so diverse, that
several variations are described below:

● Contract warehouses: a contract warehouse is a business that specializes in handling


shipping, receiving, and the storage of products based on specific pre-determined contract
between the parties. The client is generally required to commit to a specific contract duration,
which is generally described in years. Based on the how specific the client is specifying the
storage requirements, the contract may or may not require the client to purchase or assist in
the purchase of storage racks/shelving etc. and material handling equipment. In many
instances within contract warehousing, the entire warehouse may be devoted to the needs of a
single customer.
● Bonded warehouse: a warehouse or facility (or a fenced off/highly secure portion
thereof) where imported goods are stored prior to customs duties and import taxes are paid,
and in essence are often used to delay the payment of import fees until the products are
actually sold and shipped out of the bonded warehouse, at which point the import fees must be
paid by the client. This style of warehouse may be particularly valuable when products are
received far in advance of a sale, or when a portion of the product received may eventually be
returned or scrapped, which prevents the payment of import fees on items not sold. These
warehouses must be licensed by the government.

● Third party logistics (abbreviated 3PL): this term involves businesses that provide
one or many of a wide variety of logistics/warehousing related services. These services may
include public warehousing, contract warehousing, or the establishment of a warehouse within
a warehouse that are dedicated to a specific client. Services may also include transportation
management, distribution management, and freight consolidation for a client. Services may
also include taking over all receiving, storage, value added, shipping, and transportation
responsibilities for a client, or conducting the activities in the client's facility using the client's
equipment, or the 3PL could conduct the activities in the 3PL's warehouse and utilize the
3PL's equipment, or some combination in between, in the third party warehouse
CHAPTER 2.) TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on business structure 4

● Fourth party logistics (abbreviated 4PL) is used to describe a business that only
manages logistics related services for clients, but utilizes a third party logistics company to
provide any of the logistics related services described above in 3PL.
CHAPTER 3.) TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on position in supply chain/distribution network 5

TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on position in supply chain/distribution network

At any level along the supply-distribution chain, some, or all, of these types of warehouses
may be owned and operated by the company initially manufacturing or assembling the
product, or they could be owned and operated by some form of a public warehousing
company.

1.) Warehouses that store and ship out raw materials: these warehouses store raw materials
until they are needed at a factory or manufacturing company in order to change them into
demand for the product. To accomplish this balancing act, these finished goods warehouses
are typically located close to the manufacturer and typically deal with pallet loads in & out of
the product (this assumes that the product can be handled in pallet load quantities).
Warehouses that only provide this service may have product demands that require them to
move stock from their warehouse to the next level within the supply-distribution chain on a
monthly or even quarterly basis.

2.) Warehouses that store and ship out partially completed products or assemblies: these
warehouses store items in various stages of completion, waiting for their turn to go back to the
factory for next stage assembly or final production.

3.) Warehouses that store and ship out fully completed products or assemblies: these
warehouses hold fully completed products or assemblies, and in turn balance and buffer
variations between the manufacturer's ability to provide completed products, and the public's
demand for the product. These finished goods warehouses are typically located close to the
manufacturer and typically use pallet loads.

4.) Distribution Centers: Warehouses that are used to accumulate, consolidate, and store
products that can come from various points of manufacture within a single firm or from a
variety of different manufacturing firms, for combined shipment to common customers.
Generally, Distribution Warehouses and/or Distribution Centers serve as points within the
distribution system at which products are received from many suppliers and are quickly
shipped out to many customers. These warehouses may be located central to either the
production locations or central to the customer base. The movement of product within a
Distribution Center generally is typified by full pallet loads or full cases inbound and full
cases or single item (broken cases) outbound. Many Distribution Centers respond to regular
weekly or monthly orders, however in some situations, such as handling perishable foods,
(i.e.: produce etc.) most of the product enters in the early morning and is distributed by the
end of the same day.

5.) Warehouse operations that resemble Distribution Centers and offer a wide range of
additional services for small businesses that do not want to manage and operate a warehouse
are known as Fulfillment Warehouses or Fulfillment Centers. These warehouses generally are
set up to either serve a region, or provide nationwide and/or worldwide services. A
Fulfillment Center generally operates on a warehouse-within-a-warehouse system (unless it is
only serving one customer) and receives and stores product for a specific business that has
hired their services. They can handle order processing, provide customized packing slips,
CHAPTER 3.) TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on position in supply chain/distribution network 6

pick, pack, and ship orders to the end customer, and provide email confirmation of the order
in progress, with shipper tracking information. In this ever increasing age of e-commerce, a
small business does not necessarily need to be involved in order processing/ receiving/
storage/ shipping processes.

6.) Warehouses that are set up to serve regional or local markets are known as Local
Warehouses. Companies that operate distribution networks, or in some cases a Distribution
Center warehouse operation, may decide that in order to shorten transportation distances and
allow for a more rapid response to the needs of customers, there may exist a genuine need to
establish smaller warehouses to serve regional or local needs. The decision to establish local
warehouses is often established by an examination of a company's customer lead time
requirements for the specific products being considered. If the customer's customary ordering
lead is long, the establishment of a local warehouse for that specific product may not be
justified, and ordering can be accomplished from a greater geographical distance. However, if
the customer requires a short order lead time until they have the product in hand, a local
warehouse may make sense. Frequently, single items are picked, and the same item may be
shipped to the customer every day.

7.) Large retail stores and "Big Box" operations such as Wal Mart, Target, Sam's Club,
Costco, and Home Depot just to name a few, must design and implement some type of a
warehousing scheme in order restock on a regular basis. In some settings the warehouse is
located in the back of the store, directly adjacent to the loading/unloading docks. In some
settings equipment is used to bring excess stock from the dock or dock staging area into the
store and place it on racks above the sales floor stock, and at times bring items down from
shelving in order to restock. These types of mini-warehouses are mentioned in this section,
because the processes to receive/ store/ retrieve/ stock are very similar, but on a much smaller
scale, to the processes described in this study guide. In these operations the process of
restocking the warehouse and restocking the sales floor stock in performed as possible during
the day, with the bulk of the restocking effort being performed during store closed hours.

Please refer to the diagram on the next page that shows the Types of Warehouses in the
Supply Chain/ Distribution Network
CHAPTER 3.) TYPES OF WAREHOUSES based on position in supply chain/distribution network 7

TYPES OF WAREHOUSES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN/ DISTRIBUTION NETWORK


CHAPTER 4.) WAREHOUSE LAYOUT CRITERIA 8

WAREHOUSE LAYOUT CRITERIA

When a company originally develops a layout of its warehouse, they out of necessity had to
comply with such issues as: 1,) maximizing the use of available space in an effort to
maximize storage and pick positions, 2.) provide a plan so that all product movement
activities throughout the facility best utilizes the size and shape of the facility, maximize
current or planned storage and order picking methods, best utilize the storage and retrieval
equipment in operation at the time or equipment that is planned, 3.) provide a high level of
customer satisfaction, a safe work environment for all employees, and at the same time
operate the facility with an eye toward reducing annual operating costs, 4.) allow for future
expansion, and 5.) satisfy all the requirements regarding corporate image, productivity, and
year end profitability.

1.) A primary consideration concerning layout is whether the facility needs to be responsive to
customers who demand Just in Time inventory supply in which case all or most of the product
will be passed through the warehouse, and only a portion or none of the product received will
be entered into inventory. A similar situation is created when the operation is operating a
cross-dock operation, which requires no or little storage, and product is moved from the
inbound truck doors immediately to a staging area immediately adjacent to the outbound
doors on the other side of the dock. If one of these two layout methods is not required by your
customers or your chosen style of warehousing, then you will most likely set up your
warehouse in the traditional inventory and hold method where product is received,
inventoried, placed in storage, and removed from inventory/shipped based upon an order from
the customer.

2.) A facility needs to be designed with adequate aisle space in all the major activity areas. In
existing facilities aisle space issues could be the result of: ● the need for better definition and
marking of aisles, ● more skilled and efficient use of existing equipment, or the purchase of
equipment better suited to the existing aisle space, ● racks or floor stacking may have started
to get out into the aisles.

3.) A facility needs to be designed to suit the type of product loads that are handled
throughout the warehouse. All aspects of the layout and product movement activities are
directly affected by whether you are handling pallet loads, case loads, single items (broken
case) loads, or any combination of the three.

4.) A facility needs to be designed that accommodates your products requirements for product
rotation. If some or all of your product mix must be placed in a first in- first out type of
product placement, the methods of product storage must be geared to meet this requirement.

5.) Many warehouses are laid out with consideration to how fast specific stock keeping units
(SKU's) move. That means that the most popular SKU numbers will be placed in the easiest
picking position (they are placed in the A pick positions within the warehouse). The next
fastest moving group gets placed in the B pick position, and the C position is given to the
slower moving items. There is an old economic theory called Pareto's Law that says that 85%
of the wealth is held by 15% of the people. This law, when translated into warehousing terms
CHAPTER 4.) WAREHOUSE LAYOUT CRITERIA 9

means that 85% of the volume shipped to your customers comes from only 15% of the items
you stock throughout the warehouse. Further studies have shown that the next 10% of the
volume shipped to your customers comes from another 30% of the items you stock
throughout the warehouse, and the last 5% of the volume shipped to your customers comes
from the remaining 55% of the items you stock throughout the warehouse. Knowledge of this
time proven principle encourages many warehouse operations to consistently track the
popularity of stock keeping items, and in turn this data will assist in decision making as to
placement of SKU's into A, B, or C level storage/pick positions.

6.) Many warehouse operators also categorize SKU's into "families" of product, and carefully
track the movement of product families, with the resultant analysis of product family data
assisting them in placement of product within the warehouse. If 40% of product movement is
from one product family, and 30% of product movement is from a second product family,
there is good cause to place product in those families in more readily accessible pick positions
within the warehouse.

7.) A wide variety of common sense items also needs to be considered while examining the
layout of a warehouse. Fire protection and natural disasters must be considered, and
evacuation routes from the building must planned. Lighting requirements in line with product
storage/pick must be considered. Type and style of storage racking and storage/retrieval
equipment must be considered as the facility is designed and laid out. Offices, break and
lunch rooms, restrooms, and requirements for specialized storage must also be considered.

Please refer to the next page for diagrams that shows an ABC warehouse layout.
CHAPTER 4.) WAREHOUSE LAYOUT CRITERIA 10
CHAPTER 4.) WAREHOUSE LAYOUT CRITERIA 11
CHAPTER 4.) WAREHOUSE LAYOUT CRITERIA 12
CHAPTER 5.) WAREHOUSE JOB TASKS 13

WAREHOUSE JOB TASKS

As we previously considered the need to satisfy the owners, stockholders, and current and
potential customers through the planning, layout, management and staffing of one of many
types and styles of warehouses, one would believe that every warehouse most likely operates
in its own world, with little commonality to the other types of operations. One would also
think at first glance that operating a warehouse appears to be a simple task. Product arrives at
your facility, you store it, and when requested to do so, you ship it out to the customer.

As with all types of business operations in this rapidly evolving technologically oriented
world of global competition, the operation of a warehouse is no simple matter, it requires
constant attention to detail, and constant attention to the needs of the customer and moves
taken by the competition. Critical decisions need to be made by trained workers, supervisors,
and executives on a daily, hourly, and minute by minute basis, and the decisions need to be
correct, or mistakes will occur, and even small mistakes can set the operation back in time,
money, and personnel. At every stage of product movement through the warehouse, accuracy,
efficiency, speed, and safety are going to be the keys to success on the job. Even small errors
can add up to millions of dollars lost. In high volume operations, these seemingly small errors
and mistakes can add up to billions of dollars of lost revenue.

The good news in all this is that there really is a very common core of activities that are
performed in all warehouses. Depending on the type and operating style of your warehouse
operation, there may be localized variations, and/or some of the activities may be emphasized
more than others, but the basic activities and skills necessary to perform these activities, are
very similar throughout the warehousing industry.

Although not listed or described in the following discussion of primary job tasks, there are
many jobs involved in organizing, directing, and providing security for the flow of truck and
employee traffic coming into yard. Also, if your warehouse is associated with a group of retail
outlets, or if your warehouse also serves as a retail outlet, many individuals could be involved
in working with returned merchandise, product that is seasonal and needs attention during the
off-season, and dealing with retail store transfers or deliveries.

The following are the primary job tasks or activities that are performed in most warehouses
across the country and around the world.

Note: As you read over the following job task descriptions it may assist you in visualizing
the relationship of these activities by referring to the graphic shown at the end of this
chapter which visually depicts the flow of job task activities.

● Receiving: receiving is actually a variety of activities that includes the orderly unloading of
product arriving at the warehouse docks or receiving area and verifying that the merchandise
received matches the quantity and description of the merchandise ordered as shown on your
company purchase order, and the quantity and description of merchandise that is shown on the
freight or delivery receipt, and that all merchandise has been received without damage. In
some operations equipped with computer management systems, it will also be part of the
CHAPTER 5.) WAREHOUSE JOB TASKS 14

receiving process to enter the received merchandise into the inventory control system. When
these activities are completed, the merchandise is either moved directly to: 1.) an outbound
dock (as in the situation of a cross dock or JIT inventory system), or is moved and putaway
directly to: 2.) a reserve or primary storage area, or is moved to: 3.) a pre-storage packaging
area prior to putaway.

● Cross dock sortation and distribution operations or JIT inventory movement systems: this
inventory system has been developed as an answer for the retail industry to Just in Time (JIT)
inventory control and replenishment program. This style of inventory movement does not use
the traditional inventory and store/awaiting a customers pick order method of inventory
control, instead as product is received into the warehouse, immediately tagged or retagged as
to its new destination, and immediately transferred and accumulated at an outbound dock
door, awaiting immediate transportation and distribution to the customers location. Most
traditional warehousing operations utilize the inventory and store/awaiting a customer's pick
order concept, but may have a limited amount of cross dock transfer also. Some warehouse
operations, such as LTL freight carriers, only use the cross dock style of inventory movement.

● Pre-storage packaging: in some warehouse operations product is received in pallet or case


load quantities and requires that cases be opened and individual items be stored in individual
SKU material handling containers for single item picking, packaged individually for single
item picking, or stored/packaged in combination with other product SKU's to form product
assortments or kits. Whether the entire load of incoming product is processed immediately, or
only a part of the incoming product is processed and the remainder is placed in bulk storage is
a function of the storage capacity of the warehouse or when the incoming product is only a
part of a full assortment or kit.

● Putaway as the name of this activity implies, this is the process of placing the product or
merchandise into storage, which includes both the physical transportation and placement of
the item into a storage area. This activity could involve the movement of received pallets into
the reserve storage area, the movement of a pallet of cases to the case picking area, or it could
involve the movement of pre-packaged items to the unit/single item picking area.

● Storage: is the physical containment of products or merchandise in the reserve or pick area,
while the product or merchandise is being held in anticipation of a customer pick order. The
type of storage unit or method of storage used is dependent upon whether it is pallet, case, or
single unit storage, and the size, quantity, and required handling characteristics of the
individual SKU's involved.

● Order picking: this is the process of removing the product or merchandise from storage,
based upon an order from a customer. Order picking is considered the most basic and critical
activity within the warehouse, receives careful design, and is the activity that usually receives
the most attention due to the tremendous potential for error, which in turn could greatly affect
customer satisfaction, competitive position, and bottom line profitability.

● Packaging and/or pricing: this activity could be performed (upon specific request) after the
picking process. As was explained previously in the pre-storage packaging activity, individual
CHAPTER 5.) WAREHOUSE JOB TASKS 15

items may need to be packaged individually in specialized containers such as bubble packs to
protect the product, or packaged as part of an assortment in specialized containers. Otherwise,
this activity simply involves placing picked items in an appropriate container for more
convenient use and for continued and safe product transfer to other operations that will occur
prior to shipping. If your operation has the ability to perform this function after the pick
process, you will have greater flexibility in the use of available inventory, more current
information regarding pricing, and individual items of product are available for use in any
combination right up to the time you need to assemble the packaged item.

● Batch pick sorting and order accumulation: this process is utilized when the warehouse
operator has customer ordering requirements that involve single item or carton order picking
activity that is picked as a batch, and this batch of product or merchandise that could be
ultimately going to a number of customers must be sorted out to separate one customers
specifically ordered single item or carton from another customers singe item or carton order.

● Replenishment: replenishment is of primary concern when the warehouse operation is


utilizing the single item or case storage and picking processes and SKU's are removed from
the primary pick position. Replenishment of the item(s) taken according to a specific
schedule, and the correct SKU(s) and number of SKU(s) are replaced in the now reduced pick
position. In a pallet load operation, the putaway of pallets from the receiving area to the
assigned reserve position is considered the replenishment. In a single item or case picking
operation, the transfer of product or merchandise from the reserve storage area to the primary
pick area is considered the replenishment activity.

● Unitizing: this is the final step in the process of preparing customers orders prior to actual
shipment of the product or merchandise from your warehouse. Upon receiving the outbound
product, this activity will check to verify that the SKU(s) number and quantity ready for
shipment match the order processing paperwork, and that the order is complete. Product will
be placed in correct and appropriate shipping containers. Containers will be weighed to
determine the correct and final shipping charges, and will then prepare and attach the correct
shipping documents that could include packing lists, address labels, and bills of lading.
During this process, following weighing the container, this activity will usually verify that the
weight is indicated on the container, and that the container identification number is shown on
the transportation documentation. The final step in this process is to physically move
documented shipping containers to a staging area in the shipping area that is designated for
the specified outbound shipping carrier.

● Shipping: this activity initially determines that all the steps required in the unitizing process
have been completed, and then involves loading the outbound containers in the specified
outbound carriers delivery vehicle, or in some cases actual delivery to the end customer. As
the product or merchandise is loaded into the delivery vehicle, the driver of that vehicle must
visually verify that the quantity and description of containers being transported exactly
matches the shipping documents.

Please refer to the next page for a diagram of Warehouse Job Tasks
CHAPTER 5.) WAREHOUSE JOB TASKS 16
CHAPTER 6.) WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES 17

WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES

When a company hires an employee to perform certain types of work for the benefit of the
company, they have the responsibility to provide him/her with the guidance and tools
necessary to complete the job within a safe working environment. It is their responsibility to
provide each employee with an environment free from unnecessary danger, and free from
unnecessary harassment while working at that job.

In return, employees must accept the responsibilities that go along with that job. These
employee responsibilities may be slightly different at different companies, and they may be
slightly different within different industries, but there are several basic responsibilities that
you could say are generic to jobs of all types, and apply equally to all companies, no matter
what type of position you are hired to fill or what type of industry you are working in. Some
of these common employee responsibilities include attendance & timeliness, overall conduct
on the job, safety, learning the job/ working with supervisors, teamwork, and your need to
become a working part of problem resolution.

Attendance & Timeliness: Being available and on the job when scheduled or told to show up
for work, is an absolute minimum requirement for continued employment with any company
in any industry. Regular attendance at work means that your portion of the workload the
company needs to accomplish will be completed as scheduled, which will result in providing
the required level of service that customers of the company demand. Your performing the
work you are scheduled to complete will also result in acceptable workloads for all the other
employees at your company. It should be no surprise to anyone that excessive absences,
which include tardiness, may be cause for disciplinary action, including discharge.

Timeliness is more than just showing up for work on time. It means that the warehouse
employee has reported to a specified location, ready to work, at or before the specified time.
Timeliness means that the employee returns from a coffee or lunch break on time and ready to
get back to work. If you are late to work, or report back to work late after taking a break, you
place an undue hardship on the rest of the employees, causing delays in production , and in
turn, putting your company in the position of not meeting the needs of customers.

If you find yourself in the position of not being able to report for work as scheduled,
regardless of the reason, you are fully expected to advise the company or your supervisor as
early as possible. Most companies require that you advise them of such problems not later
than 30 minutes prior to your scheduled starting time. If your absence is due to sickness or
injury, the company may require you provide a doctor's report regarding your condition
during the period you were absent, and usually is required prior to being allowed back on the
job. Calling in that you are unable to report to work is well noted by the company and your
supervisor, and excessive use of this tactic will quickly result in being considered the same as
an unexplained absence.

Overall Conduct On The Job: In all companies and/or organizations basic rules or
regulations are needed to help everyone work together harmoniously. A company needs to
operate its business efficiently and effectively, and responsibilities for proper conduct must be
CHAPTER 6.) WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES 18

shared by all who work within the company. You have a responsibility to your company,
yourself, and your fellow employees to conduct yourself in a manner that is appropriate, and
the company has the responsibility to be fair and consistent in managing and treating all
employees.

Your employer expects that you will conduct yourself at work with a positive attitude toward
the work you are performing and toward the company itself. They expect that you will
recognize the importance of your performing productive and quality work, an awareness of
the rights of others, and an appreciation for the responsibilities of your supervisors and other
management staff. Actions that may violate these company expectations include, but are not
limited to the following:

1.) Unauthorized destruction or misappropriation of company owned property, or the property


of another employee.
2.) Making false statements, or providing false information at the time of hire. Making false
entries on time cards or productivity records. Providing false information at any time during
the course of your employment.
3.) Personal conduct which is dangerous to, violates, or interferes with the rights of others.
Harassment of others, and in particular sexual harassment, will not be tolerated.
4.) Personal conduct which could be construed as potentially impairing productivity or work
quality, including, but not limited to, the use of alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, or the
unauthorized use of prescription drugs.
5.) An unsatisfactory record of attendance, tardiness, or attentiveness to the job.
6.) Failure to follow instructions, insubordination, or general disregard for authority.
7.) Violation of common sense, safety, health, or sanitation practices.
8.) Violation of established warehouse operating practices, disregard for posted signs and
directions, disregard of prescribed equipment operating practices, or the violation of
additional safe practices as outlined in a company manual or company Injury and Illness
Prevention Plan.

