The man hours lost in your warehouse can seriously jeopardise the effectiveness of your business as a whole. A goods inwards delay can prevent the timely manufacture or assembly of finished products and similarly delays in the picking and despatch of those products will mean that your customers will not receive goods on time. What can be a generally accepted first class product can be completely let down by poor warehouse planning.

Few things look more unsightly around your workplace than discarded cigarette butts, yet it’s estimated that 79% of all public places in the UK are blighted by them. Since the smoking ban which prohibits smoking inside any public space came into force in 2007, littering is a problem which seems to have escalated.

Winter can be a testing time for any business. Freezing temperatures, high winds, snow and ice can all conspire to make things a little more difficult than they might otherwise be. Obviously, the weather in the UK is somewhat fickle, making it very hard to predict what may or may not happen next month, next week or even tomorrow, which means forethought and preparation are key in keeping things running smoothly.

There is nothing more annoying for your customers than deliveries arriving damaged. Every consignment that they have to return costs them both time and money, which means that ultimately, their damaged deliveries will damage your business.

On my travels around the country visiting industrial estates and business parks (I know living the dream!) one thing has started to stand out, the increase of cycle racks and bicycle shelters outside offices, factories and production plants. I guess with parking at an all-time premium and a strive for a healthier life-style and bosses being more open to funding for such items these days I suppose it makes sense that as a nation we look at alternatives to the car and public transport.

There are many types of hand truck or trolley available to the industrial sector today and many of them have names that we have all heard of before…..flatbed truck, rough terrain truck, platform truck, hand trailer, warehouse truck etc. Sometimes they seem to be referred to as trucks and sometimes as trolleys. What`s the difference? To be honest I`m not quite sure anybody really knows! Certainly Wikipedia seems to struggle with that.

Almost one tonne per household which is pretty much a Nissan micra each per home, that’s without taking into account large events which we attend and produce a mountain of waste such as sporting events, pop concerts and industry waste, no wonder the wheelie bin is very much an everyday essential especially as our  household waste increases by 3% per year, so on that ratio our waste at home in 17 years will be two Nissan micra's.  

They lift and move pallets of goods around from point to point and are generally used in warehouses, factories and goods inwards departments. Some models are often used to move un-palletised goods like machine parts, boxes, drums and cartons but then they would normally need to be fitted with a fork platform or lifting attachment to suit the load.

If you are using any item of work at height equipment within the workplace including a scaffold access tower, either as an employee or self-employed person, the work at height regulations will apply to you

When I mention adhesive tapes, straight away you are probably thinking sellotape! The fun you had in your childhood making space stations or princess castles out of mum’s old Rice Crispies cereal boxes, Fairy washing up liquid bottles and empty toilet paper rolls. Sticking them all together with an endless amount of tape to create what you see in your mind as a pure masterpiece. You would feel that you had constructed something far greater than the pyramids.

My TV repair man came around the other week to fix a problem with my 10 year old flat screen LED. I was somewhat surprised when to my joy the problem was fixed and it only cost me £78. I was expecting the usual ‘Oh sorry mate, that model must be at least 2 years old and you might as well throw it away and buy another one’.

With such an array of hand trucks and trolleys flooding the industrial market place it can sometimes be totally baffling to know which sack truck or trolley to select for your workplace or indeed even home use. The choice seems endless from folding foot, fixed toe plate, mesh infill back, curved back the list of different variations of the product are vast and that’s before we even get into the realms of handles and wheeling, So to find a sack truck that can perform a host of applications there may well be a very savvy choice.

Anti-fatigue mats are predominantly used in industrial and commercial working environments to provide worker comfort. Standing for lengthy periods of time during your work shift on hard and sometimes cold floors causes general fatigue plus health problems such as poor blood circulation, aches in joints, and pains in feet, hips and back. Standing for long periods is also bad for health because of the strain on the lower limbs. The problems caused with feet can include corns, bunions, flat feet and heel spurs. Medical professionals also link standing for long periods day in day out to varicose veins. These causes to health problems can be easily reduced by providing a comfortable working environment, and anti-fatigue mats also reduce slips, trips and falls. As we know slips, trips and falls mean a decrease in staff productivity, absenteeism and ultimately can cost employers millions of pounds each year.  

