Pedestrian tugs eliminate roll cage accidents at Somerfield Stores

transfer roll cages from delivery vehicles to its stores, Somerfield Stores Ltd has invested in more than 50 SmartMover manual and power-operated tugs. As a result, roll cage-related accidents have been reduced to zero and a single employee can now unload a delivery wagon rather than two. 

"In our stores that use the SmartMover pedestrian tugs, the number of roll cage topple accidents at the delivery point has been reduced to zero," says David Maloney, Risk Management Advisor at Somerfield Stores Ltd. "In addition, now only one member of staff is needed to unload roll cages from the delivery vehicle. Previously, it took two people to carry out this task. In that sense, our unloading process is now very efficient."

As a Risk Management Advisor across more than 800 Somerfield retail stores in the UK, Maloney is responsible for ensuring that the organisation meets all current Health & Safety-related legislation and regulations. This includes advising the business and individual stores on best practice procedures and ways in which the business can decrease accidents and improve the safety of its employees.

Roll cages are used to transport goods within a factory, or to move goods from a delivery lorry to a warehouse or retail store. However, when loaded with goods a single roll cage can weigh up to 500kg or more and can create certain difficulties when being manouvred outside or on and off delivery vehicles.

Indeed, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) believes that roll-cage related injuries and accidents are so important that it has issued guidance on how UK businesses can reduce roll cage-related accidents.

HSE provides advice on reducing musculoskeletal and other injuries that frequently occur when workers push or pull cages or racks, particularly up slopes or on uneven ground. According to HSE, some companies that use roll cages have found up to a third of accidents in their workplace are roll cage-related. Roll cage injuries often occur because staff try to prevent a roll cage from overbalancing. Also, repetitive loading and unloading can be a problem, as well as trapping hands or feet. Roll cages falling off a lorry's tail lift is also a common cause of accidents.

"Some of our stores were having problems moving roll cages from delivery vehicles up steep slopes," says Maloney. "We therefore decided to invest in some kind of power-operated tug to improve safety, reduce injuries to staff and to prevent roll cage-related accidents."

At any one Somerfield store, an average of 30 roll cages might be delivered in a single day and so safety of staff is a major factor in deciding which tugs to invest in. "Based on our formal feedback process after purchasing the SmartMover tugs, the investment has certainly paid off and the tugs have performed as we expected them to do. Manual handling risks have been reduced, particularly at those stores that suffer from steep slopes, and the employees expend less effort in moving the roll cages," adds Maloney.

"Before investing in the SmartMover, we trialled the tug in what we deemed to be our 'higher risk' stores. The feedback from users was very good and the SM60 passed with flying colours. The manual version proved particularly popular with our older members of staff, who are perhaps more wary of electric-operated controls," explains Maloney.

In total, Somerfield uses 57 SmartMover SM60 units, (pictured on the right), of which 39 are leased and 18 owned. The units are a mix of manual and power-operated versions. The company has a service and maintenance contract with MasterMover for all SM60 units.

The SM60 is a versatile machine designed for moving wheeled loads such as roll cages from vehicle tail lifts and across uneven surfaces and slopes and can turn through 90 degrees. By clamping to the base of the roll cage, the tug ensures that the cage cannot be tipped onto the operator. This reduces serious injury to employees and makes unloading a single-person procedure. Efficiency and safety are further improved by allowing the movement of multiple roll cages using the towing links. Sealed batteries, variable speed and auto braking are also standard.

Where the load is relatively light and where manoeuvrability, safety and control are critical, the SM60 ensures the timely delivery of components to a supermarket warehouse, for example, or it can eliminate the need for time-consuming, manual handling. The SM60 connects to the base of the roll cage via an innovative clamping mechanism, which is operated by using a simple lever located on the neck of the device. Once connected, the machine is secured to the load and the operator can use the 'forward' and 'reverse' controls.

The machine is also very easy-to-use. A simple throttle paddle on the headset enables the user to constantly vary the speed according to the conditions. There is also a twin speed button that enables the operator to place a cap on the speed, which is useful for busy retail environments. Amongst other built-in safety features is an anti-crush button that ensures that the user cannot become trapped between the machine and an immoveable object. The device has an electro-magnetic brake, which is constantly engaged until the operator applies power via the throttle. The unit can be steered on either side, enabling easy turning in tight spaces. When off load, the device travels on the support wheels for maximum operator comfort.