Safety: Companies operate and manage their warehouse businesses to achieve owners and
stockholders expectations of bottom line results, but they also design and run their warehouse
operations with a desire to do their best to minimize hazardous or dangerous conditions, they
do the best job possible to assure the personal safety of all employees. Safety is more than just
a set of rules; it is an attitude that if practiced day after day, will keep you and your fellow
workers safe and injury free. No one should compromise on issues of safety, and you are
expected to demonstrate safe operating practices consistently, on all shifts, at all times. Safety
is a responsibility that must be shared by all employees. For this reason it is critical that all
employees follow common sense safety practices, and comply with all company general
safety rules, safe operating practices and procedures, safety guidelines that may have been
developed over time by your company for your protection and the protection of those around
you. It is your individual responsibility to learn and practice all the established safety rules
and safe operating practices/guidelines that your company has established.

The following are some general safety rules that apply to all warehousing operations. Your
company has its own set of safety rules that may contain some of these common sense rules,
CHAPTER 6.) WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES 19

but it is your personal responsibility to seek out and learn the safety rules that your company
has specifically developed for your personal safety.

1.) All accidents are to be reported to a supervisor immediately. If required, first aid should be
administered by trained personnel as soon as possible.
2.) It is the responsibility of each employee to leave equipment and machinery in a safe
condition for use by the next person or shift. Based on company policy and the equipment or
machinery itself, in some cases, the employee must involve a supervisor in verifying that the
equipment or machinery has been left in a safe condition for use by the next person or shift.
3.) An employee shall, whenever possible, work within the sight and/or sound of another
employee. For this reason, radios are not to be played loudly in a work space (if allowed at
all) because they may drown out the sounds of an accident or an employee's cry for help.
4.) Approved and appropriate clothing shall be worn in warehouse operations at all times.
Common sense says that loose fitting or dangling clothing is not permitted. Safety equipment,
as required for the job, and as specified by management, must be worn at all times while on
the job. This could include (but are not limited to) steel toed boots, eye protection, ear plugs,
hard hats, face shields, gloves, cold room clothing, and specialty aprons.
5.) All employees shall walk, not run, and the use of stairway handrails and marked aisles is
expected. Horseplay is not tolerated. Lifting shall be performed as trained to reduce injury.
6.) No employee shall alter or remove any safety guard installed on machinery or equipment
without the permission of management. Master machine switches are to be tagged or locked
in an off position anytime cleanup or maintenance is being performed. Any employee not
following lock-out procedures or tampering with locked-out equipment shall be subject to
disciplinary action. Before starting or shutting down machines or equipment, all employees
shall verify that all personnel are clear of the area, and shall follow established
startup/shutdown procedures.
7.) Aisles, doorways, stairways, fire extinguishers, and electrical control boxes must be kept
clear of obstructions at all times. In the event of fire or emergency, procedures and
instructions developed by management must be followed carefully.
8.) Employees operating a company vehicle of any type on a public street or highway shall
comply with all vehicle traffic laws. Employees shall not use company tools or equipment for
personal use without the prior approval of management.
9.) Weapons of any type are not allowed on company property or in company vehicles at any
time. A permit to carry a concealed weapon does not exempt an employee from this policy.
10.) Drugs or alcohol use on the premises, or showing up for work under the influence of
drugs or alcohol is not tolerated.... no exceptions. If you have a doctor's prescription for
medical drugs, and want to use them while on the job, you must have the prior permission of
management, or it will be treated the same as if you showed up using illegal drugs on the job.

Learning the Job/ Working with Supervisors: If you are fortunate enough to be hired by
one of this areas warehousing operations, it would seem obvious to many that you need to
devote yourself to learning or learning more about the skills that you need to succeed on the
job. To many, the need to learn or learn more about the skills necessary to succeed on the job
is simply part of being hired into a company. It may seem amazing, but to some, there is the
belief that if you get hired, that you have got it made, and have no need to learn new or
enhanced skills, or make any attempt to move upward within your chosen profession.
CHAPTER 6.) WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES 20

If you care to simply stay at the skill level you are hired into, you will probably make no
attempt to progress by learning how to do the job better, more efficiently, or with more care
and concern as to the overall productivity and profitability of the company you work for. This
decision as to your future is up to you alone, but you should be aware of the fact that many
other workers at your company genuinely care about advancing their status within the
company.... and want to make more money and progress up the career ladder by learning new
skills and processes that will allow them to do the job better, and in turn become recognized
as an employee who cares.... an employee who cares about themselves, their family and their
company. These are the employees who will stay with the company. Are you among this
group? It's up to you.

Company supervisors and managers have accepted the responsibility to help you learn and
grow on the job and within the company. They are committed to assist and guide you through
all stages of learning and accomplishing your job. They expect that you will take the time and
effort to learn the correct, safe, and efficient way to do the job you are hired to do. They
expect that you will also take the time to understand one another, and the way that your job
interacts with the jobs of the other employees within the warehouse operation.

You need to know that your supervisors and managers really do appreciate the work you
accomplish on a daily basis, genuinely welcome any constructive suggestions you may have
as to the how to do the job better or more efficiently, safety, employee motivation, or any
other area that you may consider important to you or the company.

The supervisory and management staff of your company wants to help you succeed....because
if you succeed, they succeed....the company accomplishes its stated goals and customers are
satisfied to the point of continuing to utilize your company. Never forget that you and your
supervisors are working toward the same goal..... which always is to satisfy customers, make
a profit for the company, and keep you and your fellow workers at all levels employed in an
operation that successfully meets or exceeds customer expectations and demands. Usually it is
company policy that all employees, regardless of level, be treated fairly and consistently,
within company guidelines. Supervisors and management staff want employees to constantly
be informed about new and changing processes, skills, safety procedures, and company
policy, and welcome ideas that could make any job more productive or safer. Your supervisor
and manager are committed to assist you and other employees with any question, issue, or
conflict that may arise within your workplace.

Teamwork: In the world of sports, games are not won by a single individual, they are won by
developing a team strategy, and then the combined efforts of all the players on the team
working together toward a common goal, assisting other team members in the pursuit of
achieving that goal, and not deviating from the team concept until the game is completed. It
really is no different in the business world, as teamwork is the key to success in the operation
of a modern warehouse. Teamwork within the world of the warehouse operation means that
all individuals employed by the company have a specific job to perform, and must work in
unison and in concert with all the other members of the team to achieve the goals set forth for
that particular shift or day. Everyone must work together coordinating their efforts and
CHAPTER 6.) WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES 21

successfully completing their job tasks. Everyone within the warehouse operation plays an
essential part in the overall success of the warehouse. If one team player doesn't work with the
team, the same result would happen to the sports team that couldn't play as a team, the work
would not get done, people could get hurt, and the needs of the customer would not be met.

The management of a company develops an overall action plan that requires the completion
of specific activities, and just like the football coach, supervisors assigns specific duties to
individuals, and then monitor and direct the completion of these tasks. If the workers do not
work as a team, it's simple... the work doesn't get done on time in a quality manner.

All the individuals working within the warehouse operation from top management, to the
supervisory staff, to the newest hourly worker, play an important and essential role in
completing the work load necessary to satisfy the needs of customers. If anyone falls short of
completing the job they have been assigned, there will be a tremendous impact on all the
others on the team, and on the successful completion of the assigned work. As you would in
any sports game, you need to fully understand what your assignment, do a good job in
completing the job, understand how your job is part of the overall work going on within the
warehouse, and participate as a team player to get the job done.

Your Need To Be a Part of Problem Resolution: We earlier discussed your need to take
personal responsibility for your actions. A part of this personal responsibility is your need to
assist in solving problems, not just pointing out problems. All employees must feel free to
seek information about how to better perform the job, how to better operate equipment or
machinery, or discuss with your supervisor any problem or other matter that concerns you. If
you have or notice a current or potential problem, or if some aspect of the work you are
performing are a concern, you need to bring it up, and talk it out with your supervisor. You
should also remember that instead of just laying problems at the feet of your supervisor, it is
far better if you try to work with your supervisor, thinking out alternate ways to solve the
problem, or perform the work in a safer or more efficient way.

Years of warehouse operations has shown that most problems or complaints can be worked
out through problem solving discussions with your supervisor. If your supervisor avoids
taking action or if you truly disagree with the supervisors decision as to the solution of the
problem, and you believe that you really have an issue that needs resolution, most companies
have some means of taking the problem to a level beyond your immediate supervisor. Your
company may allow you to arrange an appointment with a manager, some allow you talk to a
manager without an appointment, and some have other methods of allowing you discuss the
issue further. Just remember, if you are going to these steps to bring up an issue or area of
concern, it is equally your responsibility to offer what you consider as an alternative way to
solve the problem, and at the same time you also need to be flexible as to the ultimate answer
of how the company is going to remedy the issue. As a team player, you need to understand
that the final answer may not necessarily be your solution to the problem, but at least you had
the opportunity to bring up the issue, and had a hand in discussing the alternatives.
CHAPTER 7.) MATERIAL HANDLING BASICS 22

MATERIAL HANDLING BASICS

The Materials Handling Institute defines material handling as "the basic operation that
involves the movement of bulk, packaged, and individual goods in a semi-solid or solid state
by means of a human or machine, and within the limits of the facility."

For your understanding of Warehouse Operations, this study guide prefers to use this more
direct and applicable definition: Material Handling within warehousing operations means
providing the right amount, of the right material, in the right condition, at the right place, at
the right time, in the right position, in the right sequence, by using the right method(s).

Material handling represents a tremendous portion of the total cost of a manufactured product.
It is estimated that between 15% to 70% of the total cost of a manufactured product is the cost
of material handling. In the Agriculture Industry approximately 25% of total cost is from
material handling. In the printing industry about 35% of total cost is from material handling.
Companies spend billions of dollars annually on material handling and logistics, representing
anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of the total cost of doing business. It has been estimated that
between 3% to 5% of all material handled, becomes damaged. The scrapes and scratches on
the walls and floors and racking of our warehouses are evidence enough of the quality
problems that arise from careless material handling. This significant amount of damaged
goods has caused planners to design systems that require less handling of materials through
the use, and sometimes overuse, of increasingly automated systems. While many of these new
designs have been proven to be effective in some situations, they are not the only or best
solution to the problem in a majority of applications. Material handling is a very valuable
activity, and is a means by which overall product costs can be reduced through reduced
inventories, improved safety, decreased losses from pilferage, and through improved material
handling systems, equipment, and control processes. Overall product quality is improved by
reducing inventories and damage through improved material handling practices. The demand
for warehouse worker accuracy and quality has never been greater, and the battle for more
service at lower cost will cause this need for accuracy and quality to increase with time.

The following takes a closer look at the components of our definition of material handling and
what they mean in practical terms to the warehouse worker:

The Right Amount: No one should be confused by this requirement. When you provide too
much or too little material, then you or someone else has to take action to bring the quantity
back to the correct amount of product or merchandise that was requested. If you or others are
spending valuable time adjusting the quantity delivered, there are costs involved in this
additional work, there could be restocking charges, and additional inventory control activity
will add cost to the warehousing process. Quality in your daily work activity means that you
need to do the job right the first time.

The Right Material: The two most frequent errors in order picking are picking the wrong
amount and picking the wrong material. Picking the correct material requires the warehouse
worker to spend time becoming familiar with the parts numbering system in use within your
warehouse, how to obtain product status information, where the inventory is physically
CHAPTER 7.) MATERIAL HANDLING BASICS 23

located, and the material handling equipment in use by your company. The warehouse worker
must also take the time to fully understand used, and have a good working knowledge and
understanding of the order picking documents, and/or remote order picking devices, that are
used by your company in the order picking process. The ever increasing use of bar coding
technology, the emergence and continued development of radio frequency identification
(RFID), and other technologies have helped make significant improvements within the
warehousing process, and these new technologies have helped the warehouse worker locate
and provide the right material more consistently.

In The Right Condition: Simply stated, this means that material will be provided in top quality
condition, without damage. Since the process of material handling is frequently a major cause
of product damage, it is essential that total quality be the goal of the warehouse worker.

In The Right Sequence: The efforts of many different people to into the design, development,
construction, and implementation of individualized material handling systems that fit your
warehousing mission. Facility planners, engineers, management, staff, and floor workers have
all combined their expertise and experience, and have taken full advantage of all available
resources, as they spent time working out the ideal material handling layout, racking systems,
equipment, and processes necessary for your application. Every step and planned job duty has
been discussed and evaluated, perhaps many times, before they are implemented into
everyday warehouse operations. In other words, the stage has been carefully set, the moves
have been carefully planned out, and it's now up to the warehouse workers to follow the
correct sequence of job duties in the material handling process to eliminate unnecessary steps.
Efficiency in performing their job duties in the proper sequence contributes to the overall
efficiency and quality of the entire warehouse operation.

At The Right Place: When material arrives at the receiving dock what happens to it? How
many steps are required to get it correctly stored? Regardless of whether your company uses a
storage system with product assigned to a dedicated location within the warehouse, or if your
company determines the placement of the materials based on currently available space, it
should be moved and placed as soon as possible in the correct location, and with the least
amount of progressive steps in the process of transporting to the correct location as possible.

At The Right Time: The need for the material handling system to move, store, protect, and
control material at precisely the right time is becoming increasingly important due to time-
based customer requirements and responses to these time-based requirements by your
competition. Next day delivery is now a standard feature in many industrial warehouse
operations. In cross dock and just in time inventory management systems, timing is the most
critical issue, as product that comes in one door will be going out another door within hours,
and there is no room for timing errors. Computerization has assisted greatly in achieving
unknown timing accuracy and greatly improved quick response performance. Computers are
used in basic record keeping, more advanced receiving/storage/shipping tracking processes,
and in facility or system wide Warehouse Management Systems. It is important to remember
the basic concept that material handling must be provided at the right time, and this is not
necessarily the fastest time.
CHAPTER 7.) MATERIAL HANDLING BASICS 24

Using The Right Methods: Finally, to do all the right things right, we need to use the right
methods of material transport, the right methods of material storage, the right methods of
material order picking, unitizing, and shipping. To say it another way, the correct methods are
being used when they accomplish the requirements to provide the right amount of the right
materials, in the right condition, in the right sequence, at the right place, and at the right time.
By now you can see that material movement in much, much more than simply handling
material. It involved a complex interaction of movement, storage, control and protection of
the materials, staying within the company's overall objective of total customer satisfaction and
bottom line results.
CHAPTER 8.) RECEIVING AND PUTAWAY PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 25

RECEIVING AND PUTAWAY PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES

As you read the earlier descriptions of the receiving and putaway processes, you probably
thought about the fact that these activities "are the primary activities" that set the stage for the
input of addition merchandise or product into your warehousing operation. This means that in
addition to a need for quick and focuses work, there is a requirement for a high degree of
accuracy, so that your warehouse inventory control system has the correct information about
what really entered the system and the exact location as to where it is stored. Errors made
during this critical initial set of activities, (which includes crosschecking the condition,
description, and quantity of the goods actually received with paperwork showing exactly what
was ordered and shipped), will follow that product around the warehouse, until the errors are
discovered and corrected, or errors are made in the order pick and shipping processes. These
errors all take valuable time and effort to correct, and usually result in confusion, wasted time,
and reduced productivity throughout the warehouse.

There are ways that the accuracy and speed of these processes can be significantly improved
by streamlining and adding affordable technology to your warehousing operation, and your
company more than likely has already put many of them in place. At some point, someone
within the organization may call for the huge investment of time and money in more or fully
automated systems, and/or in full blown computerized warehouse management systems.
These may or may not be good ideas for your specific operation, and they may or may not in
fact significantly increase productivity to the point of justifying the investment.

You can be assured that before your company takes any steps to spend significant capital on
automation, they will want to be sure that the receiving and putaway processes, as well as all
the other job functions necessary to satisfy customer demands, have received a very careful
examination and review of options that are available to further streamline, simplify, and make
existing activities more efficient. In this section we will review some of those options that
could make the receiving and putaway functions within your operation more efficient and
productive, at minimal cost.

We previously described the Receiving function as: receiving is actually a variety of activities
that includes the orderly unloading of product arriving at the warehouse docks or receiving
area and verifying that the merchandise received matches the quantity and description of the
merchandise ordered as shown on your company purchase order, and the quantity and
description of merchandise that is shown on the freight or delivery receipt, and that all
merchandise has been received without damage. In some operations equipped with computer
management systems, it will also be part of the receiving process to enter the received
merchandise into the inventory control system. When these activities are completed, the
merchandise is either moved directly to: 1.) an outbound dock (as in the situation of a cross
dock or JIT inventory system), or is moved and putaway directly to: 2.) a reserve or primary
storage area, or is moved to: 3.) a pre-storage packaging area prior to putaway.

If we desire to make your receiving activity more efficient and streamlined it makes sense that
we should be thinking of ways to simplify the flow of product through the process and reduce
the amount of work and individual steps required to properly receive the product. If new or
CHAPTER 8.) RECEIVING AND PUTAWAY PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 26

different actions are taken that accomplish these goals, then given a constant degree of
accuracy throughout the process, the number of errors and mistakes should be reduced and the
amount of time required to complete the work should also be reduced. As the management of
your company knows, there is always room for improvement, so do not hesitate to offer
feedback to your supervisors on ways that could improve your operation. Bring your ideas up
at team meetings, safety meetings, or take a minute to talk with your supervisor or manager
anytime you think of methods to improve how operations are conducted, how equipment is
utilized, or how items that appear fast moving could be repositioned to a more convenient
location.

The following are possible ways your company could streamline operations and improve
productivity by reducing handling steps during receiving:

● If you notice large quantities of the same SKU or family of products moving quickly
through your warehousing operation, there could be a chance that direct shipping from the
point of origin to your customer could save considerable time, effort, and expense, as the
product will never go through your system. The ideal products for direct shipping are large,
bulky, custom made products, or combinations of items to the same customer on a regular
basis that amounts to truckload quantities.

● On a similar note, if you notice product moving through the warehouse as described above
in the direct shipping explanation, and direct shipping cannot be accomplished, then you still
could have the opportunity for substantial savings in warehousing costs by instituting a cross
dock operation to meet those specific customer needs. In order to accomplish cross dock
processes, you need to have a constant information flow from your suppliers, on specific
products as to scheduled delivery time, as you need to precisely accurate in matching the
scheduled arrival of inbound loads to outbound load requirements. Both your supplier and
your company need to coordinate efforts on bar coding of the product with mutually
acceptable labels and SKU numbering systems. If this is put in place, inbound containers will
have been bar code labeled by the shipper prior to arrival at your facility. This will greatly
simplify your receiving process. You may need to update or apply a new bar code label to the
container for outbound shipment. Using this flow through system, the container upon arrival
and unloading at your receiving dock, is immediately moved to an outbound dock
staging/load accumulation area, and then loaded and shipped within hours of arrival. Again,
substantial savings can be accomplished in this type of operation, if and when possible, as the
product does not enter your warehousing operation for any length of time.

● When a container of product arrives at your receiving dock, there will never be a better or
more convenient time to accomplish other necessary actions regarding the recently arrived
product. If you are able to put in place a communication link with your vendor or supplier
where you are given detailed information about the product(s) packaged in the incoming load,
prior to the delivery of the product at your dock, there are many activities you can perform in
advance of receiving the delivery. If your warehouse management system is able to develop
your internal product identification information for each of the incoming pallets or cases, the
exact location that the product is to moved to for storage, and any other pertinent information,
your receiving department can print the bar code labels prior to the product arrival. This
CHAPTER 8.) RECEIVING AND PUTAWAY PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 27

would allow for immediate labeling and the immediate movement of product out of the
receiving area to the designated storage area.

● When the product is initially received, there also is no better time or place to accomplish
other activities that could include pre-storage packaging, labeling, and/or weighing.

In some instances, based on customer demand and/or based on computer analysis of


individual SKU order quantities and a projection of possible less than full pallet or case loads,
there may be a need to repack pallet or case loads into ½ or ¼ unit loads. When this is done,
the company may offer special pricing to customers to encourage their ordering partial unit
loads instead of smaller quantities of individual items or cases. If this analysis is performed
and the re-packaging requirements are known prior to the arrival of the product, there is no
reason why this work should not be performed in the receiving area, thus allowing for
weighing of the newly re-packaged item, and bar code preparation on label application to the
newly re-packaged item, prior to the movement of the partial unit loads to the desired storage
position.

The following are possible ways your company could streamline operations and improve
productivity by reducing handling steps during putaway:

● Many warehouse operations use a receiving process where product is unloaded from the
delivery vehicle and moved to a staging area, with product inspection and other receiving
functions performed at a later time, possibly by a different crew, and putaway to storage
accomplished following completion of the receiving process. One way to eliminate many
steps in this entire receiving/ staging/ putaway activity is to gear the system up for direct
putaway, where product is unloaded, received, and putaway in one non-stop sequence. When
the bar code labels can be prepared in advance as described earlier, or if the transport vehicles
are equipped with scales, cubing devices, and some method transmitting this information to a
computerized Warehouse Management System, the driver (or receiving crew where the
onboard technology is not in place) can directly unload, accomplish the receiving function,
and directly move the newly bar code labeled product to its assigned primary or reserve
storage position.

