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More Than Just "Putting Your Back Into It"
The age-old adage of ‘put your back into it’ is a phrase that most of us are familiar with in one way or another. But when it comes to moving heavy-wheeled loads like trolleys, carts, or waste bins, it can have serious consequences.
What are Electric Tuggers and When Would I Need One?
Electric tugs are battery-powered vehicles designed to move heavy-wheeled loads with ease. Using a pedestrian electric tug dramatically reduces the risk of sustaining back injuries or strains by replacing muscle power with an electric motor.
They come equipped with advanced features such as ergonomic controls, powerful motors, and safety systems. Commonly used in manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare, and facilities management, tugs are celebrated for their efficiency and safety benefits.
The Benefits of Pedestrian Electric Tugs
You need material handling solutions that enhance processes, not hinder them. Our electric tugs offer a flexible solution enabling the efficient and safe movement of heavy loads when compared to manual handling.
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Create leaner processes
Internal transportation is a non-value-adding process that takes staff away from more fulfilling work. License-free electric tugs streamline the movement of loads to create leaner processes.
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Maximise staff safety
By eliminating manual handling and reducing the risk of injury - pedestrian electric tugs help improve workplace safety.
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Improved productivity
Where loads might have required multiple members of staff to move, with a tug a single operator can move the heaviest loads - improving staff productivity.
Advantages of Powered Tuggers vs Manual Handling
Increased Efficiency and Productivity
Electric tugs can transport materials much faster than manual methods, leading to higher throughput and reduced handling times. By using an electric tug to take the strain, a single operator can move the heaviest loads simply through thumb power. A distinguished manufacturer of retail refrigeration, Arneg recently used SmartMover tugs to take the movement of heavy carts from a six-person movement by hand to a one-person job in our latest case study.
Enhanced Safety
Electric tugs significantly reduce the risk of injuries compared to manual handling. Their ergonomic design minimises physical strain on workers, preventing common musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. A leading workers' compensation insurance carrier analysed more than 1.5 million workers' compensation claims between 2015 and 2019. The findings highlight just how risky it is to keep staff moving heavy loads by hand.
The report found that the three most common causes of all injuries were:
- 29% overexertion
- 23% slips, trips and falls
- 13% struck by an object
Delving further into the report, the most common causes of workplace injuries found were:
- 38% were strains and sprains
- 35% were fractures, dislocations, contusions or inflammation
- ¼ of all claims analyzed involved the lower back and shoulders
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that 477,000 workers are suffering from work-related musculoskeletal disorder (new or long-standing) - of which manual handling is a key contributor.
They also found that musculoskeletal disorders account for 24% of all days lost due to work-related ill health and work-related illness.
Cost Savings
A leading compensation claims company found that claims for severe workplace back injuries can be as much as £160,000.
Though the initial investment of a powered tug is higher, the long-term savings are substantial. Reduced injury-related costs, lower staff absence, and improved productivity contribute to the overall cost efficiency of switching to a safer solution.
Electric Tugs vs. Manual Handling - ROI & Cost
Initial Investment
Manual handling aids like tugs require an initial purchase, whereas manual handling has virtually no upfront costs – aside from the obvious associated labour costs and the secondary costs we’ve already covered.
Operational Costs
Electric tugs have lower long-term operational costs due to reduced injury-related expenses and higher efficiency. Manual handling, while initially cheaper, can lead to higher cumulative costs over time.