For further information, e-mail: info@mastermover.com   Refer to page 171

Product, process and business innovation
schemes provide key to economic turnaround

There may be promised 'green shoots' on the horizon, but as Britain continues to struggle with the effects of economic downturn, embracing innovation is now even more important to business survival than before. Paul Radage, Commercial Manager at C-Tech Innovation Ltd, a leading Innovation Management and Technology Development company, looks at three regional innovation support schemes which enable Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to benefit from innovation support, allowing them to improve their product, process and business offerings.

The importance of innovation to the UK economy is growing by the day. With UK businesses continuing to suffer at the hands of the economic recession, it is now more critical than ever that UK companies - both manufacturers and service providers alike - continue to research and develop new methods and look for new ways of improving not only their production processes but also their business practices in order to compete in the global economy.

Over half of the UK workforce is now employed by SMEs. The challenge of incorporating innovation into business strategies is often felt most by small organisations - just the same as they feel barriers such as time and resource constraints more than others. Yet these companies are pivotal to the growth of our economy and although most SMEs realise how important innovation is, change often fails to be implemented for a variety of reasons.

The problem is so acute that the UK continues to fall behind Europe, the US and the Far East. In terms of spend on R&D for example, before the economic recession hit, expenditure on R&D in the UK by major firms stood at just 2% of sales, behind many of our competitors. In France the spending rate was over 25% higher than this and in Germany, USA and Japan spending was stood between 4% and 5%, over twice the rate in the UK. In China, spend on R&D was also growing by 10% annually. Despite this apparent resistance to invest in R&D, a multitude of innovation assistance packages is available in the UK, at both national and local level. The problem is often that SMEs are simply not aware of the available support.

C-Tech Innovation has been providing innovation advice and guidance to SMEs nationally and regionally for many years. Indeed, C-Tech is currently involved in three strategically important, complementary and yet very different innovation support schemes supported by regional development agency funding.

One of these, an 'Innovation Vouchers' scheme, was launched in 2008. The scheme is designed to help businesses - owners, entrepreneurs and social enterprises - to engage in new collaborations with a region's knowledge base by purchasing a knowledge provider's expertise to help the business develop through innovation, eventually improving the bottom line. C-Tech, as a regional knowledge provider, has engaged with regional businesses on a range of issues.

Justin Wrench, Head of C-Tech's Knowledge and Management Services division, is enthusiastic about the support offered. "The scheme has really caught the imagination of SMEs," he comments. "We have been involved with many diverse aspects of innovation ranging from idea generation and capture, new product development and business planning, through to more deep rooted cultural challenges that entrepreneurs often struggle with."

To date, the scheme has provided vouchers of £3,000  - coming soon £7,000 vouchers will also be available and which will allow more extensive support to take place.

C-Tech has also been providing support through a 'knowledge to innovate' scheme, which since 2007 has been helping more than 400 businesses that recognise the importance of innovation but also require practical assistance to successfully take their knowledge and experience to the next level.

The scheme allows C-Tech to work with companies on a one-to-one basis over a period of time. The benefit of this longer-term approach is that specific innovation needs across the business can be addressed, with solutions tailored for specific needs. Innovation capacity is also built up within the businesses themselves that paves the way for lasting benefit to be felt. Innovation needs to encompass more than thew good old product or service innovation that immediately springs to mind. Firms need to go beyond this and consider how they can bring innovation to their business processes, supply chain and markets. Even complex cultural issues need to be examined and a decision made as to whether these are preventing businesses from moving forward as they could do and if so, they then need to be addressed. C-Tech has developed a range of thought-provoking and interactive training resources that do just this, geared to managing the complex, multi-faceted innovation process more effectively.

A more recent eco-innovation programme being delivered by C-Tech along with Lancaster University, tackles environmental issues as well and will assist organisations to harness their creativity to generate improvements in products, processes or systems which also have a positive impact on the environment.

Participating SMEs will be assigned an Advisor who conducts an initial eco-innovation review. This helps to identify areas of current strengths and opportunities for the business. A bespoke proposal is then created in collaboration with the business, including specific output targets that the company wishes to achieve. The advisor then works with the business in implementing these proposals, followed by a focus on embedding the innovation process within the company, including the actual setting up of new R&D programmes, development of a new design or manufacturing process, or the setting up of new ventures and the incubation of new companies.

Again, a key attribute of the scheme is the presence of one-to-one working to identify specific challenges and implement bespoke opportunities for this eco-innovation within each company. Participation also allows companies to draw upon a suite of additional services delivered by Lancaster University's business support programmes including the Graduate Consultancy Scheme.

For further information on C-Tech Innovation, or the knowledge to innovate, innovation vouchers or eco-innovation schemes, readers should contact Paul Radage.

For further information, email: paul.radage@ctechinnovation.com or view website: www.ctechinnovation.com