● Warehouse workers are just like any other workers, and if allowed to do so, they will move
product to areas within the warehouse that may "somewhat comply" with where they were
told to move the product, but the exact position will be influenced by the workers desire to go
on break, eat lunch, talk to other workers, or who knows what other influences may direct the
worker to position product as they desire. To minimize this tendency, and to maximize the
storage capacity and proper placement of product based on pick zoning and other pick
placement criteria, the warehouse worker may be directed by a Warehouse Management
System via bar code labels, radio frequency identification, or other technologies as to exactly
where to place an item in storage.

● Instead of instructing a warehouse worker during one trip to move one item to one end of
the warehouse and one item to the other end of the warehouse, and on the next trip to move
another of the each of the same items to the same location at each end of the warehouse, it just
CHAPTER 8.) RECEIVING AND PUTAWAY PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 28

makes sense that prior to making any putaway trip, that the product should be sorted for
putaway by warehouse storage location, and the product should be sorted by relative position
to product in relative close proximity. When this pre-trip activity is completed, the worker can
move many units to the same location, and within a close proximity to each other, thus
reducing time and travel during the putaway process.

It also makes sense that when possible, and when a computerized Warehouse Management
System can provide the necessary instructions, that product storage transportation vehicles
should be moving product both ways (moving product from receiving to storage, and on the
return leg moving product from storage to shipping) when they are involved in product
putaway to storage. This type on two way utilization of both the driver and the vehicle is most
appropriate for pallet load storage and retrieval processes, as case load and single item picking
is not conducive to this two way movement.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 29

PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

There are three primary material storage categories that are utilized within warehousing
operations: the storage and retrieval of palletized loads, the storage and retrieval of cases, and
the storage and retrieval of single items that have been removed from case loads of product.

In each of the next three chapters we will look individually within each of these three major
warehousing categories, and will review the different storage systems used to keep the
product correctly, safely, and securely positioned within the warehouse. We will then look at
the various types of equipment that is used both to put product away into storage, and later to
retrieve the product from its specific storage position. We will equipment such as conveyor
systems that greatly assist in these processes. As warehouse operations over the years have
identified the retrieval, or product picking process, as the one activity within the warehouse
with the greatest potential for error and customer dissatisfaction, much of the discussion of
equipment will focus on product retrieval equipment and associated retrieval components, but
you need to remember that the putaway process use the same equipment and processes as
retrieval or order picking, its just done in the reverse order.

In some discussions of pallet load storage you may run across the term, unit load or unit load
storage. This is a material handling term that describes any configuration of materials that
allows it to be moved by material handling equipment as a single unit. While small
configurations, even one item, could be considered unit loads, the term generally defines
larger configurations that would be moved by a lift truck such as palletized loads, crates, or
skid boxes. For the purposes of this study guide, and in an effort to not intermix terms, we
will simply call unit load and pallet load the same, and use this meaning of unit load, to
basically define what we mean when we refer to a pallet load. A warehouse operation that
focuses on the movement of product that is stored on pallets in known as a pallet storage
operation, and one that uses some type of pallet load storage system, and pallet load specialty
equipment.

I. Basic Building Blocks Within The Pallet Load Storage System You can't just pile
product on the floor, with the hope of using some type of lift equipment to move it around the
warehouse, as there is no way for the equipment to safely insert the lifting mechanism under
the product without damaging the product. The most practical method is to stack the material
on top of some sturdy wood or plastic shelf, one that is designed to allow the forks of a
forklift or other type of equipment to slip under or into it, and allow the entire load to lifted,
transported, and placed into storage. The most cost effective way to accomplish this need is
through the use of pallets, (due to their limitations, we will not examine the use of slip sheets)
and/or through the use of containers such as skid boxes to satisfy specific containment needs.

Pallets: Pallets are the primary interface between the packaged product and today's highly
material handling equipment, whether that equipment is basic pallet moving equipment or
highly automated material handling equipment. Approximately 90% of the U.S. Domestic
products are shipped on pallets. Basically, there are two general styles of pallets. Stringer-
style and block- style. In the U.S. the stringer pallet is more common, as it costs less to build
than the block style does, but it is weaker as well. A skid is a stringer pallet with no bottom
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 30

deck boards. Despite the cost, the block pallet is more suitable for a wide variety of handling
environments because it provides fork and jack access on all sides. Stringer pallets allow 2
way access by both forklifts and pallet jacks, and if they are notched will only allow for 4 way
access by forklifts. Even if notched, stringer pallets only allow 2 way access by pallet jacks.

Among the most popular pallet sizes are the following:

32 x 40 in. 40 x 48 in. 48 x 40 in.


36 x 48 in. 42 x 42 in. 48 x 48 in.

Other sizes that are considered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are:

24 x 32 in. 36 x 36 in. 48 x 60 in.


32 x 48 in. 36 x 42 in. 48 x 72 in.

Among the 450 million pallets manufactured in North America annually, the 48 x 40 inch
GMA, or grocery pallet is the workhorse of the logistics industry. Other sizes and designs
exist for other uses such as shipping 55 gallon drums, paint cans, electronics and
telecommunications equipment.

Among the most popular types of pallets are the following:

1.) Two Way, Double Deck, Flush, Non-Reversible Stringer Pallet

This two way entry pallet has bottom boards to permit use by
forklifts, pallet trucks and other transporters. The wider spacing
on the bottom of the boards is utilized to reduce the amount of
lumber and weight, while at the same time retaining the
physical advantages of double decker pallets.

2.) Two Way, Single Deck, Flush, Non-Reversible, Stringer Pallet

This pallet or skid is usually classified as a stringer pallet.


Single deck means the pallet has only top deck boards and the
term non-reversible indicates that they cannot be used properly
when turned upside down. Often referred to as skids, which are
pallets with no bottom deck boards, they are the most
economical pallet to build and take up less space because they can be interlocked or nested
during storage. They are useful for dense concentrated loads when bottom deck boards are not
essential and typical uses include dairy, paper, brick, sod and certain building products that
are not subject to crushing failure.

3.) Two Way, Double Deck, Flush, Reversible Stringer Pallet

This stringer pallet has deck boards spaced identically on the


top and bottom which permits the pallets to be reversed. It
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 31

contains more wood than other styles and is stiffer. The bottom deck assists in distributing the
bearing forces and so this type of pallet is often utilized with loads that are susceptible to
crushing failures. They can only be handled with forklift trucks.

4.) Partial Four Way, Double Deck, Flush, Non-Reversible, Stringer Pallet

This partial four way entry stringer pallet is the most common
in North America. It is versatile, permitting four way handling
by forklifts, and two day handling by pallet trucks, and other
transporters.

5.) Two Way, Single Deck, Single Wing, Non-Reversible Stringer Pallet

This two way entry, single deck, single wing, non-reversible


stringer pallet consists of top deck boards that protrude beyond
the stringers and are designed for use with straddle forklift
trucks, cargo slings, bars, as well as conventional forklift trucks,
pallet trucks, and other transporters. They permit use of
narrower aisles in warehouses where proper material handling equipment if available. An
added feature of the wing is that it can assist in the securing of stretch wrap when applied to
unit loads.

6.) Two Way, Double Deck, Single Wing, Non-Reversible Stringer Pallet

This pallet is similar to the two way, single deck, wing style,
however with the addition of bottom boards they are much
stiffer & more durable. In this style, the top deck boards extend
over the outside edge of both inside stringers (the wing) while
the bottom deck boards remain flush with the stringer edges.

7.) Two Way, Double Deck, Double Wing, Reversible, Stringer Type Pallet

This two way design, double wing pallet is reversible and thus
has the same amount of top and bottom boards. Due to the
extension of the deck boards beyond the stringers, it is often
referred to as the strongest pallet design.

8.) Full Four Way, Double Deck, Flush, Non-Reversible, Block Pallet

Block pallets are the most common style of pallets used in


Europe and their use in North America is increasing. The vast
majority of block pallets have nine blocks which are located at
the four corners, mid-way across the width, and at the geometric
center of the pallet. Due to the fact that they allow for lift truck
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 32

and transport entry in all directions, they are referred to as full 4 way.
Before actually starting to load product on a pallet, one needs to consider the volume and
weight of the items to be stored, as they will determine the size of a pallet, and will help
determine the stacking pattern to be used to achieve optimum use of the pallet. There are
many computer programs that when used in conjunction with your computerized Warehouse
Management System, will print out the best layout configuration for that particular load using
a specific type of pallet. Some warehousing operations only purchase one or possibly two
types or sizes or pallets, so much greater care must be given as to the layout pattern as you
configure and load a pallet.

Among the Most Popular Pallet Layout Patterns Are the Following:

a.) Block Pattern c.) Pinwheel Pattern


b.) Row Pattern d.) Honeycomb Pattern
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 33

e.) Split- row pattern g.) Split- pinwheel pattern for narrow boxes
f.) Split- pinwheel pattern h.) Brick pattern

It is very valuable for you to become aware of the importance that a basic knowledge of
different layout patterns can have in optimizing the packing of a pallet. Your ability to select
the right pallet pattern for each item, depending on the case size (and weight) will make a
significant difference in how well the available pallet cube is used.

The illustration to the left shows how better use of


the pallet cube through the use or more effective
pallet stacking patterns. This could directly affect not
just more effective utilization of available warehouse
space, but also has an impact productivity and
profitability through increased or decreased shipping
costs.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 34

Containers: When the demands of the customer or the actual physical nature of the product
being handled will not allow the use of pallets, the next choice is to utilize some type of skid
box, crate, or pallet box. These containers not only allow for the inter-warehouse movement
and storage of unusual items that are not suitable for the palletizing process, but such
containers provide strength and durability, that assists in stacking these containers much like
you would stack palletized loads.

Among the various types of containers you may encounter are:

Plastic Storage Bin: note the four way forklift access,


and ability to stack vertically.

Pallet Box: note the two way forklift access, and


ability to stack vertically

Skid Box: note two way forklift access, and


ability to stack vertically
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 35

II. Pallet Load Storage Systems in this section we will look at the different methods and
physical storage systems that are used to methodically store and hold palletized loads of
product or merchandise.

1.) Block stacking: block stacking, also know as floor stacking, is a storage method which
uses no formal racking system, and pallet loads are stacked on top of each other. The initial
pallet is placed directly on the floor, in a lane marked or painted on the floor, and additional
pallets are placed on the top of the first one.

This picture shows block stacking on the left side of the warehouse,
and pallet rack storage on the right side of the picture. This storage
method provides for the layout of storage lanes, in which pallet loads
of the same SKU are placed from two to ten pallet load stacks deep.
Vertically this method allow for stacking from two loads high up to
a height that is dependent upon acceptable safe limits, which is a
function of load weight, stackability, crushability, the strength and
design of the pallet utilized, and other items such as clear height
within the building and the ability of the lift truck to reach and stack
to the height desired.

This method brings with it the advantages of no investment in racks,


ease of implementation, flexibility in the utilization of floor space,
and flexibility in the stacking height. Block stacking, due to its
nature, at the same time brings many disadvantages that include: 1.)
only the exact same SKU's can be stacked in each specific storage
lane, 2.) only the same size loads can be stacked on top of each other, 3.) honeycombing can
occur when loads are from a storage lane. Empty pallet spaces cannot be utilized efficiently
until an entire lane has been emptied, and of great importance in many industries, unless you
dedicate much more space, and establish both supply and replenishment aisles that service all
storage lanes, the last stack you brought in from the receiving dock, will by necessity be the
first one you pull, so a First In- First Out inventory control management system will not be
possible.

2.) Stacking Frame:

In situations where the SKU that you desire to put in block or


floor storage is crushable, or for some other reason is not self
supporting, the warehouse operator has the option to utilize pallet
stacking frames. There are two major types of stacking frames.
The picture to the left shows the type that attaches quickly and
easily to the four corners of the pallet, and is available in different
load capacities and different pallet sizes.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 36

The manufacturer of this style of stacking frame claims that due


to design of the unit, that they are stackable, and require
minimal storage space when not in use. This design appears to
be a one piece unit, with attachment points on the bottom of
each unit, for attachment to all four corners of the pallet.

This second type of stacking frame is a self contained steel


unit made up of decks and posts. These units are available in
different deck styles, different deck sizes, and different
capacities. Some models can be stacked up to four units high,
accommodate loads that lean heavily to the side, and
temporarily do not require knock down, by inter-nesting for
quick reuse in a minimal amount of floor space

3.) Single Deep Selective Pallet Rack:

Single deep selective pallet racking, is one of the most popular


types of storage racks, and is a simple construction process that
utilizes metal uprights and cross-member to provide access to
each load stored. At a minimum, one pair of load beams is at the
first level, and second pair of load beams is at the top of the
upright frame. This feature provides good stability. Many rack
installations are three or four levels high, and in a tall building
they can be designed to be four or six levels high.

When a pallet space is created by the removal of a load in a


single deep selective pallet racking system, a new pallet can be
immediately moved in to fill the space that is now available.
Due to the rigid frame structure, loads do not need to be
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 37

stackable, and loads can be made up of varying heights and widths. Single deep selective
pallet racking, is one of the most popular types of storage racks, and is a simple construction
process that utilizes metal uprights and cross-member to provide access to each load stored.
At a minimum, one pair of load beams is at the first level, and second pair of load beams is at
the top of the upright frame. This feature provides good stability. Many rack installations are
three or four levels high, and in a tall building they can be designed to be four or six levels
high.

This illustration shows how a standard forklift


can travel down a wide aisle, and maneuver
into position to place product to the height
limit of the machine, or when more narrow
aisles are in place, the transport vehicle of
choice will be a forklift with some style of fork
swing mechanism.

This illustration shows the due to unobstructed


rigid design, the platform holding the pallet
loads are easily and immediately accessed,
making this method of rack storage the most
frequently utilized over the years.

The only major disadvantage to this system is


that it requires more aisle space than most other
racks, and in most cases the aisle space
requirement can be as high as 50 to 60% of the
available warehouse floor space.

4.) Double Deep Pallet Rack: A double deep pallet rack is simply adapting a single deep
selective pallet rack to a system that is two pallet positions deep.

An advantage of the double deep rack system is that


fewer aisles are needed. In most cases more than a
50% aisle space savings can be achieved compared
to single deep racking. Double deep racks are
frequently specified for operations where the storage
requirements for a specific product calls for frequent
delivery and pick up in multiples of two pallet unit
loads. Since loads are stored & retrieved two pallet
loads deep, a double reach forklift truck is required.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 38

4.) Drive-In Rack: Drive-in racks are consists of storage lanes with rigid structural side
frames, cross, and top members that can be designed to handle pallet loads from 2 to 10 unit
loads deep, and 3 to 4 unit loads high. These units are built to allow a lift truck to drive into
the rack several positions to deposit or retrieve a pallet load. When the driver drives into the
storage lane, the bottom storage lane has the bottom unit load set on the floor. Because this
racking system is designed to support other loads above the height of the lift truck, the driver
drives into a storage lane, and deposits elevated storage lane pallet loads on the rack structural
members.
The main advantage of this
system is that it results in a
very efficient utilization of
floor space, as it requires
much less floor space be
devoted to aisle space.
Although this system
provides medium to good
storage density, it comes with
several disadvantages: ● there
is a potential for honeycomb
problems, as no more than
one SKU is generally stored
in any one storage lane. ● due to poor unit load accessibility, this type of system must use
LIFO inventory rotation.● lift trucks must travel at a reduced speed, which is necessary for
safe navigation when traveling along a storage lane within rack system.

5.) Drive-Through Rack: Drive-in racks have the same rack components, design
characteristics, and utilization factors as the drive-in racks, except that there is no back
bracing and is designed as a stand alone rack row with lift truck aisles on both sides.

When used for LIFO applications,


the lift truck enters from the front
aisle, performs its deposit or
retrieval, and backs out into the
same front aisle. When used for
FIFO applications, the lift truck
enters from the front aisle, performs
its work of depositing product, and
backs back out into the front aisle.
To retrieve a unit load, the lift truck
enters the storage lane from the rear
aisle, retrieves the load, and backs
out into the rear aisle. Both drive-
in/drive-through systems are used
where the goal is to store many pallets of each SKU, and where products that have very fast
turnarounds such as produce or seasonal items. They are also seen in freezer applications
where customers sacrifice selectivity/productivity for more storage due to freezer space cost.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 39

6,) Gravity Flow Rack: The gravity flow rack, or flow through rack, or pallet flow rack, is a
system designed as a single or stand-alone rack with storage lanes that are 3 to 4 storage
levels high (in some designs they can go 7 to 8 storage levels high) and typically are designed
with to hold 3 to 20 unit loads per storage lane. This racking system is somewhat like a drive
through system, but loads are moved by the force of gravity along a series of skatewheel or
roller conveyors from the point of entry to the other end of the unit where they are retrieved.

The pallet gravity flow rack begins its process


when a lift truck moves to the entry end of the
rack system, and places a unit load onto the
skatewheel or roller conveyor. Gravity and the
unit load weight cause the unit to move
downhill on the roller system through the
storage lane to the exit end of the storage lane.
When a lift truck removes a pallet load from
the exit end, the system allows another pallet
load to move to the end, awaiting another
order. Each storage lane can accommodate one
specific SKU. These systems have a high
utilization factor, and are designed to handle
high volumes, and thus provide high
throughput pallet storage and retrieval and
good space utilization. The major downside to this system is their higher cost.

8.) Push-Back Rack: A push-back rack is designed as a stand alone, series of deep storage
lanes that could be 3 to 4 loads deep and could be up to 3 to 4 loads high. It is often located
with its back against a wall, allowing a lift truck to deposit and retrieve pallets from a single
aisle in front of the unit. Each storage lane is equipped with sliding carriers (carts in the
illustration) that fit on the side rails under each storage lane, and on top of which the pallet
loads are placed. Each storage lane is designed to slope down toward the front of the unit.

To deposit pallet loads, a lift truck


places the inbound load on top of the
sliding carrier (cart) within the rail
system, and against the existing load
that is already in place in the storage
lane. With enough force by the
forklift against the newly placed
pallet, both units will slide back, until
firmly pushed to the back of the rack.
If capacity allows, a new open space
will be created in the front of the unit
to accept placement of another pallet.
To withdraw a pallet, the lift truck
slowly lift the front pallet 2-3 inches
above the storage lane position and
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 40

withdraws from the lane, backing out into the aisle. As the unit is removed, gravity moves the
next unit load into the exit position. Each lane handles one SKU, and this system provides
good storage density and unit load accessibility.

9.) Sliding or Mobile Pallet Rack: Sliding racks are similar to standard single deep pallet
rack rows or back-to-back rack rows, except that they are mounted on movable bases (wheels
or tracks) that allow an entire rack to be moved individually sideways, or perpendicular to the
lengthwise direction of the racking, a sufficient distance to create a lift truck aisle.

For access to the desired pallet load


location, a sliding rack row moves (or
several rows are moved) to the side and a
lift truck transaction aisle is created
between rows. The lift truck enters the
aisle, performs it job, and move back out
into the main aisle. The sliding rack rows,
as needed, are then moved to new
positions to create a new aisle to allow
the lift truck access to the newly created
aisle space. Sensing devices are in place
as a safety measure to stop any row
movement if an object or employee is in
the movement path. With only one access
aisle, this system uses minimum floor space, provides high storage density, and good pallet
load accessibility, however it is at the cost of low productivity due to the time factor required
in moving the rows into the correct configuration. Sliding racks are best justified when floor
space is at a premium. However when a good inventory control program is in place, and
batched transactions are performed as rows are exposed, such practices could move this
system from the lowest level of productivity to more cost justified in terms of productivity.

10.) Cantilever Rack: The cantilever rack system is designed to handle long unit loads such
as bundles of lumber or piping.

These storage systems consist of upright posts, support


arms, legs, and bracing. The cantilever rack can be
designed as a single arm row or double arm row. The arms
extend outward from the upright post and create unit load
storage positions, and can be served by a wide variety of
lift trucks and vehicles.

With solid or wire mesh decking installed on the support


arms, this style of racking can adapted to the storage of
cartons, furniture, or other items.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 41

III. Pallet Load Storage/ Retrieval Methods and Equipment: Pallet load storage and
retrieval equipment is differentiated from case load and single item equipment basically
because this more heavy duty equipment is intended to move pallet loads of material, and is
well designed to handle those specific tasks, although you will also find much of this same
equipment, with some or no modifications, operating in case load and single item operations
also, where the re-supply process involves the movement of pallets to the supply side of the
storage racking or shelves.

Equipment that is designed for pallet load operations moves up in price required operating
skills as it becomes more sophisticated and able to handle greater loads, deeper reaches,
higher reaches, are built with entire fork assemblies that swing to the side, and designed to
operate in more narrow aisles with higher reaches. In this section we will look at many of the
equipment styles that are used for pallet load transport.

