Best practices -- Lift platform

Manufacturing industry

Lift platform enables loading mainframe onto a conveyor

Moving a computer mainframe onto a roller conveyor was not possible in the past and required two employees to package at the floor level by pushing a mainframe along a ramp and onto a pallet. A better method was devised that eliminates the need to push the mainframe up a ramped surface. Instead, mainframes were moved across the (horizontal) floor and onto a lift platform, which allows them to be packaged on the conveyor line with other products. The platform was recessed in the existing floor and was designed to lift mainframes up to the same level as the conveyor allowing for easier transfer to the conveyor. The device was manufactured in-house.

The new method lowered the force requirements for pushing mainframes up to the packing pallet.

The platform was custom designed to fit the shape of the mainframes.

Disclaimer:  Photographs of commercially available products posted on this site are for reference purposes only and do not imply any endorsement by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. The best-practices ideas have been reviewed and posted solely at the discretion of the department and should only be considered as possible examples for reducing risk factors, based on existing ergonomics guidelines. Employers and employees need to work together to identify and control ergonomics risk factors within the workplace to better ensure changes made to a work process will be effective in reducing risk factors and maintaining work efficiency.