Cylinders are generally awkward to handle, move, position and then place in storage. By their very design they do not lend themselves to being exactly user friendly. However, companies would be well advised to consider the general implications that the use of cylinders have within the work place.

The first issue is to establish and recognise what type of gases the cylinders are actually containing. Identification and recording of the results should be a part of your risk assessment within workplace safety procedures.

Bespoke is an adjective for anything commissioned to a particular specification. It may be altered or tailored to the customs, tastes, or usage of an individual purchaser. 

There are many trade names covering this product but at the end of the day it is a conveyor that can be bent around corners or obstacles, it is flexible throughout its length, it can expand in length to suit an application plus you have the option of having the conveyor fitted with either rollers or skatewheels. Sound confusing….well it is not really, it`s just a matter of choices that best suit a situation.  

So who is smarter, you or the birds? That is a question that commercial building owners are often left scratching their heads over. Early Spring is the time when you should not only think about but indeed put into action your preventative measures to help dissuade birds from roosting or nesting on and around your buildings.

Many facility management companies are finding that key storage on industrial sites is becoming a major security issue. Whether it be manufacturing plants, construction sites, office blocks or even for the more public of places like schools, sporting venues, community halls, shopping centres, hospitals and hotels……..key security must be taken as a strategically planned and risk assessed procedure. Appropriate key and padlock storage systems are used to ensure you never lose keys again and also to enable managers access to control keys on site by the use of key security cabinets. An index system within the units supplied will mean that any site manager or authorised personnel will be able to collect the correct keys every time as they are numbered and colour matched for fast identification.

Since we first started trading back in 1970, we at Action Handling Equipment Ltd have been asked to manufacture a wide range of equipment with numerous different names. So when one of the UK’s leading Timber Merchants contacted us recently enquiring about Timber Trailers we responded with “what type are you looking for?".  The response came back as “just the normal standard type”.

Action Handling has a comprehensive range of order picking step trolleys to ensure that your increase in warehouse or distribution hub productivity is supported. Our order picking trolleys are made to order therefore are available in any standard RAL colour and we can also accommodate you in supplying goods in your own company colours or if various departments have a colour scheme in place to distinguish form each department, we can of course supply order picking steps for you in a variety of colours to keep everything in its place for you, just please  state this at time of quotation request or when we visit your site to allow for any additional cost for special paint finishes.

It's that time of the year when keen or even not so keen gardeners turn their attentions to the planting of garden plants. A very good friend of mine and knowledgeable gardener tells me that Begonias need a damn good regular drowning and that sweet peas need lots of loving care and attention. Bulbs like Gladioli can be planted at this time of year but one should ensure that the deciduous trees in the locality have to be well 'into leaf' to offer their protection to the soil. Now quite how he knows all these things are a complete mystery to me seeing as he seems to spend all his time in the bookies or the pub!! But what I do know, is that he knows his garden plants ... and I don't!

Pallet Collars are a very simple product that has been designed to increase the storage area of items on a pallet. Traditional pallets are flat and that often restricts the amount of goods that can be loaded onto them. Pallet collars build up four retaining sides around the pallet, therefore providing an increased loading possibility

From its humble beginnings in the mid nineteen twenties the Wholesale Warehouse more latterly known as the Cash & Carry, although the first street appearance of the term is widely accredited to Lawrence Batley who didn't open Batley's Cash and Carry in Huddersfield until 1958.

We often cite Health and Safety requirements in our blog posts – after, all, they are an integral part of doing business in the UK. The information we cite is for general purposes only – each business should have their own policy in place and all staff should be aware of what it is. However, there are several basic rules that can apply to most companies, such as:

• Proper staff training
• Using the correct equipment for the job
• Keeping equipment maintained and up to date with regular safety checks
• Providing a clean work environment

Having to move heavy goods and products is a part of most handling industries, whether in factories or distribution companies. However, not all heavy lifting is created alike – depending on the business and goods to be moved, lifting equipment specific to the task at hand is crucial to completing the task.