1.) Pallet Jack: The pallet jack is used to lift up to about 6-10 inches, maneuver and then
transport a pallet load of material for a short distance. Pallet jacks can operate manually,
meaning that the operator must pump the lift handle to lift the pallet off the ground and then
pull the load to the destination. Powered pallet jacks can be either a no-rider allowed, walkie
version, or they can be a rider allowed walkie rider style.

Manual Pallet Jack: This is a typical manual style pallet jack,


where the front wheels are mounted inside the end of the forks, and
extend to the floor as the pallet is only lifted enough to clear the
floor for subsequent travel. Restrictions include: reversible pallets
cannot be used, double faced non-reversible pallets cannot have
deckboards where the front wheels extend to the floor, and they
allow only two way entry into a four way notched stringer pallet
because the forks cannot be inserted into the notches.

Walkie: This is a typical powered pallet jack where the operator


tilts the control handle back for walking ease of operation. Has
most or all of the above restrictions to pallet style usability.

Walkie Rider: All the same as above, with the exception


that the operator can ride the equipment.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 42

Center Console Rider: A step up pallet load transporter


where the rider can ride in the center of the machine.

2.) Walkie Stacker Series: The walkie stacker is designed to lift greater loads than the pallet
jack, and also offers the convenience of lifting the load to be stacked or placed in storage
racks. The various types of walkie stackers are all controlled by the operator steering from a
walking position behind the vehicle, and allows a pallet to be lifted, stacked, and transported
short distances. All can be configured for right angle stacking.

Walkie Stradle Stacker: A user benefits from a big lifting


capacity and the operational cost of a walkie rather than a
rider. This particular model straddles the load with its
outriggers for added stability and lifting capacity.

Walkie Reach Stacker: This model has the same


features as those above, except that there is a
scissors device that interconnects the lifting
mechanism with the fork assembly. The scissors
move the fork assembly forward (into the rack) and
backwards (outward from the rack), which allows
the load to be retrieved from or placed in storage
with less actual forward and/backward movement
of the vehicle.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 43

Walkie Counterbalanced Stacker: All of the features of the


above except specialty features, but this equipment does not
require front end stabilizers, due to the counterbalance design
of the machine.

3.) Tractor/trailer Vehicle Combinations:

Tractor trailer combinations extend the transporting


capabilities of warehousing operations by providing a
powered, rider aboard vehicle designed to pull a train of
connected cars. A wide variety of trailer styles are
available to meet almost any specialty need.

4.) Counterbalanced Lift Truck: If ever there has been what could be classically called the
"workhorse" vehicle within the field of material handling, the distinction goes hands down to
the counterbalanced lift truck.

Although it is usually referred to as a fork lift truck, not


all designs utilize forks for lifting. They come battery
powered, or powered by an internal combustion engine
that could use gasoline, diesel, or propane fuel. Tires are
hard rubber cushion style for indoor use, or air fill
pneumatic tires for outdoor or indoor/outdoor operation.
Load carrying capacity ranges greatly, from minimal to
up to over 100,000 pounds for extra heavy duty outdoor
versions. They derive their name from the heavy
counterweight found over the rear wheels to achieve their
lifting capacity and ability to lift to heights to +/- 25 feet.
They come in sit down and stand up versions, and have a
large assortment of configurations for the front end if one
wants to replace the forks. Some of the available
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 44

attachments include: side shifters, load push/pull attachments, carton clamps, barrel and paper
roll clamps.

This is an example of a stand up counterbalanced lift truck. Most


of these vehicles allow the operator to assume a side stance for a
45 degree view for maximum efficiency, visibility, and custom
comfort. They also can be configured for right angle stacking. As
with all counterbalanced lift trucks, the major drawback to these
vehicles is the wide turning radius that they require. This usually
results in the need for 11 to 12 foot aisles, and many warehousing
operations turn to vehicle designed for more narrow aisles.

5.) Narrow Aisle Vehicles: Over time, and in response to the wide aisle width that
counterbalanced lift trucks require, vehicles have been designed to fit much more narrow aisle
widths, thus increasing usable floor space.

Straddle Trucks: A straddle truck is most often used in


warehousing operations where aisle space is scarce
and/or very expensive. The straddle truck provides load
and vehicle stability using outriggers that straddle the
pallet load, instead of relying on the rear counterbalance
for stability and support. This results in reducing the
required operating aisle opening to +/- 7-9 feet. To
access loads is storage, the outriggers are driven into the
rack allowing the forks (already raised to the height of
the lower side of the pallet being removed) to slip under
the pallet. A version of the straddle truck is the straddle
reach truck: as we discussed earlier with walkie reach
stacker, design engineers have taken the basic straddle
truck, shortened the outriggers and mounted a scissors type mechanism that allows the
vehicle, once positioned in front of the pallet, to stay in place and instead, the scissors
mechanism with forks attached, moves the load in and out by telescoping the scissors/forks
forward and then back out.

Sideloading Trucks: The sideloader truck loads and unloads from


one side, and in the course of doing so, eliminates the need to turn
in the aisle to access storage positions. Mast designs are similar to
those found on the straddle reach trucks. A variety of load types
can be handled using a sideloader. The vehicles configuration
lends itself to storing long loads in a cantilever storage rack.

The major drawback to this vehicle design in the requirement to


enter the correct end of the aisle in order to access the particular
location, on the correct side of the aisle.
CHAPTER 9.) PALLET LOAD STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 45

Very Narrow Aisle, Man-Up, Turret Lift Truck: Turret trucks


solve the problem presented by the sideloading truck, and that is
they do not require the vehicle to reposition in the other
direction, or make any turn within the aisle to store or retrieve a
pallet located on either side of the aisle. The model shown has a
position for a rider to go up with the forks to the pick position,
for higher accuracy and safety in loading or unloading pallets
high up in the racking system.

6.) Automated Storage/Retrieval Systems (AS/RS): This system consists of an integrated


computer controlled system that combines the storage medium, transport mechanism, and
controls with various levels of automation for fast and accurate random storage of products
and services.
This schematic shows a Unit Load Automatic
Storage/Retrieval System used to store and
retrieve pallet loads that weigh over 500
pounds.

A typical AS/RS operation involves the S/R


machine picking up the load at the front of
the system, transporting it to an empty
position, and depositing the load in the empty
location, and then returning to the
input/output (I/O) point. Single commands
accomplish either a storage or retrieval
between successive visits to the I/O point.
Dual command operations involves the S/R
machine picking up a load at the I/O point,
traveling loaded to an empty location,
depositing the load, traveling empty to the location of the nearest retrieval, picking up the
load, traveling to the I/O point, and depositing the load.

IV. Conveyor Systems In Pallet Load Warehouse Operations:

Skate Wheel or Roller Conveyor Systems:


Although there is opportunity for the use of conveyors in pallet
load warehousing, they are used only occasionally, and in those
instances pallet width, heavy duty conveyors are used in the
receiving and/or shipping process, and specifically as an assist in
moving pallets from incoming trucks to the receiving dock or
from the shipping dock to outbound trucks. Conveyors are
sometimes used to transport pallets closer to their storage
positions, but due to the weight and bulkiness of most pallet
loads, more traditional equipment is normally utilized.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 46

CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

Many warehousing operations are designed to function as carton or full case distribution
facilities. In this type of operation the majority of incoming product is received and stored in
pallet loads, as in the previous chapter, but then is picked and shipped to the customer in case
load quantities. In this chapter we will look at the type of storage systems commonly used,
and review the methods typically used to retrieve or "pick" a carton of the product from
storage and move it to the unitizing or shipping area. The most critical activity in this type of
warehouse operation is the accurate and timely picking and shipping of cartons of product to
the customer, so that the customer is able to fulfill its obligations to its customers in a timely
manner.

I. Carton Or Full Case Storage Systems: Many of the methods and physical racking and
storage systems used in a carton warehouse operation were discussed in the previous chapter,
so in addition to showing a schematic of the different systems as a review, we will also briefly
discuss how these physical storage systems are set up for the most efficient order picking
possible. All of the storage systems that will be described in this section are intended for
manual order picking processes, and descriptions of specialty physical storage systems
designed for mechanized or automatic order picking processes will be provided in the order
picking methods section of this chapter.

1.) Block stacking: Block stacking, or floor stacking, is a storage method primarily used for
high cube, fast moving product. In this storage system, pallets of product are stored directly
on the floor, and then stacked on top of the bottom pallet, in a storage lane that could be a
single row, or several back to back rows of the same SKU. The pick position is the pallet load
closest to the aisle end of the storage row. Reserve pallet loads are stacked behind the pick
position, and are moved into the pick position when all of the product in the pick position has
been exhausted.

2.) Stacking Frames: When pallet loads of product are not able to be floor stacked due to
crushability of the load, or for some other reason, an alternative storage method is the use of
stacking frames that add rigidity to the pallet load.
l
The only difference between this method and the floor stacking method is
the additional step required when the pallet load is moved from reserve
position to the pick position; the frames should be removed for better access
to the product cases, and the frames moved to a frame storage area.

3.) Single Deep Selective Pallet Rack:

This method of storage is very popular in warehousing operations that


distribute at the carton load level. Usually one pallet deep, this pallet rack
system, usually referred to as a standard pallet rack, can be built to
accommodate two or three pallets placed side by side in the row bay. With
this style of rack system, the first pallet load is placed on the ground and a
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 47

second rack level holds another set of pallets, with these two lower levels serving as the pick
position. Reserve pallet loads are placed in racking above the second level.

4.) Drive In Rack:


This style of storage system is normally located along a wall, as
all the work of putaway and retrieval is done from the front aisle,
and only one SKU is stored per storage lane. The pick position is
the floor stacked pallet position closest to the front aisle. Pallets
placed behind the front pallet position are reserve stock.

5.) Drive Through Rack:


This stand alone style of storage system is very similar to the drive in
rack, but has fork lift aisles located at both ends of the storage lane
which allows the operator to enter from either end. Depending upon
the inventory control system is use, the putaway and pick position will
be located entirely on the front aisle, or putaway is from one end, and
pick is performed from the other end.

6.) Gravity Flow Pallet or Carton Rack:

This stand alone style of storage system can be configured for pallets
or cartons. At one end of the unit is a forklift aisle where putaway of
pallets or cartons is performed. Product units flow through the storage
system by gravity feed, and the pick position is at the other end of the
unit in the pick aisle. This style of storage only allows one SKU per
storage lane. Storage lanes above ground level must be accessed by
some style of lift/pick equipment.

7.) Push Back Rack:

This stand alone style of storage system can be placed with the
back of the unit along a wall, as all putaway and pick is performed
from the front of the unit. After filling a storage lane from the
front, the front of the unit is the pick position until the empty pallet
is removed, and a new pallet unit slides forward to replace it as the
pick pallet unit. One SKU per storage lane, and storage lanes
above ground level are accessed by lift/pick equipment.

8.) Pick Tunnel:

The pick tunnel is a specialized carton storage unit that is


custom designed for the individual user. This storage design
is best visualized as a stand alone structure with lift truck
aisles on both sides, and appears to be a two story unit with a
block of racking missing in lower middle section. The upper
portion is for reserve storage through push back units that are
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 48

supplied and removed from either side of the unit, or are supplied by gravity flow from one
side of the unit to the other side. The lower storage section has gravity fed storage units that
allow product cases to move from the outer aisles toward the middle section, which is an open
area called the "tunnel". This area in the lower middle is the pick area, where workers pick
from the two gravity fed side units Cases are then moved by conveyor or pallet truck to the
next stage in the shipping process.

9.) Mobile Shelving or Storage Units:

The same style of movable or mobile shelving we previously saw


for pallet load storage, is also adaptable for case load storage.
These back to back rows of shelves are mounted on a movable
base system, such as rollers moving within a track or some similar
methodology, and are moved to enable access to the newly created
row. These shelving units can be designed to accommodate the
specific case size needs of the specific warehousing operation.

II. Carton or Full Case Storage/Retrieval/Pick Methods and Equipment: As you can see
from the nature of the storage systems described in the preceding section, almost all of the
equipment that is utilized for putaway in a case load warehousing operation is the same
putaway equipment that is used to handle pallet loads of product or materials in a pallet load
operation, as most of the storage systems use palletized loads of carton or cases to re-supply
the storage units.

Where the putaway process involves re-supplying the storage units with less than pallet loads
of product or material, the process is the reverse of the retrieval or pick activity for that
specific type of storage unit. Therefore, the remainder of this chapter will focus on equipment
that is specific to the order pick process. Where we have already given a full description of a
piece of equipment in the pallet load storage/retrieval chapter that is also used in the case load
order pick process, we will simply list the equipment, and how it may be adapted or used in
the pick process. Where equipment is used that we have not previously given a description,
we will more fully describe that specific equipment.

Equipment used in carton pick systems is classified as manual order pick, mechanized order
pick, or automatic order pick systems.

Manual Order Pick Equipment For Carton/ Full Case Operations: The equipment used to
manually perform the order pick process will be described in its order of complexity. As
equipment mores toward the more complex, it also moves higher in cost. We later will go
over fully automated systems, which are the most costly systems available, and beyond the
range of most case load warehousing operations. The manual order pick system is considered
the most conventional process utilized in warehousing operations.

Some of the benefits and advantages of utilizing a manual order pick process are:
● This method is the least costly, and is the easiest system to put in place and manage.
● Product and materials of all types, sizes, weights, and configurations can be accommodated.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 49

● Flexibility within the system allows for rapid adjustment of the labor force to stay in line
with seasonality and volume; the order picker can use instructions for the order pick process
that has been printed out on paper or on some type of self stick label; and portions or all of the
system can be temporarily or permanently moved to a different location with greater ease than
with any of the other more complex order pick processes.

The major disadvantages of the manual order pick process are:


● This system has the lowest productivity and highest direct and in-direct worker cost, due to
the greater number of employees, equipment, and order pick trips necessary to achieve the
desired level of production.
● This system also has the greatest potential for errors during the order pick process.

Equipment used in the case load manual style of order picking:

1.) Hand Truck and Hand Cart: This equipment is the least expensive and least complex of
all the types of case load material handling equipment. Used for small loads and short
distances, they are a highly versatile method of manual material movement. There exists a
very wide variety and types of hand trucks and carts, and these are just a couple examples.

2.) Powered burden/personnel carrier:

This piece of equipment is a step up from the hand trucks and


hand carts, and can come in a 3 wheeled walkie version as
shown, or can come in a rider aboard style, with some models
able to carry up to 4 passengers. This type of vehicle can carry
from 1,000 to 3,000 pounds of product, depending on the brand
and model. This vehicle carries loads faster, further, with less
fatigue, than non-powered equipment.

3.) Hand Operated Pallet Jack:

In case load order picking, an operator picks up a spare pallet, pulls or


pushes the jack through the warehouse to the targeted order pick areas,
places cartons on the pallet until the order is filled or the pallet is full,
and then physically moves the completed or partially completed order
to the next step in that companies shipping process.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 50

4.) Powered Walkie or Rider Aboard Pallet Jack Truck: These powered pallet jacks follow the
same order pick process as above, except the operator does not need to pull or push the pallet
load throughout the order pick process, and with the rider aboard model is able to ride the
vehicle between order pick locations. These vehicles are utilized in floor stack and two high
floor stack rack pick positions, as they have no lift capability.

5.) Walkie and/or Rider Aboard Powered Pallet or Case Load Tow Tractor Train:

In some of these models, the operator can guide the train by with
controls and walking ahead of the vehicle, or can ride the
vehicle. These vehicles are versatile in that they can be used with
up to +/- five cars, with a total truck capacity of 10,000 to 15,000
pounds, and can be used to move pallets or used in case order
picking to increase the number of cases picked in a run.

6.) Counterbalanced Lift Truck and Straddle Truck: The full operation/features of these
vehicle was discussed in the previous chapter, however they need to be recognized as very
workable options for both wide aisle and narrow aisle case picking operations, as they are
able to lift the pallet to the order pickers waist level for ease of carton placement, and can
move the pallet loads to the next stage within the warehousing operation.

7.) Order Picker Trucks: These specialty vehicles, designed for the order picking process,
allow the order pick operator to safely travel to the specified order pick aisle, storage lane,
and then lift the order picker above floor level and allow picking onto a pallet or onto a
platform, depending on the order pick vehicle utilized. These trucks come in counterbalanced
and straddle models, however the following pictures show the straddle model only, due to its
popularity. These vehicles have an operator's platform with full controls, who is required to
utilize a harness when operating the vehicle. Highest productivity is achieved when the
racking system/ order picking vehicle allows for guided picking of some type.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 51

8.) Narrow Aisle, Man-Up Turret Lift Truck:

Using this vehicle the order pick operator rises up with the pallet, and
swings the boom assembly to face the targeted order pick position, or
remain facing down-aisle for order picking.

9.) Man -On-Board Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS): These custom fit
systems is guided along a rail on the floor of the aisle or suspended from the ceiling, and the
operator and control platform rise up with a load carrying platform. Cartons of product are
picked as the operator moves along the aisle and vertically to selected pick positions. The
order picking process in repeated until the order is completed, or the loading platform
becomes loaded to max capacity, at which time the unit moves to an unloading staging area.

Racking is usually of the gravity feed style, so product is supplied from a back aisle, and
picked from the front aisle, unless the racking system is of a style that requires putaway and
pick from the front of the storage lane. These systems normally have order picking guidance
systems of some type to expedite the picking process.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 52

Mechanized Order Pick Equipment For Carton/ Full Case Operations: The major
difference from the manual pick process, is that order pick operators either walk the pick
faces and remove targeted product and place the cartons on a conveyor system that moves it
to the next warehousing stage, or the operator rides in a mini-car, travels down the aisle, and
is raised up or down (about a three tier height max) in order complete the order pick, at which
time the operator places the case on a conveyor system to move it to the next process. The
third style of mechanized process is the utilization of carousel systems, and the last style is
more fully automated.

1.) Pick To Belt, or Pick To Conveyor Systems: In this system, a belt conveyor is placed in
the middle of an aisle in what is typically a fairly long single deep racking system with pick
faces two tiers high and two or three pallets deep. Individual bay widths and the resulting
number of pallet load storage rows, is dependent upon pallet/carton size and weight. Along
each side of the belt is space for the pick operator to walk to the pick position, select the
proper carton as per the pick order, and place it on the belt for transport to the next stage in
the shipping process. Replenishment of pallets is accomplished from the other side of each
rack, with forklift aisle space to enable the replenishment of pallet loads as needed. This
system can be installed on mezzanine levels, with conveyor systems that interconnect with
conveyor flow systems on the ground floor level.

Generally, when this system is used to its highest level of productivity, the order picker is
given pre-printed self adhesive labels that initially direct the order picker to the exact pick
location, at which the operator applies the labels and places the carton on the belt, facing the
proper direction to allow the bar coded label to be read as it moves along the conveyor system
to the next step in the order processing cycle.

The following four pictures show examples of differing pick to belt operations.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 53

2.) Pick Car to Conveyor System: This system is located between two rows of single deep
racking, just like the pick to belt system previously described above, but instead of aisles on
both sides of the conveyor belt where an order pick operator would selectively pick and place
cartons on the belt, the operator is housed in a "car" that moves vertically within the one, two
or three tiers of pick positions, and horizontally up or down the aisle, to position the order
pick operator close enough to reach out, lift the carton from the pick position, and place it on
a telescoping conveyor system that moves with the pick car. The concept of this system is
much like the man aboard AS/RS system previously described, with the addition of conveyor
system that always is available to receive the cartons from the order picker, and it is basically
a floor mount system. The self propelled pick car requires floor rails, a travel aisle of just
under five feet in width, and sufficient overhead clearance to raise or lower the order picker to
the targeted pick position. The vehicles cab has all the required manual controls, and
automatic controls, heaters, video display of pick positions, and bar code label printers are
available options on late model versions of this equipment. The order picker, as with the pick
to belt order picker, brings the preprinted labels aboard, and the labels provide directions as to
pick positions, and are then applied to the package before it is sent away on the conveyor.

This picture & illustration


depict an AR/AS man
aboard order pick style of
vehicle described above.
The unit as floor mounted,
sitting on rails for
directional stability for
forward and rearward
movement within a specific aisle, with no vertical boom or mast. The vehicle occupies most
of aisle width, is able to move vertically up or down up to three tiers, and with a telescoping
conveyor system attached to the car and moving with the car as it progresses up or down the
aisle, you have a good idea of what the pick car appears like.
CHAPTER 10.) CARTON OR FULL CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT 54

3.) Carousel Order Pick System:

This system is a series of shelving containing cartons of


product that travel forward or reverse on a powered chain
that moves the shelving to the pick point where an order
pick operator picks or replenishes the targeted product.
The height of the shelving can be limited to the operating
range of the order picker, or can be multi-tiers high, as the
system can be designed where the operator stands on a
hydraulically operated platform that can adjust to the pick
level desired. Adjacent to the pick area or platform is a
conveyor system that moves the picked product to the next
stage of the shipping process. Where there are multi tiers, and the operator platform is moved
vertically by hydraulics, the conveyor can also be designed to adjust vertically to the height of
the pick platform.

Automatic Order Pick Systems For Carton/ Full Case Operations:

There are several major designs for systems that fully


automate putaway and order picking of case load product.
Most systems are composed of automatic stations that
break pallet loads into individual cases and load them onto
outbound conveyors (some designs provide for manually
breaking the pallet load into case quantities). Individual
cases are then moved by the conveyor to an automatically
controlled process of putaway to gravity racks. Some
systems move product by conveyors to shelving that is
automatically raised or lowered to allow automated
putaway of the product in the targeted shelf tier. Order
picking is performed in the reverse order of putaway.

