The shipping industry has been experiencing a rise in demand with the evolution of the internet but what has stayed the same in many storage facilities is the use of one simple piece of equipment, a hand truck. A trolley or a hand truck is essentially a small platform with wheels and a handlebar made out of metal which helps you move multiple objects with it in one go.
While this largely depends on the size and number of items you’re moving, it still makes the life of a warehouse worker a lot easier. No matter what you need to move, with a hand truck you’ll be more than able to do so quickly and effectively.
Benefits of Using a Hand Truck
Safety
The number one reason why you should make use of a hand trolley is to keep your workers safe from any injuries and hazards. Instead of carrying items in their hands, with hand trucks for sale, all that burden falls on a piece of metal that doesn’t require much maintenance.
Protection
Also, the items or goods you’ll be moving from one place to another on a daily basis are going to be well protected. This is because a hand truck offers a stable and secure surface on which the goods go and this surface is usually a platform or a shelf.
Use
Since there’s nothing complex about a hand truck’s design they are not difficult to use either. You just prop the trolley down, load the goods and then lean the trolley back to start moving. Once at your spot, set the platform of the hand truck on the ground and unload the items.
Productivity
Making use of hand trucks for sale is a simple and affordable way to increase workplace productivity. They don’t take much to get used to and they won’t get in the way of other machinery while helping your workforce in their daily tasks.
What to Consider When Buying a Hand Truck
Weight Capacity
The first thing you’ll want to consider when you need to buy a hand truck is its weight capacity. This refers to how heavy of a load the truck can handle without compromising safety. The higher the hand truck’s weight capacity the more goods you’ll be able to move but also the heavier the truck’s going to be. It’s best that you strike a balance between the two.
Wheels
A hand truck with proper wheels will last you a long time and it will have a smooth ride. This is why you should buy a hand truck with solid wheels and tyres too. Because they’re both solid, they are more durable and can take more abuse from uneven surfaces. Solid tyres make hand trucks more stable which means you’ll have a more secure trolley or hand truck.
Height
The height of the trolley also matters when it comes to ergonomics. You don’t want to slouch down when pushing the hand truck nor do you want to stretch out your arms so it looks like you’re hanging from the handles. But remember though that taller trucks are in general more stable than shorter ones.
Material
When it comes to the material a trolley is made of there’s only aluminium and steel. Aluminium trolleys are lightweight but still quite strong. Steel ones are heavier but also stronger than aluminium trucks. But aluminium trolleys are corrosion resistant which is not the case with steel ones unless you go with a stainless steel hand truck.
Types of Hand Trucks
Upright
An upright trolley hand truck is the convectional model that is the industry standard of today’s hand trucks. It can transport medium-weight loads with ease and it can carry heavy items thanks to its ledge. There are also upright hand trucks with curved backrests that make transporting cylindrical items a lot easier.
Convertible
A convertible hand truck is made to be sued with lighter loads as the model itself is easy to maneuver and doesn’t take up as much space. This is essentially the lighter version of an upright hand truck.
Platform
A platform hand truck is considered a heavy-duty model since it comes with 4 instead of 2 wheels which means more stability and better support. The load you put on a platform truck is thus balanced better and unlike other trucks, this type of hand truck is available both with an open design and caged.
Folding
There are also folding trolleys or trucks that are extremely versatile especially when it comes to storing them. There is no place where you can’t put a folding trolley away as you can also have it hanged not just placed in the corner of a room or behind other equipment. While the mechanism of a folding hand truck affects its stability a bit, if you’re dealing with lighter loads or loads with a medium weight then you’ll be fine.
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