Introduction
Working at heights in factories and warehouses is essential for daily operations but always carries the risk of falls. On the other hand, improving the efficiency of tasks like picking and maintenance is crucial for boosting productivity. “Prioritizing employee safety” and “reducing work time and costs” are common challenges faced by many facility managers, safety officers, and purchasing managers in factories and warehouses.
This article thoroughly explains how to select the optimal ladders, stepladders, and work platforms for factories and warehouses to achieve both safety and efficiency. We will provide practical information immediately useful on-site, covering the latest safety standards, key points of occupational safety and health regulations, tips for selecting products based on work content, and reliable solutions from Hasegawa Vietnam. By reading this article, you can find the best products for your company’s situation and take the first step towards building a safer and more productive work environment.
Risks Lurking in High-Place Work in Factories/Warehouses and Barriers to Efficiency
In factory and warehouse settings, “working at heights” – tasks performed at heights of 2 meters or more, such as retrieving items from shelves, inspecting/repairing equipment, changing lights, and cleaning – occurs daily. Appropriate lifting equipment, namely ladders, stepladders, and work platforms, is indispensable for performing these tasks safely and efficiently.
However, incorrect selection or use can lead to serious accidents or significantly reduce work efficiency. Let’s first look specifically at the “safety” risks and “efficiency” challenges inherent in high-place work in factories and warehouses.
Safety: Importance of Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Regulations and Accident Prevention
Falls from heights are incessant not only in the construction industry but also in manufacturing and warehousing. Even a fall from a slight height can result in severe injury, long-term disability, or, in the worst case, death, depending on how one lands.
Japan’s Occupational Safety and Health Regulations mandate that employers must ensure workers use ladders and stepladders that are of “sturdy construction,” free from “damage or corrosion,” and in a safe condition to prevent worker hazards. Similarly, in Vietnam, under the “Law on Occupational Safety and Health (Luật An toàn, vệ sinh lao động),” employers are responsible for taking measures to ensure the safety and health of their workers. Building a safe work environment is extremely important from a legal compliance perspective.
However, in actual workplaces, tragic accidents still occur due to factors such as:
- Complacency: Thinking “it’s just for a short time” or “this height should be fine.”
- Inappropriate Selection/Use: Choosing or using products unsuitable for the specific task or height.
- Unstable Surfaces: Forcing use on uneven or slippery floors.
- Neglecting Pre-Use Inspections: Overlooking product defects.
- Failure to Use Fall Protection: Not using appropriate fall arrest systems (safety harnesses) for the height involved.
The principle of “Safety First” is the value Hasegawa cherishes most. Protecting the safety of each employee is fundamental to maintaining a company’s sustainable growth and social trust. Efforts towards accident prevention are not costs, but crucial investments in the future.
Efficiency: How to Eliminate “Waste” and Increase Productivity?
While ensuring safety is the top priority, improving productivity is also a constant demand in factory and warehouse operations. “Inefficiency” in high-place work can hinder on-site productivity in various ways.
For example, do any of the following situations sound familiar?
- Movement Waste: Taking time to transport heavy, cumbersome ladders to the work location each time.
- Work Waste: Difficulty concentrating due to unstable footing, lack of space for necessary tools requiring frequent ascents/descents, working in awkward postures because the height is insufficient.
- Space Waste: Large, unused stepladders or work platforms obstructing aisles, hindering other work or forklift traffic, difficulty finding storage space.
Especially with the rise of high-mix low-volume production and the expansion of the e-commerce market, the speed and accuracy of picking operations within warehouses are becoming increasingly critical. Even if high-rise racks are installed to maximize limited space, if they cannot be accessed safely and efficiently, it won’t lead to improved inventory management accuracy or shorter lead times. To successfully achieve “vertical space utilization,” safe and easy-to-use lifting equipment suitable for the work content is essential.
Thus, inappropriate ladders, stepladders, and work platforms lead to increased work time, higher labor costs, employee fatigue accumulation, and the inducement of work errors. Safety and efficiency are not contradictory; rather, choosing the optimal tools allows both to be achieved at a high level. Investing in the right products contributes to long-term cost reduction.
Achieving Both Safety and Efficiency! Checkpoints for Fail-Proof Product Selection
To make factory and warehouse work environments safer and more efficient, it’s crucial not to choose ladders, stepladders, and work platforms “randomly” but to select them based on clear criteria. Here, we detail the important checkpoints for choosing products that satisfy both safety and efficiency, focusing on three aspects: “Application,” “Material,” and “Installation Location and Safety Standards.”
Identifying the Optimal Type for the Work Content
The first thing to consider is “what kind of work” and “to what height” the product will be used for. The optimal product shape and function vary greatly depending on the work content and frequency of use.
- For light work or picking at relatively low heights: If the main tasks involve accessing low shelves (a few steps high) or short-duration light work, lightweight and easy-to-carry aluminum stepladders or simpler step stools are suitable. If used frequently in different locations, compactness for storage is also a selection point.