This style of system is used to automatically


retrieve individual cases, with replenishment
of case product taking place from the rear of
a flow through storage lane, and items are
pushed forward with a rear mounted pusher
bar for automatic order picking from the
front of the storage lane.
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 55
EQUIPMENT

SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND


EQUIPMENT

Given the large quantity of Distribution Centers, Fulfillment Centers, and Local Warehouses
that bring product into the warehouse in pallet load or case lot quantities, and whose primary
business is focused on the storage, order processing, and shipment of product at the small item
or broken case quantity level, it is important to learn the methods, systems, and processes that
these types warehouse operation utilize to efficiently and accurately process customer orders
in a timely manner. In this chapter we will look at the types of storage systems commonly
used, and review the methods typically used to retrieve or "pick" single items of product from
storage and move it to the next step in the shipping process. As in the case of carton load
warehousing operations, companies that operate at the small or single item level are more
highly focused within the order picking process, and devote a significant effort to assure that
this function is performed as safely, accurately, and within specified time frames as possible,
in order to fulfill its obligations to customers. As before, we will examine the physical set up
of small item storage systems, and then look at the types and methods of equipment used in
small item warehousing operations.

I. Small Item or Broken Case Storage Systems: You will find that some of the methods and
physical storage systems used in small item warehousing are the same or very similar to those
previously discussed, and in those instances we will simply point out how that storage
methodology applies to small item warehousing. Where new storage systems are introduced
we will provide illustrations or pictures, as possible, along with descriptions of the systems.
All of the physical storage systems reviewed in this section are designed for manual order
pick processes, and physical storage systems designed for mechanized order pick systems will
be described in the order picking methods section of this chapter.

1.) Block Stacking: Block stacking, also known as floor stacking, is the most basic method,
requires the least initial investment, utilizes a great deal of floor space, and requires that the
product is able to stack without crushing underlying product. Product placed at the aisle is the
pick position, and product in the storage lane behind the pick position is reserve product.

2.) Pallet Rack: Pallet racks can be designed and configured for small item storage/picking in
a wide variety of configurations. Standard is two or three pallet loads per bay width, and two
opening high to allow for ground level picking.

3.) Multi-level or High Rise Shelving: This is a more high density type of storage that
requires some method of lifting the order picker up to the targeted pallet or carton for small
item picking, and generally has protection at ground level and on the lower shelving to protect
the shelving from damage from lift equipment.
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 56
EQUIPMENT

4.) Carton Flow Rack: This style of racking is designed as a stand alone system, with supply
and order pick performed from opposite ends of the unit. Each supply lane holds a separate
SKU, and provides easy access to the product. In the diagram below, A is the supply side, and
B is a knuckled pick shelf with C showing a straight pick shelf.

5.) Bin Shelving: Bin shelving can be built into standard pallet, high rise shelving, or be
arranged below standard racks or shelving as a stand alone system, interconnected to form one
long continuous order pick system. This style if probably one of the most popular system in
use for small item warehousing.

6.) Modular Storage Drawers/Cabinets: This very adaptable design allows stand alone
vertical cabinets each housing numerous pull/slide out drawers, with each drawer subdivided
into compartments, to be stacked or attached side by side, in as long a row (or opposing rows)
as is needed for the specific warehousing operation. Specific cabinets and drawers are easily
identified by the order picker, and when the drawer is pulled out into the aisle, the order
picker has a clear view of the product to be picked.
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 57
EQUIPMENT

7.) Mobile Shelving or Storage Units:

The same style of movable or mobile shelving we previously saw


for pallet and/or case load storage, is also adaptable for small or
single item storage. These back to back rows of shelves are
mounted on a movable base system, such as rollers moving within
a track or some similar methodology, and are moved to enable
access to the newly created row. These shelving units can be
designed as bin shelving, modular shelving/cabinets, or other
styles or racking that accommodates the specific need.

II. Small Item or Broken Case Storage/Retrieval/Pick Methods and Equipment: You should
see that, again, much of the equipment that will be used in the small item warehouse is similar
to both pallet load and case load operations, as a significant amount of the transport work
involves the movement of pallets, and much of this same equipment can be used for moving
pallets from the reserve area to the supply or replenishment side of the storage facilities.

There are three methods by which product is re-supplied small or single item pick positions,
and it is critical that on-time replenishment is accomplished. The first method is through the
use of some type of mobile equipment that allows the employee to bring a pallet or case load
of product from the reserve area to the supply side of the storage system, and then hand place
the item in the racking system, and record the transaction as completed in whatever manner
the company has put in place. The second method of re-supply is through the use of a
conveyor system that brings the product from the reserve area to an employee in place at the
replenishment side of the storage system, who then removes the item from the conveyor and
places it in the correct storage lane, and completes the necessary paperwork. The third system,
and by virtue of its significant cost, not a system commonly found, is through a fully
automated combination of conveyors and auto placement of the item into the correct storage
lane.

Equipment used in the small or single item order picking systems are classified as manual or
mechanized.

Manual Order Pick Equipment used for Small Item Warehouse Operations: This
equipment will be listed in its order of complexity, which normally also is the order of
increasing cost. In this process the employee either walks or rides to the stock pick position,
makes the order pick, then brings the product back to a central collection point, where it is
moved on to the next step in the shipping process. We will later look at mechanized order
pick systems, where after completing the order pick, the employee either places it on some
type of conveyor system, or the process is automated to the point where the employee has
minimal or not involvement in either the order pick, or moving the item on to the next step.
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 58
EQUIPMENT

1.) Order Picking Hand Carts and Hand Trucks: All of the following could be utilized at
ground level, or after using a ladder or reach vehicle, in the single item order pick process.

2.) Sliding or Rolling Ladders: These could be used to reach above ground level.

3.) Tow Tractor/Train and Powered Burden/ Personnel Carrier:


CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 59
EQUIPMENT

4.) Picking Cart With On-Board Computer: Small item picking carts have been developed
with on-board computers that range from hand carts with computers that guide the picking
operation up to powered carts with sophisticated on-board computer systems that direct the
rider order picker to the specific order pick location, while an on-board computer prints self
adhesive labels for immediate placement on the picked item. The picked order is
automatically entered into the warehouse operating system, and progress of the order pick
process is immediately available to the shipping department, and onward to the customer.
More advanced systems could include on-board infrared communications systems to the main
warehouse computer system, and could include technology that uses light displays to direct
the order picker to the specific pick position.

The following are two examples of non-powered order pick carts with the advantage of basic
on-board computer and printing systems.

5.) Man-Up High Rise Order Picking Straddle Trucks: This manually operated vehicle
moves the order pick operator up and down an aisle, and vertically up to the necessary height
to accomplish a series of pick operation from both sides of the aisle until the order is
complete, or product exceeds the capacity of the storage pallet or platform.

The following are three examples or order picker straddle vehicles designed with differing
methods of product storage and capacities.

In some dense storage, small item warehousing operations, variations of these vehicles have
been developed that are guided along a rail located in the middle of the aisle between racks,
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 60
EQUIPMENT

allowing the operator to more clearly focus only on the pick position, and not be as concerned
about clearance with the side storage racks.

6.) Narrow Aisle, Man-Up Turret Lift Truck Adapted For Small Item Order Picking:

Using this vehicle the order pick operator rises up with the storage pallet
usually fitted with small item order picking containers or totes, and swings
the boom assembly to face the targeted order pick position, or remain
facing down-aisle for order picking.

Mechanized Order Pick Equipment Used for Small Item Warehouse Operations:

1.) Pick to Conveyor and Pick to Tote Systems: In the previous chapter we had a close look
at mechanized systems that utilized order pickers walking between a series of rack storage
systems and a conveyor system, where once the pick is made, the item is placed on a
conveyor for transport to the next step. This very same process is used in the small item
warehouse, and in some instances the operator places a tote box on the conveyor, and places
the small items in tote as the operator moves along the pick route. Remember, when pick to
belt or pick to tote type systems are used to their highest level of productivity, the order picker
is given pre-printed self adhesive labels that initially direct the order picker to the exact pick
location, at which the operator applies the labels and places the carton on the belt, facing the
proper direction to allow the bar coded label to be read as it moves along the conveyor system
to the next step in the order processing cycle. For review, the following are pictures of a few
of these styles of systems:

2.) Pick to Car Systems: In the previous chapter we also looked at a system that included a
pick car to conveyor system. In this system the operator is housed in a "car" that moves
vertically within the one, two or three tiers of pick positions, and horizontally up or down the
aisle, to position the order pick operator close enough to reach out, lift the carton from the
pick position, and place it on a telescoping conveyor system that moves with the pick car. The
order picker, as with the pick to belt order picker, brings the preprinted labels aboard, and the
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 61
EQUIPMENT

labels provide directions as to pick positions, and are then applied to the package before it is
sent away on the conveyor, unless the car includes computerized equipment that both guides
the order picker to the target position, and has an on-board computer to print bar coded labels
during the pick process.

3.) Carousel Systems: In a small item warehousing operation, there are highly sophisticated
systems, specifically designed for small or single item picking, that bring the product to the
order pick operator who places them on a conveyor for transport to the next activity in the
order fulfillment process. These systems could also include some degree of automation in the
re-supply and ship to next level activities. Carousel systems designed for single item picking,
consist of a series of bins or racks fitted with containers that house the product, and are chain
driven to bring the product within reach of the order picker. Carousels are then categorized as
either horizontal or vertical.

● Horizontal Carousels: This system has an endless chain which is attached at the top or
bottom of the system. Order picking can be manually operated, where the operator punches
the target location into a keypad, and system rotation is through some type of stop/go switch
such as a foot control. Carousel systems can also be set up as computer driven, with the
complete order pick batch automatically presented in a sequential process to the order picker.
In some systems, the order picker may have more than one carousel to pick from, which
allows productivity to increase due to less wait time between order picks.

● Vertical Carousels: These order pick units appear to be carousels turned on end, that
project vertically, and operate similar to horizontal units, and are also manually or
automatically controlled to deliver ordered product to the order picker station.
CHAPTER 11.) SMALL ITEM OR BROKEN CASE STORAGE/ RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS AND 62
EQUIPMENT

4.) Miniload Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems:

This automated single item storage and retrieval


system can have the desired small item order
manually entered by the order picker operator by
keying in the targeted item into a keyboard, or
the order process can be generated automatically
by the computer. In either process, the targeted
container is retrieved by the order pick machine,
transported vertically and horizontally to one of
the two order pick locations, where the order pick
operator hand picks the product, places it on a
conveyor system for takeaway, at which point to
machine moves the container back to its specific
storage position. As the machine is transporting
one item to the pick position, it is concurrently
moving the container that has already completed its delivery, back to storage. The operator
picks product from whichever side of the unit that is currently in the delivery mode.

5.) Small Item Automated Order Picking/Dispensing Systems:

This unit allows for fully automated


picking of individual items. This system
operates much like a vending machine that
handles items that are of approximately the
same size and shape. Upon command, the
unit pushes the desired product unit out the
bottom of the unit, and onto a conveyor
that takes it to a containerizing machine or
process.
CHAPTER 12.) ORDER PICKING PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 63

ORDER PICKING PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES

In the previous chapters, every sequential activity within a warehouse operation had some
design, layout, storage solution, equipment selection, and overall concern for the ultimate
method to be used in retrieving or "picking" the product or material ordered by a customer.
This focus on order picking makes it the highest priority activity among all the activities
conducted in the warehouse. Order picking makes up a huge percentage of the overall costs of
operating a distribution warehouse, so it should come as no surprise that everyone, from top
level management to the newest production employee needs to both understand how order
picking processes work, and be constantly thinking about existing operations with an eye
toward improving their company's order picking process. If order picking is not performed
accurately and on time, with no product damage in the process, ordered goods will not be
available for shipment to the customer, resulting in unhappy customers or in the loss of
valuable and hard won customers, with direct affects to the company's profitability and
continued success.

We can see from chapters on storage solutions and equipment that in order picking: 1.) the
order picker walks to and through the product storage area, and accomplishes the order pick,
with placement of product onto carts, trucks, conveyors or other equipment, and; 2.) the order
picker rides to and through the product storage area, and accomplishes the order pick, with
placement of product onto the powered cart, truck, conveyor system next to the racks, or
conveyor system that is attached to the powered equipment, and/or 3.) a mechanized system
brings the product from the storage location to the order picker's workstation. Regardless of
how the product gets in the hands of the order picker, before anyone can offer suggestions on
how to improve the order picking process, we need to better understand the various methods
or strategies used to route the employee through the order pick process.

BASIC ORDER PICKING PROCESSES:

1.) Single Order Picking: In this method of handling customer orders each order picker
travels as much of the entire warehouse as necessary, and picks all SKU's found on one
customers order. This method can be used in either manual or mechanized order pick systems,
and is used in all types of warehousing operations.

2.) Multiple Order Pickers For One Customer Order: In this method, customer orders are
split up between several order pickers who travel as much of the entire warehouse as
necessary, and pick their portion of the customer order.

3.) Batch Picking: Order pickers are sent out on a picking tour, but are filling more than one
customers order as they progress through the warehouse. Pick carts have been designed to
allow the order picker to place all the different SKU's for one customer in a tote marked for
that customer, or in different pick situations, the order picker may place each individual
SKU's for a single customer in a separate tote.

4.) Zone Area Picking: This is where an individual employee is assigned a specific zone
within the warehouse which that employee only becomes the order picker for the zone. A
CHAPTER 12.) ORDER PICKING PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 64

zone could be composed of one or more rows/aisles, or in the case of mechanized systems,
could be one or more specific carousels. There are two major subgroups of zone picking
which are:

● Pick and Pass Progressive Assembly: In this process, order pickers that work in a specific
zone pick that part of an order that is found in their zone, and pass the tote or container
manually or on a conveyor on to the operator of the neighboring zone, for completion of that
part of the order found in that zone, and so on until the tote completes its circuit of the
warehouse. With this process each order ends up in shipping already assembled by individual
order.

● Wave Picking With Downstream Sort and Assembly of Orders: In this process, a group
of customer orders that are grouped by computer in a pick event to occur during a specified
time period, are printed on self adhesive labels and provided to all the zone order pickers
involved. At a specified time all order pickers work their zone, and pick all same SKU items
as ordered in mass, and the order pickers apply the labels to the individual items, and place
them on the conveyor. All the items picked during that period are then conveyed to the
unitizing area for separation into totes holding separate orders, and are then moved on to the
shipping area.

ORDER PICKING PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES:

Now that we have reviewed the basic systems used in order picking, here are a couple ideas
that you can think about, and see if any of them could streamline operations, and improve
productivity in your warehousing operation:

● Reduce the number of items involved in the order pick process: Earlier we discussed the
idea that if you notice a steady flow of the same SKU ordered in case or single item
quantities, it might make sense for your company to offer pricing incentives for the customer
to order in larger quantities. Whether you work in case load or small/single item warehouse, it
might make sense to offer your customer a price break on full case orders, or quarter or half
pallet load quantity orders.

You can also reduce the number of items moved to the order pick storage position if you
believe that a cross dock process for specific customers might make sense. The same applies
to any very high moving item where it might make sense to keep quantities on hand in the
reserve area, instead of moving them to an order pick position. The main idea here is: is there
any way to efficiently move product with a high turnover rate without having to go through
all the steps involved in moving it to the order pick position.

● Simplify The Physical Process Of Order Picking: If order picking is the most costly
activity in the warehouse, and the activity most prone to errors, it makes sense to think about
ways to simply this process, and reduce fatigue encountered by the order picker. Here are
some ideas:
CHAPTER 12.) ORDER PICKING PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 65

1.) Consider if the addition of powered vehicles to assist in the order picking process are
genuinely cost justified. If a hand powered pallet jack with full load must be moved from one
end of the warehouse to the other end of the warehouse on a routine basis, perhaps the
addition of a powered pallet jack might be cost justified. Make no mistake, any additional
investment in equipment, especially powered equipment, in a low margin warehouse
operation, must be fully cost justified, or you are wasting your time and effort in campaigning
for such a move.

2.) Are you utilizing your existing equipment to its full potential? Perhaps you could better or
more fully use your fork lift or man aboard lift in order picking. As you use the existing
equipment, do you encounter obstacles in the aisles, are the aisles clearly marked, are the
signs on the racks and other storage equipment faded or hard to read?

3.) Can you offer suggestions on the order pick method, pick process, or pick pattern, or travel
sequence used by your company? Instead of single item pick tours, could you be order
picking multiple orders or by the simple addition of more totes, or by a better arrangement of
existing totes? If you have conveyor systems in place, are you using them to their full
advantage? Could a slight adaptation of the system allow for some segments of both order
picking and replenishment? If your company already uses zone, batch, or wave picking
processes, are there ways to better complete the pick using less steps, or -in a shorter amount
of time? Are you best utilizing resources in obtaining pre-printed bar code labels? Is there any
way to speed up any part of this process?

4.) If your company uses down stream sorting and assembly of orders into containers to send
to shipping, is there anyway to streamline this process, such as combining the unitizing and
shipping departments into one space within the warehouse, so that the assembled containers
do not need additional handling to get them into the shipping process.

5.) As you consider individual SKU's and family groups of product, can you see room for:
● improvement in the physical storage system used, or in the use of the existing physical
storage system used, ● how much space is allocated to that product, and/or ● the placement of
that product in the racking system used. Knowing that items with the most pick activity
should be allowed placement in the most accessible pick position, is there room for
improvement in your facility? Knowing that the top and very bottom levels are the least
desirable pick positions and the pick level from approximately knee level to shoulder level are
the preferred positions, is there room for improvement in your facility? The answers to such
questions could improve what is referred to as "slotting" of the inventory, and is usually based
on a system wide analysis, considering a wide range of input.

Any suggestions you have as better utilization of existing systems for increased productivity,
safety, and order picking accuracy, would be willingly listened to by your company.
CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 66

UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES

In the previous chapters we have looked at how warehouse operations are designed, laid out,
set up with storage systems and equipment that is specific to the type of operation, examined
the receiving, putaway, and order picking processes. To complete this picture we need to look
at what goes on once the order pick process is completed, and product is sent outbound from
the order pick area.

In this chapter we will go over the sortation process, how product is transported to and from
the sortation area, how product is prepared (unitized) for shipment, and the final stage,
shipping, where the product is physically placed in the transport vehicle.

PRODUCT SORTATION: Product leaves the order pick area having gone through one of
two possible order pick processes:

1.) Single Customer Order Processing: The first order pick process is where a single
customers order, or a single customers multiple order was picked by one or several order
pickers, or in the case of zone picking, where the partially completed order was handed off to
the next zone for completion of picking that specific customers order. In the process of
completing this type of order pick, that specific customers order was kept as a unit, and was
not mixed with any other customers orders... so when that tote, container, or pallet moves out
from the order picking area, there really is no sorting required.... it moves directly to unitizing
and shipping. or:

2.) Batched Order Processing: When several orders are picked as a batch, they are sent out
of the order picking area on a series of conveyors, and need to go through some method of
sorting, or sortation, before they are identifiable as part of a specific customer order, and
before they can go through a unitizing process, to prepare them for shipping.

When batched orders complete either a manual or mechanical sortation process, they will be
transported into either temporary storage, or will be transported directly to the unitizing area,
and be immediately prepared for shipping.

If sent to temporary storage, the product will be staged and held for later shipment to the
customer. In some warehousing operations that also have some degree of cross dock activity,
temporary storage of the picked items is utilized, awaiting the arrival of the inbound cross
dock items, and upon their arrival, the entire customer order will be sent to unitizing and
shipping.

If batched order processed items are not to be held in temporary storage, and are targeted for
immediate shipping, they will be transported through a sortation conveyor and diverted into
shipping lanes that represent specific customer orders and will then be moved: 1.) directly into
the outbound truck, and loaded case by case within the trailer or other transport method, or 2.)
they will be transported to and through a unitizing process, where individual orders will be
placed on or within the chosen delivery medium, which could be a pallet, container, wire
CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 67

cage, and will be moved to the unitizing area where it will be wrapped, strapped, or otherwise
effectively bundled as a unit for safe and secure shipment.

Manual Sortation: The manual sortation process hand carts, tow carts, or conveyors
transport batch picked items to the manual sortation area, usually located fairly close to the
shipping area. As you recall, order picking operators placed self adhesive bar coded labels on
the picked items, so as they enter the sortation area, they are moved onto some style of
manual sortation conveyor that moves the item past a series of sortation employees who are
looking for specific markings on the label to indicate they are part of a specific order. Once
identified, items are then placed onto the chosen delivery medium, which could be a pallet,
container, wire cage, and will be moved to the unitizing area where it will be wrapped,
strapped, or otherwise effectively bundled as a unit for safe and secure shipment. There exists
a very wide variety of conveyor systems, that when combined with simple manual sorting
stations, allow for manual picking from a sortation workstation along a recirculating loop
conveyor, or utilizing single conveyors with accumulating devices located at the sortation
work station.