In the modern workplace, employee Health and Safety is an ongoing concern. Providing the right equipment, environment and training is key to keeping staff at their best, as well as your business in compliance with the law. However, despite new information and training, back injuries are still one of the most common workplace incidents, especially in warehouse and handling environments. Lifting incorrectly is a common contributor to such accidents, through over-reaching, cutting corners to save time, or by simply not having the correct equipment in place.

When we refer to trucks in the materials handling industry, we are referring to a wheeled platform used to convey loads in a warehouse or factory setting. Sometimes these trucks can be motorised, and they come in many shapes and sizes, depending on their end use. Action Handling has supplied trucks to industries across the UK for over forty years, and we have a large range of different types available.

Every company needs storage. Whatever you do, whatever you sell, you will require storage of some sort in order to keep your business structured and efficient. While there is a huge choice of storage options out there, with a little bit of knowledge it’s easy to choose the best solution for your needs.

Any business considering the purchase of a storage cupboard should ask themselves several questions before making their decision. While this may seem obvious, a little consideration before purchase means you’ll get the correct equipment for the job at hand.

In today’s hospitality, catering and foodservice industries, serving top quality produce is essential. As such, proper refrigeration of goods is a vital part of a successful business. Purchasing food products (or any type of product) in bulk is a great way to save money, but only if you have the facilities to store those goods until it’s time to sell. In addition, the fast pace of food preparation means that food must be accessible when needed. Most importantly, your goods need to be kept cool – maintaining food safety, freshness and flavour. A walk-in cooler or freezer gives you safe cold storage and accessibility, making it the ideal solution.

To our regular customers, it’s no secret that Action Handling will always go the extra mile. We never pass up an opportunity to satisfy your requirements and relish every challenge that comes with it.

Exactly one year after work commenced on a £20 million emergency department for a district general hospital in Hertfordshire, Action Handling were engaged to offer their expertise on a range of smaller projects within the development.

One of our biggest customers, a leading Information Management Company, was concerned about their standard on-site operating procedure for retrieving document storage boxes. The boxes were stored on shelving which cannot be reached from floor level and the existing method, using aircraft style safety steps, was creating significant manual handling difficulties, making it unsuitable for the application.

Early in 2013, when a globally renowned aid and development charity were looking to update the facilities of all their fashion outlets across the UK, they contacted Action Handling and spoke to us about providing some bespoke equipment

Our NuKeeper product range offers an extensive choice of cleaning equipment, opening up a multitude of possibilities within the professional cleaning sector. Much of the product range is unique, with key patented features designed to blend today’s technology with our own brand of quality-based common-sense engineering.

When a top ranking UK University required an electric platform trolley to assist the maintenance department in transporting tools and materials on-site, they contacted Action Handling. Initially, the client identified a standard model from our catalogue as one they were keen to discuss, outlining a few necessary modifications.

For the past forty years, Action Handling have supplied trucks and trolleys in a huge range of designs, sizes and capabilities to clients across the UK, so you could say we’re pretty familiar with them. We understand that, for the average user, your requirements may just be for “a standard sack truck”. However, when we further analyse the everyday use of the machine, it allows us to supply the most suitable equipment for your specific needs. If you are wondering which sack truck, what sack truck or are just looking for a description of sack trucks this buyer's guide will help.

Action Handling can supply bespoke trucks and trolleys to your specifications – choose the finish, the size, the handling capacity, and we will make it happen. Each of our bespoke trucks and trolleys feature a powder-coated finish (unless you specify otherwise), which radically increases the product life in the most demanding environments. We offer seven standard colours (white, blue, yellow, red, orange, green or grey) – however, if you have a RAL code for your corporate colours then we can match these so that your trolley (or fleet of trolleys!) reflects your corporate image. .

When you invest in equipment for your business, you naturally want to receive value for money. Negotiating purchases and procuring the right tools for the job are part of running your business effectively, as is protecting your assets once they are yours.

Action Handling believe that safety should be the fundamental objective in any workplace environment. Almost a decade ago, regulations for personnel ‘working-at-height’ came back into play, the aim being to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries caused by the improper use of steps, ladders and other devices whilst loading/unloading goods onto shelving and racking systems. However, although these regulations have been in force for a number of years, there are still many people who choose to ignore them when working with stepladders.

