Midland Pallet Trucks, a leading supplier of pallet trucks and manual handling equipment, is urging businesses to prioritise workplace safety by investing in high-quality equipment and implementing robust safety protocols even as budgets get squeezed. The reminder follows the news that a manufacturer in Sheffield has been fined £60,000 after a steel pallet landed on an employee, crushing his legs and leaving him permanently disabled.
Manual handling remains a cornerstone of warehouse and storeroom operations, with pallet trucks and lifting equipment playing a vital role in ensuring efficiency and productivity. However, when unfit equipment or improper procedures are used, the risk of accidents increases exponentially.
Phil Chesworth, Managing Director of Midland Pallet Trucks, commented, “Warehouses are fast-paced environments, and it’s easy to believe that efficiency is everything – but it is not quite as straightforward as that. Safety must never take a back seat to getting stock out the door. The tragic consequences of neglecting proper training and equipment standards cannot be overstated.
“Investing in high-quality manual handling tools is an essential step for protecting employees. A slow day is not ideal, but it can be made up for; life-altering accidents, however, cannot. And they may happen in a matter of instants in a warehouse, where workers move heavy loads.”
Midland Pallet Trucks also calls for businesses to never forget the critical importance of training. Employees should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle equipment safely and efficiently. Proper systems of work, clear operational guidelines, and regular safety checks are fundamental in safeguarding any company’s most important asset – their people.
As warehouses increasingly adopt automation and digital solutions, integrating reliable manual handling equipment into these systems will remain vital for day-to-day operations. By pairing state-of-the-art equipment with comprehensive safety measures, businesses can not only protect their workforce but also maintain high productivity levels and reduce costly downtime caused by accidents.
For 2025 and beyond, Midland Pallet Trucks calls on businesses to make safety a priority, and stands ready to help by supplying the highest quality equipment – from manual stacker trucks and weighing scale trucks to hand pallet trucks and lift tables.