Mechanical Sortation: Their is a wide variety of choices and styles of sortation systems that
include mechanical devices that provide sortation either on the command of an operator, or
totally by automation. In these systems, there typically is a transport conveyor that brings the
picked item to the sortation area, an infeed or identification station, where some style of
reader or scanner identified the bar code or RFID tag on the item, and allows for selective
sorting of the item based on computerized cross referencing between customers orders and the
item moving along the conveyor. After identification, at some point in the movement of items
along the conveyor systems, some type of diverter pushes, pulls, blocks, lifts, or by some
means moves the selected item from the sortation conveyor into a shipping lane that is
CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 68

specific to a single customer order. At this point the item either is moved directly through
shipping and into an awaiting truck, into temporary storage, or moves the item to the unitizing
area, where orders are assembled and unitized for shipping.

The following is a schematic of one style of a mechanical sortation system, and the
component sub-systems are further described.

Live Roller Merge: Induction Controls

Sorter-Swing Arm Sorter- Wheel Diverter Take Away


CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 69

The following are illustrations and pictures that further show the sortation process:

High Speed Pusher Item Gapping Device Pushing Device

Cross Belt Transfer Device


CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 70

UNITIZING SYSTEMS: Once the individual items ordered by a customer have been order
picked, sorted, and transported manually or by some style of conveyor system to the unitizing
area, and palletized or placed on or in the selected plastic or metal container to be used for
shipping, the last step prior to actual shipping is to ensure that they will travel without damage
or coming apart while in transport. There are several load stabilizing methods used to secure
pallets or containers of product, and the following are the primary methods utilized.

Stretch Wrap: Stretch wrap is normally used to stabilize loads placed on pallets by providing
a tight wrap of plastic film around the four sides of the load. Introduced in the early 1970's,
the popularity of stretch wrap has grown steadily. Types of stretch wrap applicators range
form hand held, walk around, applicators that are ideal for small volume users, to semi and
fully automated units that can apply plastic film low, mid level, high, or all the above. The
following are pictures of some of the more automated application units:

Stretch-Hooding Systems:

This system combines the weather protection and load stability


advantages of shrink-wrapping with economy of stretch wrapping. A
one-piece hood is made in the machine from a continuous roll of
gusseted film and forms a smooth surface that is watertight. The
hood is stretched over the load and secured under the pallet. The
load is unitized without the cost of energy required for shrink wrap,
saving the investment and space required for the shrink tunnel.

Shrink Wrap:

Shrink wrap provides total encapsulation to provide maximum


product protection. Shrink wrap can be applied manually, and once
the wrap is applied a portable heat gun to shrink the wrap to a custom
fit, with the gun supplied by an LP gas cylinder or from a gas line.
Operators must exercise caution in applying heat to the wrap to avoid
burning a hole in the wrap. Automatic systems are mounted on a
pedestal, dolly, or conveyor base, and use heat frames, heat closet, or
heat tunnels
CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 71

Strapping:

Strapping is a basic method that is used for sealing packages,


securing loads to pallets, or to tie bundles, coils, drums, or other
containers or products. This is a simple, low cost and reliable
alternative for stabilizing loads, and can be applied manually or
through units that range from semi automatic to fully automated
dispensing. The strapping can be steel or plastic, and the
development of strong polymers has made plastic strapping
competitive with metal in many applications where the strapping
needs to stretch with a load.

Void Filling: While containers of all sizes and types are filled, stacked, or built to the
maximum possible capacity, a void may occur that needs to be filled, or the cases/product
may shift during shipment. Many warehousing operations utilize urethane foam machines or
pre-formed foam to fill these voids. The following is an example of foam for void filling.

Many operations prefer to use air filled plastic bags, or bubble wrap. The following is an
example of one style of bubble wrap, and a machine that air fills and seals the product.

LOADING AND SHIPPING OPERATIONS: A final step in warehousing operations is the


processing of shipping documents and the loading of outbound trucks. All the activities and
procedures earlier reviewed in the receiving process... are performed in reverse order during
the shipping process.

On the following page we will look at some labor saving/damage prevention ideas used by
warehousing operations across the country during the physical activity of loading outbound
trucks
CHAPTER 13.) UNITIZING AND SHIPPING PROCESSES 72

1.) The Use of Conveyor Systems For 2.) The Use of Inflatable Air Bags To
Assistance in Truck Loading Prevent In-Transit Product Damage

3.) Automated Truck Loading Systems (ATLS): In response to growing demand for
automated shipping, equipment providers have developed systems that fully automate truck
loading operations, are designed for installation on a regular shipping dock, allowing regular,
non-modified trailers to be loaded with pallets, slip sheets, racks and other types of unit loads.

This system operates with one loading module mounted on a transfer platform that travels
sideways, the full width of the dock area, allowing it to transfer from dock door to dock door.
Once the platform has aligned with the appropriate door it detects the presence of a trailer and
measures its length, to optimize the load pattern. Unit loads are brought to the loading module
by an overhead feed conveyor that runs above the dock doors, keeping dock doors clear of
obstacles and available for lift truck and pedestrian traffic. In needed, the ATLS can move out
of the way, and since the system requires no modification to the shipping docks, these same
docks can still be used by lift trucks for receiving. In addition to significantly reducing the
manpower required on the docks, the ATLS eliminates product damage in shipping, accidents
and other injuries related to lift truck operations.
CHAPTER 14.) AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT 73

AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

Lightning speed development of computer technology into smaller sized units, capable of
handling and storing more complex information faster, better, and with more accuracy than
ever before, has paved the road for ever expanding applications of computer driven systems in
the warehousing/ logistics industry.

Most warehousing operations already use some type of a computer system to assist in tracking
inventory by entering information gathered by employees using paper forms and receipts,
with linkages to certain accounting functions. More complex systems move away from the
use of paper forms (or completely away from the use of paper forms), and tie in the use bar
code technology, radio frequency identification systems (RFID), and other electronic devices
for paperless inventory control and management, and tie in to a greater level in accounting
systems and allow for some degree (or a high degree) of productivity tracking. The higher
level uses of computerization involved a system wide Warehouse Management System that
could include such items as: higher level inventory control systems and information gathering
equipment, higher level inventory guidance systems for storage, order picking, sortation, and
shipping solutions, higher level tie in to productivity reporting and accounting systems.

Whatever the level of computerization your company employs, you most likely have some
degree of exposure to automatic identification and communication equipment, so we are
going to review the most popular technologies that serve this activity. We will devote the
majority of this chapter to bar code technology, as it currently is the primary mode of
paperless, wireless inventory control, however RFID and other systems are catching up
quickly.

BARCODING TECHNOLOGY: Retail applications drove the early technological


developments of bar coding, but industrial applications soon followed. Wallace Flint was the
first person to suggest an automated checkout system in 1932, and although the system was
not pursued, it was an important step toward the bar codes we have today. 40 years later, as
vice-president of the National Association of Food Chains, supported the efforts which led to t
he Uniform Product Code (UPC). Several other code formats were developed in the 40's, 50's,
and 60's, including a bulls eye code, numeral codes, and various formats of bar codes. Serious
efforts toward automating supermarket point of sale started in the late 1960', and beginning in
1972 a Kroger store in Cincinnati operated using a bull's eye code. Meanwhile, a committee
was formed within the grocery industry to select a standard code to be used in the industry.
Proposals were solicited from various interested parties, and on April 3, 1973 the committee
selected the UPC symbol as the industry standard. The success of the system since then has
spurred on the development of other coding systems. As computer systems have become more
advanced, bar codes have become even more prevalent in our society. They are now used in
retail stores from supermarkets to hardware stores. Bar codes are used in industrial
applications from the moment product is created at a factory, through its handling throughout
the supply chain, to it's eventual purchase by the end customer. Bar code technology is also
widely used in the military. Wherever product or merchandise is created, shipped, stored, or
sold, bar codes are in use. As newer technologies are developed and brought down in price to
CHAPTER 14.) AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT 74

compete with bar code technology, we may eventually see a disappearance of bar codes as we
know them today, but for the present time bar codes are alive and well.

Bar codes provide a simple and inexpensive method of encoding text information that is
easily read by inexpensive electronic readers. A bar code consists of a series of parallel,
adjacent bars and spaces. Predefined bar and space patterns or "symbologies" are used to
encode small strings of character data into a printed symbol. Bar codes can be thought of as a
printed type of the Morse code with narrow bars and spaces representing dots, and wide bars
representing dashes. A bar code reader decodes a bar code by scanning a light source across
the bar code and measuring the intensity of light reflected back by the white spaces. The
pattern of reflected light is detected with a photo diode which produces an electronic signal
that exactly matches the printed bar code pattern. This signal is then decoded back to the
original data by inexpensive electronic circuits. Due to the design of most bar code
symbologies, it does not make any difference if you scan a bar code from right to left, or from
left to right.

The following are a few examples of bar code labels created for different purposes:

Basic UPC Label Shelf Tag Asset Tag

There are different types of bar code encoding schemes or "symbologies", each of which was
developed for a specific need in a specific industry, and several have emerged as standards. It
is not critical that you understand all the different encoding systems, as most commercially
available bar code scanners are able to read all of the different encoding systems, and you do
not need different scanners for different types of bar codes, however your systems computer
system does need to be set up for that type of bar code system. The primary purpose of bar
coding is to identify something by labeling it with a bar code containing a unique number or
string of lines/spaces/characters. Once an item with a barcode is entered into a computer
systems database, any of the following activities could happen:

● the receiving dock can read a description and quantity of an inbound shipment.
● product can be identified for cross dock operations.
● exact putaway locations can be determined, and operators can print and apply updated bar
code labels as they are moving product to the targeted position.
● inventory control management is aware of all product moves, inventory quantities,
inventory locations, and can tie receipts and shipments into the inventory control system
● order picking operators know exactly where product is located, and can apply new bar code
labels to picked orders that will guide the order through unitizing and shipping.
● retail stores can track inventory, clerks can obtain a current price and create a sales slip.
● a high tech ID badge could be created, for one of a variety of purposes that could contain
pages of information within the tiny bar code label.
CHAPTER 14.) AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT 75

The following pictures show the use of bar code systems within warehousing operations:

BARCODE READERS OR SCANNERS: a wide variety of bar code readers are available
(at least 20,000 styles or types are available from one supplier). These readers or scanners
range from readers tied to the cash drawer system, to hand held or vehicle mounted mobile
units, to readers that are combined in a mobile hand held unit that also is designed to perform
other functions.

Basic Scanner Portable Scanner Portable Scanner

BARCODE LABEL PRINTERS: These printers range from desktop models to mobile units
that are mounted in delivery or lift trucks, to units that are hand carried or are suspended from
the operator's belt.

Desktop Unit Mobile Mount Unit Hand Carry Unit


CHAPTER 14.) AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT 76

BARCODE LABEL OPTIONS:

A successful barcode operation requires the selection of


labels that stick when you want them to stick, come off
when you want them removed, and are readable. Labels are
available that are permanent, removable, tamper resistant,
work in freezers or on oily surfaces or heat, and/or a large
number of other specialized uses.

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID): Radio frequency identification


systems allow the electronic placement or coding of data onto a mini-computer chip that is
embedded in a tag or label, and can be permanently coded or can be reprogrammable. Tags or
labels containing RF coded data can be read by a hand held reader, by a reader mounted
alongside a highway or freeway, or by a reader mounted on an order picking cart or lift
vehicle. The most commonly used RF equipment is hand held and vehicle mounted terminals.
These devices offer a very high level of accuracy in the receiving of goods and re-stocking,
order picking, stock control and management, replenishment and dispatch.

When used in order picking activities, the operator is directed to a location where they must
scan a barcode to confirm they are in the correct location, before they are given the actual
order picking instruction.

The remote RF terminals interface with a network controller and/or base station to provide
sub-second response time. A wide range of terminals with different types of displays are
available to suit the application. The following pictures show the hand held scanning device,
an operator using the unit, and inventory that has been labeled with RFID imbedded tags.
CHAPTER 14.) AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT 77

WIRELESS SPEECH DIRECTED SYSTEMS:

Speech or voice directed systems talk employees through some


typical warehousing activities such as putaway, order picking,
replenishment, and other inventory control and management
activities. These systems actually utilize three technologies:
speech directed technology, which converts real-time
Warehouse Management Systems data into audible commands,
speech recognition technology, which allows user voice input to
be converted into data that is passed back real-time to the
Warehouse Management System, and wearable wireless
computer technology, which optimizes mobility with long battery life and computers that are
ergonomically designed to be body worn. In

In operation, the operator


hears an order to perform a
certain activity, and to move
or pick a specific product
from a specific location.
When completed, the
operator tells the system that
the job is completed, and the
system gives the operator
another activity command.
CHAPTER 15.) INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS 78

INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Why Have a Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention Program? In California every
employer has a legal obligation to provide and maintain a safe and healthful workplace for
employees, according to the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973. As of
1991, a written, effective Injury and Illness Prevention (IIP), Program is required for every
California employer. The term “employer” as used in the Cal/OSHA Act includes any person
or corporation, the State and every State agency, every county or city or district and public
agency therein, which has any person engaged in or permitted to work for hire, except for
household services.

Taking risks is a part of running a business, particularly for small business owners. You take
risks in product development, marketing, and advertising in order to stay competitive. Some
risks are just not worth the gamble. One of these is risking the safety and health of those who
work for you. Consider what one lost workday injury would cost you in terms of:

• Productive time lost by an injured employee;


• Productive time lost by employees and supervisors attending the accident victim;
• Clean up and start up of operations interrupted by the accident;
• Time to hire/retrain other individuals to replace the injured worker until his/her return;
• Time and cost for repair or replacement of any damaged equipment or materials;
• Cost of continuing all or part of the employee’s wages, in addition to compensation;
• Reduced morale among your employees, and perhaps lower efficiency; Increased
workers’ compensation insurance rates; and
• Cost of completing paperwork generated by the incident.

What is an Injury & Illness Prevention Program? Your Injury and Illness Prevention
Program must be a written plan that includes procedures and is put into practice. These
elements are required:

1.) Management Commitment/Assignment of Responsibilities: Your commitment to safety


and health shows in every decision you make and every action you take. Your employees will
respond to that commitment. The person or persons with the authority and responsibility for
your safety and health program must be identified and given management’s full support. You
can demonstrate your commitment through your personal concern for employee safety and
health and by the priority you place on these issues. If you want maximum production and
quality, you need to control potential work-place hazards and correct hazardous conditions or
practices as they occur or are recognized.

You must commit yourself and your company by building an effective Injury and Illness
Prevention Program and integrating it into your entire operation. This commitment must be
backed by strong organizational policies, procedures, incentives, and disciplinary actions as
necessary to ensure employee compliance with safe and healthful work practices.

2.) Safety Communications: Your program must include a system for communicating with
employees in a form readily understandable by all affected employees on matters relating to
CHAPTER 15.) INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS 79

occupational safety and health, including provisions designed to encourage employees to


inform the employer of hazards at the worksite without fear of reprisal.

While this section does not require employers to establish labor-management safety and
health committees, it is an option you should consider. If you choose to do so, remember that
employers who elect to use a labor-management safety and health committee to comply with
the communication requirements are presumed to be in substantial compliance if the
committee meets specific requirements. If you elect not to use labor-management safety and
health committees, be prepared to formalize and document your required system for
communicating with employees. Cal/OSHA can provide some helpful tips on complying with
this difficult section.

3.) Hazard Assessment & Control: Periodic inspections and procedures for correction and
control provide a method of identifying existing or potential hazards in the workplace, and
eliminating or controlling them. Hazard control is the heart of an effective Injury and Illness
Prevention Program. If hazards occur or recur, this reflects a breakdown in the hazard control
system. The hazard control system is also the basis for developing safe work procedures and
injury/illness prevention training.

The required hazard assessment survey of your establishment, when first developing your
Injury and Illness Prevention Program, must be made by a qualified person. This survey can
provide the basis and guide for establishing your hazard assessment and control system. The
survey produces knowledge of hazards that exist in the workplace, and conditions, equipment
and procedures that could be potentially hazardous.

An effective hazard control system will identify: hazards that exist or develop in your
workplace, how to correct those hazards, and steps you can take to prevent their recurrence.
Cal/OSHA can provide suggestions on effective systems for monitoring workplace
conditions.

4.) Accident Investigation: A primary tool you should be using in an effort to identify and
recognize the areas responsible for accidents is a thorough and properly completed accident
investigation. It should be in writing and adequately identify the cause(s) of the accident or
near-miss occurrence. Accident investigations should be conducted by trained individuals,
and with the primary focus of understanding why the accident or near miss occurred and what
actions can be taken to preclude recurrence. In large organizations this responsibility may be
assigned to the safety director. In smaller organizations the responsibility may lie directly
with the supervisor responsible for the affected area or employee. Cal/OSHA can provide
questions to ask in an accident investigation.

4.) Safety Planning, Rules & Work Procedures: Planning for safety and health is an
important part of every business decision, including purchasing, engineering, changes in work
processes, and planning for emergencies. Your safety and health planning are effective when
your workplace has:
CHAPTER 15.) INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS 80

● Rules written to apply to everyone and addressing areas such as personal protective
equipment, appropriate clothing, expected behavior, and emergency procedures. You and
your employees should periodically review and update all rules and procedures to make sure
they reflect present conditions. Rules and procedures should be written for new exposures
when they are introduced into the workplace.
● Safe and healthful work practices developed for each specific job.
● Discipline or reward procedures to help assure that safety rules and work procedures
are put into practice and enforced. Reward or positive reinforcement procedures such as
bonus, incentive or employee recognition programs should provide positive motivation for
compliance with safety rules and procedures.
● A written plan for emergency situations. Your plan must include a list of
emergencies that could arise and a set of procedures in response to each situation. Some
emergency procedures, such as those covering medical emergencies or fire evacuation, are
mandated by Cal/OSHA regulations.
● If you have operations involving hazardous substances, procedures or processes, you
must designate emergency response teams to be specifically trained and equipped to handle
possible imminent hazards.

5.) Safety & Health Training: Training is one of the most important elements of any Injury
and Illness Prevention Program. It allows employees to learn their job properly, brings new
ideas into the workplace, reinforces existing ideas and practices, and puts your program into
action. Your employees benefit from safety and health training through fewer work-related
injuries and illnesses, and reduced stress and worry caused by exposure to hazards. You
benefit from reduced workplace injuries and illnesses, increased productivity, lower costs,
higher profits, and a more cohesive and dependable work force. An effective Injury and
Illness Prevention Program includes training for both supervisors and employees. Training for
both is required by Cal/OSHA safety orders. To be effective and also meet Cal/OSHA
requirements, your training program needs to:

a.) Let your supervisors know: ● They are key figures responsible for establishment and
success of your Injury and Illness Prevention Program. ● The importance of establishing and
maintaining safe and healthful working conditions. ● They are responsible for being familiar
with safety and health hazards to which their employees are exposed, how to recognize them,
the potential effects these hazards have on the employees, and rules, procedures and work
practices for controlling exposure to those hazards. ● How to convey this information to
employees by setting good examples, instructing them, making sure they fully understand and
follow safe procedures. ● How to investigate accidents and take corrective and preventive
action.

b.) Let your employees know: ● The success of the company’s Injury and Illness Prevention
Program depends on their actions as well as yours. ● The safe work procedures required for
their jobs and how these procedures protect them against exposure. ● When personal
protective equipment is required or needed, how to use it and maintain it in good condition. ●
What to do if emergencies occur in the workplace.
CHAPTER 15.) INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS 81

c.) An effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program requires proper job performance by
everyone in the workplace. As the employer, you must ensure that all employees are
knowledgeable about the materials and equipment they are working with, what known
hazards are present and how they are controlled.

d.) Each employee needs to understand that: ● No employee is expected to undertake a job
until he/she has received instructions on how to do it properly and safely, and is authorized to
perform the job. ● No employees should undertake a job that appears to be unsafe. ● No
employee should use chemicals without fully understanding their toxic properties and without
the knowledge required to work with them safely. ● Mechanical safeguards must always be in
place and kept in place. ● Employees are to report to a superior or designated individual all
unsafe conditions encountered during work. ● Any work-related injury or illness suffered,
however slight, must be reported to management at once. ● Personal protective equipment
must be used when and where required, and properly maintained.

e.) Your supervisors must recognize that they are the primary safety trainers in your
organization. Encourage and help them by providing supervisory training. Many community
colleges offer management training courses at little or no cost. You as the employer are
required under Cal/ OSHA standards to establish and carry out a formal training program. A
professional training person, an outside consultant or your supervisors may provide injury and
illness prevention training to your employees.

f.) This program must, at a minimum, provide training and instruction: ● To all employees
when your program is first established. ● To all new employees. ● To all employees given
new job assignments for which training has not been previously received. ● Whenever new
substances, processes, procedures or equipment are introduced to the workplace and present a
new hazard. ● Whenever you or your supervisors are made aware of a new or previously
unrecognized hazard. ● For all supervisors to assure they are familiar with the safety and
health hazards to which employees under their immediate direction and control may be
exposed.

6. ) Safety & Health Recordkeeping: No operation can be successful without adequate


recordkeeping, which enables you to learn from past experience and make corrections for
future operations. Records of accidents, work-related injuries, illnesses and property losses
serve as a valuable purpose.