- For high-level picking in warehouses or tasks involving frequent movement: If accessing high shelves is common, or if work requires moving around a large warehouse, telescopic ladders or stepladders with adjustable height are convenient. For enhanced safety and workability, introducing mobile work platforms with handrails and stable footing is effective. This allows for safe two-handed work and maximizes the efficiency of layouts like “ladder + shelf” systems in warehouses.
- For equipment maintenance or work in specific locations: For tasks performed in a fixed location for relatively long periods, or when needing tools and parts readily available, work stepladders with wide top plates and tool trays are suitable. For greater stability and strength, choosing a solid work platform is advisable. For these applications, the durability of the product itself is also an important selection criterion.
Hasegawa Vietnam offers a wide variety of ladders, stepladders, and work platforms to meet these diverse applications and site needs.
Choosing the “Material” Based on Installation Environment and Work Content (Aluminum, FRP, Steel)
Once the application and product type are decided, choose the optimal “material” based on the work environment and content. The following three materials are mainly used:
- Aluminum (Aluminium): The most commonly used material. Its major advantages are being lightweight, rust-resistant, and easy to carry and maintain. Suitable for a wide range of general factory and warehouse tasks, offering excellent cost performance.
- FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic): Its greatest feature is excellent electrical insulation (non-conductive). Therefore, FRP ladders and stepladders are essential for work near electrical rooms, wiring installations, and other locations with electrocution risks. It also has excellent chemical resistance, making it effective in factories handling chemicals.
- Steel: Characterized by being very sturdy and stable, but heavier than aluminum or FRP. Thus, it’s unsuitable for frequent carrying but appropriate for high-load work in specific locations or for stationary work platforms where strength and stability are particularly required.
Choosing the right material requires considering not only the initial cost but also work safety, required performance, product lifespan, and other factors comprehensively.
Final Safety Check: Suitability for Installation Location and Safety Standards
After selecting the product type and material, perform a final check for safe use. Particularly important are confirming “suitability for the installation location” and “safety standards/load capacity.”
- Check the conditions of the installation location: Ladders and stepladders must fundamentally be placed on flat, stable, and non-slip surfaces. However, some sites may have slightly uneven floors. If there’s a possibility of use in such locations, choosing products with adjustable leg levelers makes it easier to ensure stability. Also, the non-slip caps (end caps) at the leg tips are crucial components for preventing falls. Make it a habit to check for wear or damage not only at purchase but also before each use, and ensure they are suitable for the surface material.
- Does it meet reliable safety standards? Public safety standards serve as objective indicators of product safety. In Japan, JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) and the SG Mark set by the Consumer Product Safety Association are widely recognized. Products with these certifications have cleared strict standards regarding strength, structure, labeling, etc., indicating high safety reliability. It is recommended to check for these marks when selecting products. In Vietnam, relevant safety standards such as TCVN (Vietnam National Standards) also exist. Choosing products compliant with local laws and standards is important from a compliance perspective. (Please verify relevant TCVN standards separately.)
- Always adhere to the “Maximum Load Capacity”: Ladders, stepladders, and work platforms have a specified “Maximum Load Capacity” (or Maximum Working Load), indicating the maximum weight they can safely support. This refers to the total weight, including the worker’s weight, tools worn, and materials/loads carried. Exceeding this maximum load capacity is extremely dangerous, potentially leading to product failure or serious falls. Always check the product label or instruction manual and select a product with sufficient margin for the anticipated total weight.
Confirming these checkpoints and choosing the appropriate product is the first step towards ensuring safety and preventing accidents in factories and warehouses.
What Hasegawa Vietnam Can Do! High-Quality Solutions
In the previous chapters, we discussed the importance of selecting ladders, stepladders, and work platforms in factories and warehouses, and the checkpoints for achieving both safety and efficiency. So, where can you find reliable products that meet these requirements? This chapter introduces the specific solutions Hasegawa Vietnam, backed by years of experience and Japanese technology, can offer to solve your on-site challenges.
Reliable Safety and Durability Born from Japanese Technology and Quality Control
Since its founding in 1956, Hasegawa Kogyo Co., Ltd. has pursued “safety” and “quality” as a specialized manufacturer of ladders, stepladders, and work platforms for over half a century. This experience and advanced Japanese technology are firmly inherited by Hasegawa Vietnam, our manufacturing base in Vietnam. At our ISO 9001 certified factory in Vietnam, based on strict Japanese quality standards and a thorough quality control system, we manufacture safe and durable products daily that satisfy even professionals.
The value Hasegawa Vietnam provides extends beyond single products:
- Extensive Standard Product Lineup: For example, the incredibly light aluminum stepladder series “Ashigaru” reduces carrying burden; the telescopic stepladder series “RYZ” allows height adjustment according to the location; the work platform “Light Step” provides a wide, stable footing for safe work; and the essential “FRP” series for sites requiring insulation like electrical work. We offer a diverse range of products suitable for every scene in factories and warehouses. You can choose the optimal one according to your application and environment.
