When it comes to moving items around in a warehouse, it’s needless to say employees are going to need a helping hand, especially if it’s to do with heavy and bulky items. So, in order to get things done in an efficient way, it’s best to rely on a trolley.
Trolleys have been used for centuries though they didn’t have the designs of today. Today, there are different types of hand trolleys depending on the items they are intended for, specifically the weight, the length, and the amount.
What are the Different Types of Trolleys?
No Handle
As you might guess, this is a type that’s only got a platform and wheels, which is why it’s also called platform truck, and due to the design, it makes it possible to transport items up to 300kg without any problem.
However, there’s no lifting mechanism and that could complicate things when you have to move heavy furniture. So, while the trolley itself can withstand the weight, the person operating it might not, especially when it’s to do with particularly heavy items. If you need more help in this aspect, turn to powered trolleys for sale which feature a variable speed controller.
Hand Truck
Also called “pushcart”, this isn’t that different from the previous one, however, there’s a handle that makes the navigation easier, and there are different models available based on the variety of capacities created to carry different loads.
Some of these trucks can be found in a foldable design, so you’d have no difficulty storing them and you can even carry them with you in the car or the truck for example. Still, they might not be that stable when you’ve got a pile of items to transport, in which case it’s better to get an upright hand trolley.
Upright Hand Trolley
You can pile a lot of items on this type of trolley and what makes them so resiliant is that the weight is treansfered onto the wheels, thus making navigation a piece of cake. It comes in handy particularly with tall items and boxes found in warehouses as it keeps them from sliding.
Multiple Level
Want to reap the benefits of hand trolleys in the sense of being able to organise smaller items without the worry of seeing them all over the floor as soon as you start navigating? That’s what the multiple-level hand trolley was made for!
Whether you have more or fewer items, you’ve got nothing to worry about, there’s the option to choose between a two or three-layered trolley. In addition, some models nowadays have the anti-slip surface feature, allowing you to restock the items fast without anything slipping – no need to do anything to further amp up the security of the items!
Cage Protection
For those who wouldn’t mind having more security added, there are the cage protected hand trucks and trolleys. As the name itself implies, they’re equipped with metal lining protection to prevent the items from slipping during transport, and you can find them in different designs, be it multi-layered or one platform, so you can decide according to the type of items you need them for, as well as the capacity.
The Extras
Now, despite these main types of hand trolleys, you can also go for some with specific features.
For instance, some handy features adapted for the needs of warehouses are those offering great flexibility, in the likes of adjustable handles and modular systems you can customise based on the loads you need to transport.
What’s more, there are trolleys that serve for cleaning purposes , as is the example with the plastic bin trolleys and the laundry carts, then those suitable for offices, government departments and businesses like the computer and lockable mesh carts, medical use trolleys and of course, the specialised warehouse trolleys.
As for the materials, though there are various options, from plastic to metal, some are better than others, and the choice you make material-wise could have a say in not only the durability of the trolley, but the efficiency as well – steel is synonymous with the heavy duty types whereas aluminium is for the lightweight.
The type of wheels also plays an important role in this, as there are regular and sturdier ones.
What are the Benefits of Trolleys?
Using trolleys can lead to a considerable increase in productivity as employees won’t have to do all the heavy lifting and transporting themselves, and there are fewer chances for injuries and accidents to happen. Of course, this kind of investment calls for proper training in order to avoid strains when bending over, pulling, and pushing.
In other words, when employees know how to operate them, they’d be able to take care of the tasks faster and easier, and there’d be less risk for injuries and accidents to happen which translates to no unexpected costs and compensation claims.