Under Cal/OSHA recordkeeping requirements, information on accidents is gathered and


stored. Upon review, causes can be identified and control procedures instituted to prevent the
illness or injury from recurring. Keep in mind that any inspection of your workplace may
require you to demonstrate the effectiveness of your program.

a.) Injury & Illness Records: Injury and illness recordkeeping requirements under Cal/OSHA
require a minimum amount of paperwork. These records give you one measure for evaluating
the success of your safety and health activities: success would generally mean a reduction or
elimination of employee injuries or illnesses during a calendar year. Five important steps are
required by the Cal/ OSHA recordkeeping system: ● Each employer (unless exempt by size or
CHAPTER 15.) INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS 82

industry) must record each fatality, injury, or illness that is work-related, is a new case, or
meets one or more of the general recording criteria specified in Title 8, Section 14300. ●
Record each injury or illness on the Cal/ OSHA Log of Occupational Work Related Injuries
and Illnesses (Form 300) according to its instructions. ● Prepare an Injury and Illness Incident
Report (Form 301), or equivalent. ● Annually review and certify the Cal/OSHA Form 300
and post the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300A) no later than
February 1 and keep it posted where employees can see it until April 30. ● Maintain the last
five years of these records in your files. ● During the year, regularly review these records to
see where your injuries and illnesses are occurring.

b.) Exposure Records: Injury and illness records may not be the only records you need to
maintain. Cal/ OSHA standards concerning toxic substances and hazardous exposures require
records of employee exposure to these substances and sources, physical examination reports,
employment records, and other information. Employers using any regulated carcinogens have
additional reporting and recordkeeping requirements. See Title 8 of the California Code of
Regulations for details.

7.) Documentation of Your Activities: Essential records, including those legally required for
workers’ compensation, insurance audits, and government inspections, must be maintained for
as long as required. For most employers, Cal/OSHA standards also require that you keep
records of steps taken to establish and maintain your Injury and Illness Prevention Program.

Documentation must include: ● Records of scheduled and periodic inspections as required by


the standard to identify unsafe conditions and work practices. The documentation must
include the name of the person(s) conducting the inspection, the unsafe conditions and work
practices identified, and the action taken to correct the unsafe conditions and work practices.
The records are to be maintained for at least one year. However, employers with fewer than
10 employees may elect to maintain the inspection records only until the hazard is corrected.

● Records of safety and health training required by standards for each employee. The
documentation must specifically include employee name or other identifier, training dates,
type(s) of training and the name of the training provider. These records must also be kept for
at least one year, except that training records of employees who have worked for less than one
year for the employer need not be retained beyond the term of employment if they are
provided to the employee upon termination of employment.

Employers with fewer than 10 employees can substantially comply with the documentation
provision by maintaining a log of instructions provided to the employee with respect to the
hazards unique to the employees’ job assignment when first hired or assigned new duties.
Some relief from documentation is available for employers with fewer than 20 employees
who are working in industries that are on the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR’s)
designated list of low-hazard industries, and for employers with fewer than 20 employees who
are not on DlR’s list of high-hazard industries and who have a Workers’ Compensation
Experience Modification Rate of 1.1 or less. For these industries, written documentation of
the Injury and Illness Prevention Program may be limited to: ● Written documentation of the
identity of the person or persons with authority and responsibility for implementing the
CHAPTER 15.) INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS 83

program; ● Written documentation of scheduled periodic inspections to identify unsafe


conditions and work practices; and ● Written documentation of training and instruction.
Keeping such records fulfills your responsibilities under General Industry Safety Order 3203.
It also affords an efficient means to review your current safety and health activities for better
control of your operations, and to plan future improvements.

GENERAL CODE OF SAFE PRACTICES: the following is a suggested code of safe


practices that is general in nature, and is intended for use as a basis for preparation by a
contractor or company of a code of safe practices that fits his operations more exactly.

1.) All persons shall follow these safe practices rules, render every possible aid to safe
operations, and report all unsafe conditions or practices to the foreman or superintendent.
2.) Foremen shall insist on employees observing and obeying every rule, regulation, and order
as is necessary to the safe conduct of the work, and shall take such action as is necessary to
obtain observance.
3.) All employees shall be given frequent accident prevention instructions. Instructions shall
be given at least every 10 working days.
4.) Anyone known to be under the influence of drugs or intoxicating substances that impair
the employee’s ability to safely perform the assigned duties shall not be allowed on the job
while in that condition.
5.) Horseplay, scuffling, and other acts that tend to have an adverse influence on the safety or
well-being of the employees shall be prohibited.
6.) Work shall be well planned and supervised to prevent injuries in the handling of materials
and in working together with equipment.
7.) No one shall knowingly be permitted or required to work while the employee’s ability or
alertness is so impaired by fatigue, illness, or other causes that it might unnecessarily expose
the employee or others to injury.
8.) Employees shall not enter manholes, underground vaults, chambers, tanks, silos, or other
similar places that receive little ventilation, unless it has been determined that is safe to enter.
9.) Employees shall be instructed to ensure that all guards and other protective devices are in
proper places and adjusted, and shall report deficiencies promptly to the foreman or
superintendent.
10.) Crowding or pushing when boarding or leaving any vehicle or other conveyance shall be
prohibited.
11.) Workers shall not handle or tamper with any electrical equipment, machinery, or air or
water lines in a manner not within the scope of their duties, unless they have received
instructions from their foreman.
12.) All injuries shall be reported promptly to the foreman or superintendent so that
arrangements can be made for medical or first aid treatment.
13.) When lifting heavy objects, the large muscles of the leg instead of the smaller muscles of
the back shall be used.
14.) Inappropriate footwear or shoes with thin or badly worn soles shall not be worn.
15.) Materials, tools, or other objects shall not be thrown from buildings or structures until
proper precautions are taken to protect others from the falling objects.
CHAPTER 16.) FIRE PREVENTION PLANS, EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS, EXIT ROUTES 84

FIRE PREVENTION PLANS, EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS, EXIT ROUTES

Each year, at least 5,000 people lose their lives as the result of fire, and it is estimated that
nearly 10% of those deaths can be attributed to workplace fires. With this in mind, common
sense and respect for employees who work hard in all types of warehouse environments, says
that employers have a responsibility to put in place plans to prevent fires, and when fires or
other disasters do occur, that employers have plans in place to both control the emergency,
and to get employees safely out of the workplace. Due to the serious nature of these potential
emergency situations, both Federal OSHA and CalOSHA mandate that employers whose
activities are covered by OSHA standards, must develop and have such plans in place, train
employees in understanding and complying with the plans, and maintain equipment to combat
these emergency situations.

FIRE PREVENTION PLANS: Federal OSHA General Industry Requirements section


1910.39 specify the following regarding fire prevention plans:
a.) Application: An employer must have a fire prevention plan when an OSHA standard in
this part requires one. (note: this means that you must have a fire prevention plan if any
component or activity within your warehousing operation has OSHA regulations covering or
regulating that component or activity). The requirements in this section apply to each such fire
prevention plan.
b.) Written and oral fire prevention plans: A fire prevention plan must be in writing, be kept in
the workplace, and be made available to employees for review. However, an employer with
10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.
c.) Minimum elements of a fire prevention plan: A fire prevention plan must include:
1.) A list of all major fire hazards, proper handling and storage procedures for
hazardous materials, potential ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire
protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard;
2.) Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste
materials;
3.) Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat producing
equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials.
4.) The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to
prevent or control sources of ignition or fires; and
5.) The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source
hazards.
d.) Employee information: An employer must inform employees upon initial assignment to a
job of the fire hazards to which they are exposed. An employer must also review with each
employee those parts of the fire prevention plan necessary for self-protection.

EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS: Federal OSHA General Industry Requirements section


1910.38 specify the following regarding emergency action plans:
a.) Application: an employer must have an emergency action plan whenever an OSHA
standard in this part requires one (note: this means that you must have an emergency action
plan if any component or activity within your warehousing operation has OSHA regulations
covering or regulating that component or activity). The requirements in this section apply to
each such emergency action plan.
CHAPTER 16.) FIRE PREVENTION PLANS, EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS, EXIT ROUTES 85

b.) Written and oral emergency action plans. An emergency action plan must be in writing,
kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review. However, an employer with 10
or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.
c.) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan: An emergency action plan must include
at a minimum:
1.) Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency;
2.) Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route
assignments;
3.) Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant
operations before they evaluate;
4.) Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation;
5.) Procedures to be followed my employees performing rescue or medical duties; and
6.) The name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who
need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan.
d.) Employee alarm system: An employer must have and maintain an employee alarm system.
The employee alarm system must use a distinctive signal for each purpose and comply with
the requirements in section 1910.165. (this section lists more specifics about alarm systems)
e.) Training: An employer must designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly
evacuation of other employees.
f.) Review of emergency action plans: An employer must review the emergency action plan
with each employee covered by the plan:
1.) When the plan is developed or the employee is assigned initially to a job;
2.) When the employee's responsibilities under the plan change; and
3.) When the plan is changed.

Emergency Evacuations: At the time of an emergency, employees should know what type of
evacuation is necessary and what their role is in carrying out the plan. In some cases where
the emergency is very grave, total and immediate evacuation of all employees is necessary. In
other emergencies, a partial evacuation of nonessential employees with a delayed evacuation
of others may be necessary for continued plant operation. In some cases, only those
employees in the immediate area of the fire may be expected to evacuate or move to a safe
area such as when a local application fire suppression system discharge employee alarm is
sounded. Employees must be sure that they know what is expected of them in all such
emergency possibilities which have been planned in order to provide assurance of their safety
from fire or other emergency.

The use of floor plans or workplace maps which clearly show the emergency escape routes
should be included in the emergency action plan. Color coding will aid employees in
determining their route assignments. All employees are to be told what actions they are to
take in these emergency situations that the employer anticipates may occur in the workplace.

The designation of refuge or safe areas for evacuation should be determined and identified in
the plan. In a building divided into fire zones or fire walls, the refuge area may still be within
the same building but in a different zone from where the emergency occurs.
CHAPTER 16.) FIRE PREVENTION PLANS, EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS, EXIT ROUTES 86

Exterior refuge or safe areas may include parking lots, open fields or streets which are located
away from the site of the emergency and which provide sufficient space to accommodate the
employees. Employees should be instructed to move away from the exit discharge doors of
the building, and to avoid congregating close to the building where they may hamper
emergency operations.

EXIT ROUTE PLANNING AND REQUIREMENTS: Exit routes must meet the following
design and construction requirements.

Basic Requirements: An exit route must be permanent, separated by fire resistant materials,
and openings into an exit must be limited. An exit is permitted to have only those openings
necessary to allow access to the exit from occupied areas of the workplace; must be protected
by a self-closing fire door that remains closed or automatically closes in an emergency upon
the sounding of a fire alarm or employee alarm switch, and is listed or approved by a
nationally recognized testing laboratory.

Additional Requirements: ● the number of exits must be adequate, ● each exit discharge must
lead directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space with
access to the outside, and such space is large enough to accommodate the building occupants
likely to use the exit route, ● an exit door must be unlocked, ● a side hinged exit door must be
used, ● the capacity of an exit route must be adequate, ● an exit route must meet minimum
height and width requirements, ● an outdoor exit route is permitted when it meets specific
minimum height and width requirements, ● danger to employees must be minimized, ●
lighting and marking must be adequate and appropriate, ● fire retardant properties of paints
and solutions used in the exits must be maintained or renewed as often as necessary to
maintain their fire retardant properties, ● exit routes must be maintained, and ● an employee
alarm system must be installed and operable.
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 87

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS

Under the California Labor Code and the California Occupational Safety and Health Act
(Cal/OSHA), all employers in California are legally required to provide and maintain a safe
and healthful workplace for all employees. Within Federal and State Occupational Safety and
Health Codes, specific hazard communication regulations emphasize workplace safety and
requires employers to inform their employees of the hazardous substances to which they are
exposed to at the job site. Employers are required to develop, implement, and maintain a
hazard communication program. Components of responsibility originate with chemical
manufacturers or importers, who must make specific data available to users, and components
of responsibility rest on California employers who, through the implementation of a hazard
communication plan, inform and train all employees on potential hazardous material health
risks that the employee may encounter on the job. California's Proposition 65 requires the
governor to publish a list of chemicals known to the State Of California to cause cancer, birth
defects, or reproductive harm, and requires that businesses provide a clear and reasonable
warning before knowingly in intentionally exposing anyone to a listed chemical. This list is
available from the State, and significant efforts toward notifying employees of hazards can be
achieved by complying with the provisions of California's hazard communication regulation.

Employers benefit from having an effective hazard communications program, because it helps
them:
● Identify and control hazardous substances present in their workplace.
● Develop or rethink safe and efficient strategies for the use, handling, and disposal of
these substances.
● Promote safe and effective work practices.
● Reduce workers compensation losses.
● Comply with the law.

Employees also benefit from a hazard communications program because they learn how to
identify potentially hazardous chemicals to which they may be exposed in the workplace. This
increased awareness promotes the greater likelihood that employees will:
● Reduce their exposure to hazardous substances.
● Follow safer work practices.
● Protect themselves, thereby preventing work-related injuries and illnesses.

Emergency responders, such as firefighters and police, benefit because:


● An effective response strategy depends on advance knowledge of the chemical(s)
involved in a fire or chemical spill.
● They can better protect themselves, thereby reducing the likelihood of work-related
injuries and illnesses.

This study guide in no way includes all the information and/or specifics for implementing a
Hazard Communication Program that meets State standards, but we will go over some basic
information regarding components found in a Hazard Communication Program, information
regarding hazardous material labeling, and hazardous materials safety data sheets (MSDS).
More information can be obtained online at: www.dir.ca.gov/samples/search.query.htm>.
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 88

Federal and State Code requires chemical manufacturers or importers to assess the hazards of
chemicals which they produce or import, and all employers to provide information to their
employees about the hazardous chemicals to which they are exposed, by means of a hazard
communication program, labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and
information and training. In addition, these codes require distributors to transmit the required
information to employers (Employers who do not produce or import chemicals need only
focus on those parts of this rule that deal with establishing a workplace program and
communicating information to their workers). In 1991, California passed and enacted an
additional State code that contains the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act,
known as Proposition 65, which was added new requirements to the original Hazardous
Communications Regulation.

What Is the Scope of California's Hazard Communication Regulation: Who Does It


Apply To? Except for the exemptions and exclusions noted below, the hazard
communication regulation applies to:

A.) All California employers-regardless of size- whose employees may be exposed to


hazardous substances. The requirements of Prop 65 applies to all businesses except: 1.)
companies employing fewer than ten employees, 2.) any government agency, and 3.) all
public water systems.

B.) All hazardous substances found in the workplace under normal conditions of use as well
as in reasonably foreseeable emergency conditions such as a spill or release of a flammable
chemical. The requirements of Prop 65 applies only to the specified list of chemicals known
to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. These
listed chemicals may be naturally occurring or synthetic, used as ingredients in materials and
products, and/or generated as byproducts, emissions, and waste.

C.) Exemptions:
1.) Chemicals in closed containers: Although operations in which employees handle
hazardous substances only in sealed containers (such as in warehouse, transportation, or
retail sales) are exempt from the full standard, employers are still required to ● ensure that
labels on incoming containers are not removed or defaced, ● obtain and maintain MSDS
sheets and make them readily accessible to employees in their work area(s) during each work
shift, ● train employees so they know how to handle and protect themselves in the event of a
chemical spill or a leak from a sealed container.

2.) Laboratories: Employers who engage in the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals are
exempt form the hazard communication regulation if they meet all the following conditions:
(please refer to the web site at the bottom of the first page of this chapter for full details on
these conditions).

3.) Prop 65 warning do not apply to: ● an exposure for which federal law preempts state
authority, ● an exposure that takes place less than 12 months from the time the chemical was
officially listed under Prop 65 Code, ● an exposure for which the employer can show that the
exposure of a given chemical from the list of carcinogens poses no significant cancer risk,
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 89

assuming lifetime exposure at the level in question, and the exposure of a given chemical for
the list of reproductive toxicants will have no observable effect, assuming exposure at one
thousand (1,000) times the level in question.

D.) Exclusions: (please refer to the web site at the bottom of the first page of this chapter for
full details on these exclusions).

How Do Employers Determine If Workplace Substances Are Classified as Hazardous?


Manufacturers, distributors (if they repackage and sell under their own label), and importers
are required to assess the physical and health hazards associated with the substances they
produce or repackage. They are also required to provide hazard information to employers by
means of labels and MSDS sheets. From the MSDSs and sources listed below, employers can
find out whether substances to which employees are exposed at the workplace are hazardous
and therefore, subject to the hazard communication regulation.

California Code considers a "hazardous substance" to include any substance listed in:
1.) The Hazardous Substances List (T8 CCR, Section 339), commonly known as "The
Director's List of Hazardous Substances".
2.) 29, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910, Subpart Z, "Toxic and Hazardous
Substances," Occupational Safety and Health Administration (federal OSHA); and T8 CCR,
Section 5155, "Air Contaminants".
3.) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances in the Work Environment, American
Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGGIH), 1991-92
4.) Sixth Annual Report on Carcinogens, National Toxicology Program (NTP), 1991
5.) Monographs, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Vols. 1-53 and
Supplements 1-8. World Health Organization
6.) Material Safety Data Sheets as reproductive toxicants or cancer producing substances
7.) T22 CCR, Section 12000, under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of
1986 (Prop 65), "Chemical Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity",
published yearly by Cal/EPA's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

Note regarding Prop 65 requirements: California employers must determine whether any of
the hazardous chemicals from their chemical inventory lists are subject to Proposition 65
requirements. To obtain this updated list of chemicals, please call OEHHA at (916) 445-6900
or access the OEHHA Web site at <http://www.oehha.ca.gov>.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS): On each hazardous chemical, MSDSs provide
information such as health hazards, special chemical an physical characteristics, protective
measures, precautions for safe handling, and use/storage of each chemical. Employers can use
the information contained in MSDSs to educate employees on hazards associated with
chemicals found in their workplace. Because the information can change, employers must
review the MSDSs and ensure the use of the most current version. Also make sure that
employees have ready access to MSDSs and are trained to understand the information.
Manufacturers, importers, or other responsible parties who prepare MSDSs are required to
develop an MSDS for every hazardous substance or mixture they produce or import.
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 90

The MSDS form, when printed out, will consist of about six pages of data, or less if the
information is condensed. An MSDS must contain all the following categories, and if there is
no information for a category, of if the category does not apply, the MSDS must indicate that
no information is available. A brief description of the mandatory categories are:

1.) For a single hazardous substance, the substance identity used on the label, the chemical
name, the common name, the CAS number. Different requirements apply if it was tested as a
whole, or not tested as a whole. The supplier's name/address/telephone number, emergency
contact numbers.
2.) Physical and chemical properties
3.) Physical hazards
4.) Health hazards
5.) Potential routes of entry
6.) Permissible exposure limits
7.) Precautions for safe handling
8.) Known control measures
9.) Emergency and first aid procedures
10.) Date of MSDS preparation or date of last change in contents
11.) Name, address, and phone number of the party responsible for preparing the MSDS who
could, if necessary, provide additional information, including emergency procedures on the
hazardous substance in question.

The following is an example of an MDSD:

*****************************
* MSDS *
* *
* Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue : 99-3 (August, 1999) *

*** IDENTIFICATION ***

MSDS RECORD NUMBER : 2046473


PRODUCT NAME(S) : Lontrel* Herbicide
PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION : Product Code 45497
PCP Number 18225 GMID 4509
GMID 4847 GMID 4952
GMID 7875
DATE OF MSDS : 1999-06-18
CURRENCY NOTE : This MSDS was provided to CCOHS in electronic form on 1999-06-30

*** SUPPLIER/DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION ***

SUPPLIER/DISTRIBUTOR : Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc


ADDRESS : 1144 - 29 Avenue North East, Calgary Alberta, Canada T2E 7P1
Telephone: 403-735-8800 800-667-3852
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NO. : 519-339-3711

*** MATERIAL SAFETY DATA ***

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET


CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 91

1. PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION:
PRODUCT NAME: Lontrel* Herbicide PRODUCT CODE NUMBERS: 45497
GMID NUMBERS: 4509, 4847, 4952, 5109, 7875 MSDS NUMBER: DASCI-001
EFFECTIVE DATE: June ,18, 1999 DATE PRINTED: June 18, 1999

SUPPLIER:
Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc., 1144 - 29 Avenue NE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2E 7P1
www.dowagro.ca

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CALL (519) 339 3711

THIS PRODUCT IS REGULATED UNDER THE PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS ACT

2. COMPOSITION:
COMPONENT CAS NUMBER % (W/W)
Clopyralid (as monoethanolamine salt) 057754-85-5 19.2
Inert ingredients 80.8
Including:
Isopropyl alcohol 000067-63-0 Polyglycol 26-2 069029-39-6

3. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION:
EMERGENCY OVERVIEW:
This product is a reddish-brown clear liquid with a sweet odor. Prolonged exposure may cause skin irritation.
Slight transient corneal
injury may occur. Prolonged exposure may cause skin irritation.
POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS:
EYES: This product may cause very slight transient corneal injury. Vapors may irritate eyes.
SKIN CONTACT: Prolonged exposure may cause moderate skin irritation. Repeated contact may cause drying
or flaking of skin.
SKIN ABSORPTION: A single prolonged exposure is not likely to result in this material being absorbed in
harmful amounts.
INGESTION: No hazards anticipated from swallowing small amounts incidental to normal handling operations.
INHALATION: Excessive vapor concentrations of isoproplanol are attainable and could be hazardous on a
single exposure. Excessive exposure (400 ppm) to isopropanol may cause eye, nose, and throat irritation.
Incoordination, confusion, hypotension, hypothermia, circulatory collapse, respiratory arrest, and death may
follow longer duration or higher levels of exposure to isopropanol. Observations in animals include middle ear
lining damage upon exposure to vapors of isopropanol.