- Custom-Made Support Tailored to Customer Challenges: Sometimes, standard products alone cannot solve site-specific issues or meet special work requirements. “I need a work platform of this specific height,” “Is there a stepladder that fits perfectly in this space?” “Can you make it with a material resistant to specific chemicals?”… Hasegawa Vietnam’s custom-made (special order) solutions respond to such customer voices. We conduct detailed consultations with customers from the design stage, considering the balance of safety, functionality, and cost, to create the world’s only optimal product.
How Hasegawa Products Solve On-Site Issues (Example Case Studies)
Hasegawa Vietnam’s products have been introduced in various factories and warehouses in Vietnam and around the world, contributing to improved site safety and work efficiency. Here are a few examples illustrating the specific effects of implementation:
- Case A: Improved Picking Efficiency at a Major Logistics Center [Challenge] Previously used unstable general stepladders for picking from high racks reaching near the ceiling. Besides the risk of worker falls, efficiency was poor as workers had to support themselves with one hand, taking more time. [Solution] Introduced Hasegawa’s mobile work platform “Light Step” equipped with handrails, wide steps, and casters for mobility. [Effect] Worker safety significantly improved thanks to the stable wide footing and handrails. Being able to work smoothly with both hands reduced picking errors, and work time was shortened by approximately 20% compared to before introduction. Easy movement with casters also reduced travel time within the warehouse.
- Case B: Improved Hygiene Management and Maintenance Work in a Food Factory [Challenge] Used conventional aluminum work platforms for cleaning and maintenance of production lines. Corrosion in the humid environment and difficulty in cleaning were hygiene concerns. [Solution] Designed and manufactured a custom stainless steel work platform compliant with hygiene standards and easy to clean at Hasegawa Vietnam. [Effect] The corrosion-resistant stainless steel withstands frequent washing, allowing for a consistently hygienic state. The simple structure of the work platform is easy to clean, contributing to compliance with hygiene standards like HACCP. Maintenance work can now be performed safely on a stable footing, improving work efficiency.
These are just examples, but Hasegawa Vietnam is committed to sincerely addressing the challenges faced by each customer’s site and providing optimal products and solutions.
For Safe Operation: Thorough Enforcement of Correct Usage and Regular Inspections
No matter how high-quality and safe a ladder, stepladder, or work platform is, incorrect usage or neglecting daily maintenance can prevent it from performing as intended and even cause unexpected accidents. Hasegawa Vietnam not only delivers products but also emphasizes the importance of correct usage methods and regular inspections so that customers can use the products safely and for a long time.
- Basic Rules for Correct Usage That Must Be Followed:
- Installation Location: Always install on a flat, firm, non-slip, stable surface.
- Setup Angle: When leaning a ladder, maintain an angle of approximately 75 degrees with the ground.
- Spreader Bars/Locks: When using stepladders or telescopic ladders, always ensure spreader bars or locking levers are securely locked.
- Prohibited Actions: Absolutely do not stand on the top plate or top rung, straddle a stepladder, or lean out excessively while working. These are dangerous practices.
- Fall Arrest System (Safety Harness): For work at heights specified by law (generally 2m or more in Japan), always wear a fall arrest system (safety harness) properly.
- Recommendation for Regular Inspections to Prevent Accidents: To maintain product safety, in addition to daily pre-use checks, we strongly recommend conducting regular inspections at least once a month. Detecting abnormalities early and taking action is key to preventing serious accidents. [Main Inspection Points] Are there any bends, dents, cracks, or corrosion on structural parts like stiles, rungs (steps), or top plates? Are the non-slip caps (end caps) on the feet worn, damaged, or loose? Are there any loose or missing rivets, bolts, or other fasteners? Do the spreader bars or locking mechanisms operate smoothly and lock securely? * Is there any wear or damage to the ladder rope (if applicable)?
Details on these correct usage methods and inspection procedures can be found in the product instruction manual or on the Hasegawa Kogyo website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Hasegawa Vietnam anytime.
Conclusion
Choosing ladders, stepladders, and work platforms for factories and warehouses is not merely about selecting “tools for climbing high places.” It is a crucial investment to protect employee “safety” and enhance daily “efficiency.” Selecting the optimal product type and material for the work content and environment, confirming they meet reliable safety standards, and above all, thoroughly enforcing correct usage methods and regular inspections throughout the organization are key to achieving zero accidents and improving productivity.
Hasegawa Vietnam contributes to the safety and development of factories within Vietnam by providing highly reliable products based on Japanese quality standards and custom-made solutions tailored to individual customer challenges. Please feel free to contact Hasegawa Vietnam for consultations regarding product selection or safety measures.