DOWNTIME IS A FOUR LETTER WORD IN MANUFACTURING

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CASTER CONNECTION’S MONTHLY DOWNTIME IS A FOUR LETTER WORD SERIES

DECEMBER, 2019

Contrary to popular belief, back injuries frequently occur slowly and cumulatively. You do not normally injure your back from pushing a cart only one time.

It’s the 1,000 times you pushed the cart before that moment that weakened your back with microfractures.

To prevent back injuries, we need to lessen the strain on our back over a sustained period of time.

So, protect yourself from debilitating back injury and keep your business in motion with Caster Connection and ergonomic casters…because downtime is a four-letter word.

NOVEMBER, 2019

Are your push/pull measurements preventing injury?

Musculoskeletal disorders cause enormous pain to valued employees and cost companies billions of dollars. It’s no wonder that these companies spend millions to improve push/pull each year.

However, companies will find it difficult to prevent injury when they conduct their push/pull measurements based on current guidelines.

In a recent study conducted in collaboration between Caster Connection and The Ohio State University Spine Research Institute, we learn the most accurate push/pull measurement guidelines ever published. So, make sure you’re using the proper guidelines and keeping your business in motion with Caster Connection…because downtime is a four-letter word.

OCTOBER, 2019

Look out for the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Over thousands of on-site visits, we’ve found commodity casters in the finest manufacturing facilities in the world. They had no idea that they were putting their employees in real danger of injury. Make sure that you can identify and are using ergonomic casters like the CC Apex. Then, you’ll know that you’re keeping your business in motion with Caster Connection…because downtime is a four-letter word.

SEPTEMBER, 2019

How accurate are your push/pull measurements? Despite companies’ best efforts, they often don’t realize how inconsistent their push/pull measurements are. The device, person doing the measurements, push/pull variables (distance, speed, force consistency), temperature of the facility, and inherent surface variance can all prevent an accurate and consistent measurement. Make sure to follow push/pull best practices and keep your business in motion with Caster Connection…because downtime is a four letter word.

AUGUST, 2019

In our modern world, wheels are everywhere. It’s easy to see wheels as a simple commodity that performs one function as well as the next one. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, as wheels and casters are the primary tools responsible for how well your product moves. Quality ergonomic casters improve your life in 6 main ways: they make your environment quieter, decrease injuries, save you substantial amounts of money, increase productivity, allow you to produce better products, and create happier, more engaged employees. So, keep your business in motion with Caster Connection because downtime is a four letter word.

JULY, 2019

Great companies around the world care about their employees. Because of this, new initiatives are started each day to improve workplace safety and ergonomics. Before you start a new initiative, ask yourself how likely it is that your employees will implement these new changes long term. According the The Ohio State University Spine Research Institute, an estimated 20%-50% of reengineering initiatives fail at Fortune 100 companies because they don’t incorporate gear or programs that are usable, useful, and desirable. On the other hand, these guidelines outline why our clients are so successful at keeping their ergonomic initiatives because these features are built into every piece of gear we produce. So, ensure that your ergonomic initiatives are successful and keep your business in motion with Caster Connection because downtime is a four letter word.

JUNE, 2019

Can you predict when you’re going to injure yourself? This may seem like an absurd question, but most people think they can accurately guess how much strain they can put on their back and shoulders in a work environment before they risk injuring themselves. What’s worse, the guidelines you currently follow may have been established in the same way, with estimations rather than scientific testing. Because of these faulty guidelines, we’re working with The Ohio State University Spine Research Institute. This project will establish a scientifically based set of guidelines to prevent injury in the workplace. So, keep your business in motion with Caster Connection by following the right guidelines…because downtime is a four letter word.

MAY, 2019

Hundreds? No.

Thousands? Nope.

Millions? Negatory.

According to OSHA, “The direct costs attributable to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) total $15 to $18 billion [that’s with a B] per year, with indirect costs (such as resulting management costs or the cost of production losses) increasing the costs to employers to more than $45 billion.” [1] Save your employees from harmful MSDs, and maintain production uptime by implementing smart ergonomic practices and the right products (like awesome casters) to support them. Keep your business in motion with Caster Connection…because downtime is a four letter word.

APRIL, 2019

Moving materials around a facility is good. Moving materials safely and ergonomically is better. Pushing and pulling as a form of manual materials handling can present a high risk for low back disorders (LBD), accounting for at least 10% of LBD workers’ compensation claims. Caster Connection’s team of experts helps guide organizations toward safer ways of manually maneuvering materials, helping to prevent injury, increasing efficiency, and avoiding costly downtime. Keep your business in motion with Caster Connection…because downtime is a four letter word.

MARCH, 2019

When we talk about downtime, we’re not talking about relaxing on the beach. Downtime means unwanted stoppage in an organization’s production. Downtime means lost opportunities to make money, injured employees, and workers’ compensation claims. The most recent figures from the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index show that overexertion costs businesses $13.1 billion in direct costs and accounts for about a quarter of all workplace injuries. [1] Overexertion leads to downtime. Want to avoid that? Keep your business in motion with Caster Connection by talking with our ergonomic caster experts…because downtime is a four letter word. [1] Liberty Mutual. “Workplace Safety: The Top 10 Causes of Disabling Injuries at Work,” Liberty Mutual Insurance (blog), accessed March 26, 2019, https://viewpoint.libertymutualgroup.com/article/top-10-causes-disabling-injuries-at-work-2019/.