4. FIRST AID MEASURES:


EYES: Flush eyes with plenty of water.
SKIN: Wash in flowing water or shower.
INGESTION: Do not induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by qualified medical personnel. Get medical
attention.
INHALATION: Remove individual to fresh air. If breathing is difficult, oxygen should be administered by
qualified personnel. If breathing difficulty continues, get expert medical attention.

NOTE TO PHYSICIAN: There is no specific antidote. Employ supportive care. Treatment should be based on
the judgment of the physician in response to the reactions of the patient.

5. FIRE-FIGHTING MEASURES:
FLASH POINT: 47 deg C (TCC)
FLAMMABLE LIMITS: Not available
AUTO-IGNITION TEMPERATURE: Not available
EXTINGUISHING MEDIA: Water fog, foam (alcohol resistant AFFF at 3% or 6%), CO2, dry chemical. Foam
is preferred.
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 92

SENSITIVITY TO MECHANICAL IMPACT/STATIC DISCHARGE: Not available


UNUSUAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS: This product is a water-based solution and except under
gross fire conditions, it should not burn. Contain fire-fighting water for future disposal. Noxious fumes are
created under fire conditions.
FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT: Wear positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus and full turn-out
gear.

6. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES:


Soak up spills with absorbent material. Dike area in case of large spills. Do not use water for cleanup. Clopyralid
is a herbicide that acts on many broadleaf plants. Avoid contaminating soil near desirable vegetation. Do not
allow spilled material to contaminate water supplies. Dike area and notify Dow AgroSciences if large amounts of
product are involved in the spill.

7. HANDLING AND STORAGE:


HANDLING: Keep out of reach of children and animals. Do not swallow. Avoid contact with eyes, skin and
clothing. Wash thoroughly after handling. Remove and wash contaminated clothing.
STORAGE: This product is combustible. Do not use or store this product near a heat source, open flame or other
sources of ignition, particularly if storage temperatures are near the flash point (47 deg C). Keep container closed
when not in use. Do not ship with foodstuffs, feed, seed, drugs or clothing.

8. EXPOSURE CONTROLS, PERSONAL PROTECTION AND EXPOSURE LIMITS:


EXPOSURE LIMITS:
Clopyralid (acid): Dow Industrial Hygiene Guide is 10 mg/m3. Isopropyl alcohol: ACGIH TLV and OSHA PEL
are 400 ppm TWA, 500 ppm
STEL.
Polyglycol: Dow Industrial Hygiene Guide is 2 mg/m3.
ENGINEERING CONTROLS: Provide general and/or local exhaust ventilation to control airborne levels below
the exposure guidelines. Use only with adequate ventilation.
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: Atmospheric levels should be maintained below the exposure guidelines.
When respiratory protection is required use an approved air-purifying or positive-pressure supplied-air respirator
depending on the potential airborne concentration. For emergency and other conditions where the exposure
guideline may be greatly exceeded, use an approved positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus or
positive-pressure airline with auxiliary self-contained air supply. In confined or poorly ventilated areas, use an
approved positive-pressure or supplied-air respirator.
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: For brief contact during manufacture, warehousing and transport, wear clean body-
covering clothing. During operations where exposure to the concentrated product may occur, use protective
clothing impervious to this product. Use of items made of heavy-duty neoprene or nitrile rubber is suggested.
Selection of specific items such as face shield, respirator, boots, gloves, apron or full body suit will depend on
the operation being carried out. Applicators and other field handlers, including persons repairing or cleaning
application equipment, must wear clean body-covering clothing, impervious gloves and boots. In addition, an
impervious apron must be worn by persons making and/or transferring field dilutions of this product.
EYES: Use safety glasses. If vapor exposure causes eye discomfort, use an approved full-face respirator.
OTHER PROTECTION: None specified

9. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES:


Boiling point: 100 deg C Vapor pressure: 23.5 mm Hg at 20 deg C
Volatility: 1.06 at 20 deg C pH: 8.5
Appearance: Reddish-brown liquid Odor: Sweet
Coefficient of water/oil distribution: Not available
Specific gravity: 1.007 at 20 deg C Evaporation rate: Not available
Solubility in water: Miscible Freezing point: Not available
Odor threshold: Not available Melting point: Not applicable

10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY:


STABILITY: Store under cool, dry conditions. Avoid elevated temperatures and direct sunlight. Do not use or
store near heat, open
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 93

flame or other sources of ignition, especially if air temperatures are near the flash point (47 deg C).
INCOMPATIBILITY: Avoid acids, oxidizing materials, haloginated organics, brass, copper, zinc (including
galvanized metals) and
aluminum.
HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS: Hydrogen chloride, nitrogen oxides (under fire conditions),
chlorinated pyridine.
HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: Does not occur

11. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION:


SKIN ABSORPTION: Lontrel LD50 (rabbit) is >5000 mg/kg.
INGESTION: Lontrel LD50 is >5000 mg/kg.
INHALATION: The maximum practically - attainable concentration of this product in the tests (3.0 mg/L for
four hours) produced no ill effects
in test animals.
SENSITIZATION: This product may rarely cause an allergic skin response.
CHRONIC EFFECTS: In animals, effects have been reported on the following organs: liver and kidney.
Observations in animals include lethargy. For
isopropanol: kidney effects and/or tumors have been observed in male rats. These effects are believed to be
species specific and unlikely to
occur in humans.
CANCER: The components of this formulation did not cause cancer in laboratory animals.
BIRTH DEFECTS: Clopyralid caused birth defects in test animals, but only at greatly exaggerated doses that
were severely toxic to the mothers. No
birth defects were observed in animals given clopyralid at doses several times greater than those expected during
normal exposure. Isopropyl
alcohol at extremely high concentrations has been reported to cause birth defects and fetal toxicity in rats. At
lower concentrations there
were no effects on the fetus.
REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS: In animal studies the components of this formulation have been shown not to
interfere with reproduction.
MUTAGENICITY: In vitro and animal mutagenicity studies for the components of this formulation were
negative.

12. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION:


Clopyralid is considered not toxic to bees. Based largely or completely on information for clopyralid, Lontrel is
practically non-toxic to
aquatic organisms on an acute basis, and is practically non-toxic to birds on a dietary basis Clopyralid is slightly
toxic to birds on an
acute basis. For more complete eco-toxicological information, contact Dow AgroSciences at 800 667 3852.

DEGRADATION AND METABOLISM:


IN SOIL: Microbial degradation is the major route of degradation of clopyralid. Carbon dioxide is the major
product of degradation, with
only traces of one other metabolite having been recorded. The half- life of clopyralid in laboratory studies ranges
from 14 to 56 days.
Field dissipation and lysimeter studies show that potential for groundwater contamination is minimal.
IN PLANTS: Clopyralid is not metabolized in plants.
IN ANIMALS: In rats, following oral administration of clopyralid, there is rapid and almost complete
elimination in the urine.

13. DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS:


Dispose in secure landfills or by registered use, in compliance with all applicable federal, provincial and
municipal laws and regulations.
If these wastes cannot be disposed of according to label instructions, contact the Provincial or Federal
Department of Environment for
guidance.
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 94

14. TRANSPORT INFORMATION:


Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act classification for this product may be obtained by contacting the Dow
AgroSciences Solutions Center at
800 667 3852.

15. REGULATORY INFORMATION:


PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS ACT REGISTRATION NUMBER: 18225
FOR INFORMATION PHONE: 800 667 3852
MASTER REFERENCE: 2805
MSDS STATUS: Revised sections:
3. Hazard Identification
4. First Aid Measures
8. Exposure Controls, Personal
Protection and Exposure Limits
9. Physical and Chemical Properties
11. Toxicological Information
12. Ecological Information
REPLACES MSDS DATED: October 30, 1998

16. OTHER INFORMATION


NATIONAL FIRE CODE CLASSIFICATION: Class II
NFPA RATING: Health: 1; Flammability: 2; Reactivity: 1.
NOTICE: The information contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet ("MSDS") is current as of the effective
date shown in Section 1 of this
MSDS and may be subject to amendment by Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc. ("DASC") at any time. DASC
accepts no liability whatsoever which results
in any way from the use of MSDS which are not published by DASC, or have been amended without DASC
express written authorization. Users of this MSDS must satisfy themselves that they have the most recent and
authorized version of this MSDS and shall bear all responsibility and liability with respect thereto. Any conflict
or inconsistencies as to the contents of this MSDS shall be resolved in favor of DASC by the most recent version
of the MSDS published by DASC.

*Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC


Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc. is a licensed user

ll information, recommendations, and suggestions appearing herein concerning our product are based upon tests
and data believed to be reliable. However, it is the user's responsibility to determine the safety, toxicity, and
suitability for his own use of the product described herein. Since the actual use by others is beyond our control,
no guarantee, express or implied, is made by Henkel Canada Ltd. as to the effects of such use, the results
obtained, or the safety and toxicity of the product nor does Henkel Canada Ltd. assume any liability arising out
of use, by others, of the product referred to herein. The information herein is not to be construed as absolutely
complete since additional information may be necessary or desirable when particular or exceptional conditions
or circumstances exist or because of applicable laws or government regulations.
DATED............................. 061198

Labels and Other Forms of Warning: Employers are required to use legible labels and other
forms of warning to clearly and quickly communicate the identity and hazard(s) of chemicals
in the workplace, and are to be conspicuously placed on containers so that the message is
readily visible. If a business employs a large number of non-English speaking employees,
employers are required to use symbols, warning signs in English and other languages, or any
other means necessary to ensure that their employees understand the dangers present in the
workplace. Affected parties should be aware of the following information:
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 95

1.) When an employer receives hazardous substance containers, the supplier's original
containers must be labeled with the following information:
● Identity of the hazardous substance, which must allow for cross-referencing with the MSDS
and the inventory list of hazardous substances in the workplace.
● Hazard warning statements, including Prop 65 warnings if applicable.
● Name and address of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible party.
● Prop 65 Note: hazardous substances from out of state chemical manufacturers or
distributors may not have Prop 65 hazard warning. California suppliers/employers must meet
the requirement in various ways, including affixing additional Prop 65 warning labels on
containers, or posting signs in the workplace.

2.) If during the course of work hazardous substances are transferred form the original
container to a secondary portable container, the employer needs to ensure that the secondary
container is labeled with:
● Identity of the hazardous material
● Hazard warning statements, including Prop 65 warning if applicable.

For additional detail on the above requirements, or for information on additional labeling
requirements, including additional Prop 65 labeling requirements, please refer to the web site
shown at the bottom of the first page of this chapter.

Written Hazard Communication Program: Employers whose employees may be exposed


to hazardous substances are required to have a written hazard communication program that
addresses all the requirements of the regulation. Employers who tailor a written program to
meet the specific needs of their workplace will maximize the benefits of workplace safety.

The following describes the basic components that could be included in a written hazard
communication plan, but should not be considered all satisfying all the requirements, used as
a model, or containing all items that currently may be required by the State of California.

1.) Developing and maintaining a list of the hazardous substances in the workplace, and may
be compiled for the workplace as a whole, or for individual work areas, and can serve as a
checklist to ensure that all hazardous substances in the workplace have MSDS and labels.
Prop 65 lists should be regularly obtained to assure timely compliance with this code.

2.) An explanation of how the employer will meet the requirements for: ● labeling containers
of hazardous substances and other forms of warning, ● MSDSs and making sure they are
readily accessible to employees and emergency responders, ● employee training on hazardous
substances they are or may be exposed to in their particular jobs during routine/ non-routine
work, or emergency situation.

3.) A plan of how multi-employer workplace issues, if applicable, will be addressed: ● how
an employer will inform a contractor, whose employees work in the employer's workplace, of
the hazardous substances to which the contractors employees may be exposed while
performing their work, and how the employer's employees will be protected from hazardous
substances brought into the workplace by the contractors employees. If the hazardous
CHAPTER 17.) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS 96

substances include Prop 65 chemicals, clear and reasonable warnings must be provided to all
employees, from either the employer or the contractor, prior to exposure ● how the employer
will inform other employers of precautionary measures needed to protect employees during
normal work as well as emergency conditions, ● how the employer will inform other
employers of the labeling system in the workplace.

4.) A plan for the periodic evaluation of program effectiveness and plans for updating the
program, if necessary.

5.) The written hazard communication program must be available upon request to employees,
their representatives, Cal/OHSA representative, and others in accordance with applicable
code.
CHAPTER 18.) THE HUMAN MACHINE AND BACK INJURY PREVENTION 97

THE HUMAN MACHINE AND BACK INJURY PREVENTION

The Human Machine is an ultimate design for material movement. Everything from the built
in high speed computerized central control unit called the brain, to the many sensing units
located throughout the body, to those highly trained sensing and warning devices called the
ears, eyes, nose and mouth, never has such a more intelligent machine been developed.
Engineers have tried for centuries to mimic the system, but roboman has not entered the
scene.

The human machine central controller receives continuous data and feedback from all the
highly intelligent sensing devices, and issues commands at lightning speed to accomplish
some activity, or for that matter multiple activities at the same time. Machines need
programming, and do not have the capacity to alter actions based changes in the environment
or any of a thousand constantly changing inputs.

Why then is this great machine called the Human Machine so limited in its capacity to lift,
move, and transport product and/or merchandise? When we need a mechanical device to lift
more, higher, longer, or better we simply design a stronger housing or add greater capacity
hydraulics.... and this is why the human machine can break down..... it's made of bones that
can break and connective tissue that can only take so much wear and tear... until it stretches
too far and either snaps or disconnects. Can we do anything about this dilemma? The answer
is YES! Yes there are things that we can do to prevent pushing this great human machine
from operating past its breaking point. Keeping us from back injury is the subject of this
chapter.

PREVENTING BACK INJURY:

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), back
injuries cost American industry 10 to 14 billion dollars in workers' compensation costs and
about 100 million work days annually. A healthy lifestyle attention to posture, conditioning
and body mechanics, avoiding obesity and smoking, and minimizing emotional stress will
take you a long way toward maintaining a healthy back.

Up to 80% of Americans will suffer back pain at some point in their lives. The cause of back
pain in about 90% of cases is strain or sprain of back muscles, ligaments or soft tissue. These
conditions generally heal completely, but often recur if prevention strategies are not used.
Back pain in the remaining 10% of cases is due to more serious conditions such as
degenerative disk disease or herniated disks in the spine. However, even these cases may be
prevented or treated with proper posture, conditioning and body mechanics.

Three Key Components in Back Injury Prevention: Proper posture, conditioning and body
mechanics are the key components of any program designed to prevent back injuries,

Posture: Proper posture includes standing and sitting in an upright position without
slouching, rounding of the shoulders or accentuating the natural curves of the spine. Poor
posture typically involves holding the head too far forward or allowing the belly to pull the
CHAPTER 18.) THE HUMAN MACHINE AND BACK INJURY PREVENTION 98

back forward. If possible, get in the habit of holding in the belly to keep it from protruding
and putting excess force on the spine. When standing, bend your knees slightly. Years of poor
posture can lead to weakened spine and abdominal muscles that contribute to back pain and
injury.

Proper sleeping posture is also important to prevent and relieve back pain. Sleep on a mattress
that is firm, not sagging, but not too hard. Do not sleep on your stomach. Instead, sleep on
your side with a pillow between your knees or sleep on your back with a pillow under your
knees.

Conditioning: Proper conditioning involves overall conditioning of the body and


cardiovascular system with aerobic exercise, as well as strengthening and stretching core
muscles of the spine and abdomen. Studies have shown that smoking can contribute to back
pain and injury, so if you still smoke, you have yet another reason to think about quitting.
Walking, swimming, bicycling and, for some people, slow, short-distance running are
excellent ways to condition the entire body and improve cardiovascular health. In addition to
improving general levels of health and fitness, these activities increase blood flow to the
spine.

Aerobic activity, along with a healthy diet, helps prevent weight gain, which is a risk factor
for back injury. To begin exercising, try walking for 10 minutes twice per day at a moderate
pace and build up to at least one 30-minute walk per day three days a week; walking every
day is preferable.

Stretching to increase back and abdomen flexibility should be done 5-7 days per week, and
strengthening exercises should be done at least 4-5 days per week. Because back conditions
vary, strengthening and stretching the muscles of the spine and abdomen should be done
under the direction of a physician or physical therapist. These stabilizing exercises improve
support for the spine itself, but proper technique is essential.

Body Mechanics: Body mechanics refers to the way we use our bodies to complete various
tasks during activities of daily life. When lifting, bending or stretching, we should think of
how we are using our back to avoid provoking an acute injury. There may be a simpler, less
strenuous method or posture that can be used to get something done. Don't be afraid to ask for
help.

Instead of bending at the back to pick something up off the floor, stoop down at the knees.
Keep the back as straight as possible and maintain proper posture. Instead of reaching
overhead, use a sturdy stepstool. Push or pull with your entire body, not just your arms. Wear
comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

When lifting, avoid reaching too far out for the object to be moved; instead, stand close and
grasp the object close to the body. Maintain proper posture with back straight and head up.
Bend at the knees and hips, not at the back or waist, and use your legs to lift. Pivot at the hips,
not the back. If possible, lift from a tabletop or from waist height, rather than from the floor or
over your head.
CHAPTER 18.) THE HUMAN MACHINE AND BACK INJURY PREVENTION 99

When working, whether sitting or standing, pace your activities and take frequent breaks.
Vary the position of your body when standing. Stand on a cushioned mat, if possible. When
sitting at a desk, think in terms of right angles (90°, or the shape of an L). Knees should be at
90° angles when the soles of the feet are touching the floor. The back and thighs should form
90° angles when the body is sitting properly in a chair. Wrists should be straight and elbows
at 90° angles when the hands are on the desk or keyboard. Use a chair with proper low-back
support and keep your head back and shoulders relaxed.

Some studies have found that back belts worn to prevent back injuries while lifting are not
effective; however, they may help remind you to lift with proper body mechanics. When
doing something that you haven't done in months, whether it's yard work or golfing, do some
simple stretches for your entire body and for the particular muscles involved, before, during
and after the activity. Maintaining your level of fitness throughout the year will make injury
less likely.

Exercises for a Healthy Back: the following exercises are recommended to help prevent
back injuries:

● Diagonal Sit-Up (Strengthens abdominal muscles.) Lie on the your back with knees bent.
Place both hands on side of right thigh. Slide your hands toward the outside of the right knee,
tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your upper body only until you clear your shoulder
blades from the floor. Keep your feet flat on the floor. You should feel the contraction only in
your abdominal muscles. Repeat to the left side. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions.

● Quadruped Arm and Leg Raises (Stabilize spine and strengthen arm and leg muscles.)
Begin on your hands and knees on the floor. Simultaneously lift the right arm and left leg
until they are parallel to the floor. Keep your shoulders, hips and back as motionless as
possible during the exercise. Keep breathing and maintain a smooth and controlled
movement. Return to the original position and then raise the left arm and right leg in the same
manner. Alternate, performing one set of 10 repetitions.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS ON PREVENTING BACK INJURIES:

Instruction on how to lift "properly" is the most controversial issue concerning training in
Materials Movement and Handling. There is no single correct way to lift because lifting can
always be done in several ways. Because of this, on-site, task specific training is essential. In
fact, it is sometimes safer to allow the worker to use common sense acquired by experience
rather than to force new biomechanically correct procedures. But there are some general
lifting rules.

● Prepare to lift by warming up the muscles.


● Stand close to the load, facing the way you intend to move.
● Use a wide stance to gain balance.
● Ensure a good grip on the load.
● Keep arms straight.
CHAPTER 18.) THE HUMAN MACHINE AND BACK INJURY PREVENTION 100

● Tighten abdominal muscles.


● Tuck chin into the chest.
● Initiate the lift with body weight.
● Lift the load close to the body.
● Lift smoothly without jerking.
● Avoid twisting and side bending while lifting.
● Do not lift if you are not convinced that you can handle the load safely.

Take advantage of rest periods to relax tired muscles; this prevents fatigue from building up
Report discomforts experienced during work; this may help to identify hazards and correct
working conditions.

Workers should be educated that muscles, tendons and ligaments are not prepared to meet the
physical stress of handling tasks when they are not "warmed up." They are more likely to pull,
tear or cramp when stretched or contracted suddenly under such conditions. This, painful
enough by itself, can lead to more serious and permanent injury if physically stressful work is
continued. Warming up and mental readiness for physically demanding tasks are important
for any kind of MMH, but particularly for occasional tasks where the worker is not
accustomed to handling loads. Workers are more likely to have "ready-to-go" attitude for the
task ahead when they understand that other preventive measures are also tried.

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU KEEP


YOUR "HUMAN MACHINE" IN TUNE, AND READY FOR ACTION....... BOTH ON
THE JOB AND AT HOME.

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