FEBRUARY, 2019

Downtime is no good. Why? Because “research shows that the average manufacturer deals with 800 hours of downtime per year – or more than 15 hours per week – and the costs can be outrageous. Just for perspective, consider that the average automotive manufacturer loses $22,000 per minute of downtime.” [1] Keep your business in motion with Caster Connection by implementing the right caster solution the first time, avoiding work stoppages and employee injury…because downtime is a four letter word. [1] Daisyme, Peter. “Understanding the Financial Cost of Downtime in Manufacturing,” Due (blog), June, 16, 2018, accessed February 26, 2019, https://due.com/blog/understanding-the-financial-cost-of-downtime-in-manufacturing/.

JANUARY, 2019

“Occupationally-related low back disorders (LBD) and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of lost work days and are a costly occupational safety and health problem facing industry today.”[1] We believe one reason these injuries are cropping up is because organizations vary in the type of push/pull gauge they’re using, initial force exerted upon the cart handle, variances in their flooring, and more. This means test results can vary wildly from one organization to the next—even with the same cart type and the exact same casters, meaning that push/pull thresholds may be improper. In order to bring clarity to this important issue, Caster Connection is collaborating with the Spine Research Institute (SRI) at The Ohio State University in conjunction with the NSF Industry/University Cooperate Research Center (IUCRC). By developing guidelines to measure push/pull forces that reduce variability in force estimates, we are seeking to establish, once and for all, a “gold standard” for push/pull testing for any organization and in any industry. Keep your business in motion with Caster Connection…because downtime is a four letter word. [1] Weston, Eric B., et al. 2018. An Objective Set of Guidelines for Pushing and Pulling. Retrieved from https://www.bwc.ohio.gov/downl...

DECEMBER, 2018

All year long you’ve been reading about how downtime is a four letter word, and you decided to do something to prevent experiencing it! Your organization’s consistent production uptime and injury-free employees have you easygoing enough to wear cargo jorts in December, and we think that’s a beautiful thing. Caster Connection is your trusted partner for mobility solutions, and we hope to keep you feeling like this no matter the season.

NOVEMBER, 2018

The end of year can provide 99 problems to stress about, but production stoppage due to equipment failure or employee injury shouldn’t be one. If downtime is a four letter word you’ve been saying a lot lately, contact the experts at Caster Connection to discover how our solutions can lead to greater production uptime and increased ergonomic performance. Smooth operations and low total cost of ownership from our recommendations will leave you smiling instead of looking like this guy.

OCTOBER, 2018

Look out! You partnered with a material handling provider other than Caster Connection and are experiencing dangerous conditions from poor caster choices. Help is within reach! It’s time to talk with Caster Connection today to take your operations from unsafe to superb. We think you’ll agree with us that safety is of the utmost importance, and downtime is a four letter word.

SEPTEMBER, 2018

Oh no! Your facility implemented casters that failed, causing injury, production interruptions, and increased costs. Not to worry. These issues can be prevented in the future by partnering with your new best friends who think that downtime is a four letter word: the mobility experts at Caster Connection. We specialize in providing low total cost of ownership (TCO) by providing solutions that make frequent replacements unnecessary, and solutions that ensure employee health with excellent ergonomic performance.

AUGUST, 2018

“%*#!” Production stoppage isn’t good for your company, injuries aren’t good for your employees, and the stress caused by both isn’t good for your health. Downtime is a four letter word that leads to all of the above. Avoid these negatives by working with the experts at Caster Connection to implement caster and wheel solutions that will keep your business in motion.

JULY, 2018

Shhh. Relax. Breathe easy. Why? You’re working with Caster Connection, a partner in mobility solutions that works with you to implement the right caster solution the first time. We realize that downtime is a four letter word, so we work to understand your exact needs before recommending our innovative solutions such as CC Apex, CC Peak, CC Stark, and more!

JUNE, 2018

Shocked expressions and shouting of four letter words are rarely a positive in a production line setting. Caster Connection’s goal is to minimize the frequency of these incidents by providing solutions that offer high performance and awesome ergonomics for employees. Uptime is the goal when you think downtime is a four letter word.

MAY, 2018

Production line shut downs can be catastrophic, and in some instances completely avoidable. Prevent work stoppages in your facility due to ergonomic injuries and defective casters and wheels by speaking with the mobility experts at Caster Connection. Why? Because to us, downtime is a four letter word.

APRIL, 2018

Rising costs and missed deadlines from product failure and employee injury can lead to rising stress levels and plenty of four letter words being thrown around. If you’ve been there, chances are you think that downtime is a four letter word. Keep your cool by keeping your business in motion with custom solutions for your mobility needs from Caster Connection’s team of caster and wheel experts.

MARCH, 2018

Cost. Stop. Hurt. Halt. Pain. Wait. Downtime. For those who need to maintain production uptime, all of these are four letter words that can be caused by the same issue: using casters and wheels not recommended for your particular applications and environment. If you agree with us that downtime is a four letter word, the experts at Caster Connection are here to provide you with the right solutions to keep your business in motion.

FEBRUARY, 2018

Imagine this: you’ve decided on using casters and wheels that have failed and shut down your production line – or even led to employee injuries – leading those around you to use some choice four letter words. Now imagine this: You’ve decided to work with Caster Connection in implementing casters and wheels that are perfect for your specific needs. Downtime is a four letter word, but you won’t be hearing it after partnering with Caster Connection.

JANUARY, 2018

Are production stoppages and workers compensation claims from poor caster choices making you want to shout “%*#!”? Casters and wheels not properly selected or recommended for your particular application or environment can lead to huge issues, stopping your flow due to product failure or employee injury. Downtime is a four letter word. Contact Caster Connection today to avoid saying it again.