High-street retailers generally offer a wide range of quantities and sizes of goods, which can lead to storage issues. Coping with ever-changing stock and seasonal variations can turn a carefully designed stockroom into a difficult to use and highly inefficient area.

When looking at buying any shelving system it’s a good idea to think ahead of your present specification. In our forty years experience supplying the materials handling industry, we’ve found that customer requirements can change within a very short space of time.

Winter is coming. Oh, I don’t mean

that sort of winter – rather an onslaught of snow and ice and freezing rain coming down from the north. It’s a different kind of magic that winter brings, one that makes pavements and car parks such dangerous places, turning vehicles into weapons and unwitting pedestrians into ice dancers.

When a high-profile London based investment bank needed to store a vast amount of company records at one of their sites, they contacted Action Handling with a request to assess their requirements and provide a solution. We sent one of our experienced sales representatives to visit the premises where they measured the allocated room, formulated a shelving design layout to best utilise the space and offered a quotation accordingly. The shelving system selected was the Connect 2 system, which offers both a very quick installation and lead-time from the manufacturing process. In addition, the fact that the system could be easily reconfigured to suit the space was another deciding factor.

Two competent people show the correct assembly of the Connect2 shelving system.

When you introduce a shelving or racking system into a warehouse, you’ll require other associated material handling equipment, a fact that is often overlooked when making the decision to implement these systems. We strongly urge customers to contact us prior to purchase, in order to discuss the complete package of equipment that may be needed. Even taking into account that either a stacker or a fork-lift truck will be required, these items require a level of operator training and a comprehensive maintenance program to support the on-going efficient use of the machine.

We’ve written previously about the importance of secure tool storage on- and off-site, and Action Handling supply a wide range of secure storage options.

However, when you need tools to hand, having them locked away in a box or vault isn’t the best option, and neither is having them scattered around your workshop or factory – an easy way for items to become damaged or displaced.

We’re pretty keen on our double-sided standing panel, which we think offers an easy-to-install and access solution to your tool storage needs. Available in four heights and two finishes, the unit comes complete with an accessory kit and optional base tray.

Your warehouse health and safety checklist is important to maintain because it ensures a solid framework within which staff should operate. When staff spend several hours a day working in pallet racking areas it’s extremely important to manage health & safety in order to avoid serious accidents. The only way in which an employer can make their premises less prone to accidents is through a comprehensive assessment and production of a safety program, and every business should have a health and safety checklist to help identify any risks in the work environment and how best to reduce them.

We all know that it doesn’t take much for an organised and tidy stockroom to quickly become a mess. When things get busy, it’s sometimes easier to cut corners and go back later – however, leaving stock, empty cardboard boxes, packaging and numerous other items lying around can seriously impact on the efficiency and safety of your storage area. If this is happening on a regular basis, perhaps it’s time to assess your current storage requirements and make any necessary changes to improve your business.

Online shopping is a growing trend in the materials handling industry, with the number of consumers opting to shop online increasing year by year. Previously, a retailer would purchase goods or products in bulk from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then resell them on in smaller quantities to the end user via a shop or store.

Many of us can remember the famous scene from ‘I Love Lucy’, where Lucy and Ethel was working at the Acme Candy factory, wrapping chocolates on a conveyer belt. The belt speeds up and the candies arrive more and more quickly, leading to hilarity (wonderfully conveyed by the expressive Lucille Ball). It’s a scene that has been re-used and parodied and paid homaged to many times since, and is considered one of the most famous episodes of I Love Lucy ever.

Take a look around your business premises. Really take a good hard look. How do your shelves look? Are they clean and tidy, or have they amassed dirt, dust and debris from use over time?

Adjustable shelving systems, such as our galvanised boltless shelving, offer supreme flexibility when customising your storage space to your requirements. The flexibility of an adjustable system lies in the variable positions for each shelf in relation to the vertical uprights. Whether you need to display or store products, when you use an adjustable shelving system the items can be allocated to shelves with the appropriate height adjustment. For example, small, lightweight items can be stored or displayed together on a shelf with a lower height in relation to the others in the system – this not only appears more pleasing to the eye but is also a more efficient use of the space within the shelving system.

One of the more popular shelving ranges at Action Handling is our Expo 4 range. Like many of our shelving units, it’s suitable for a variety of different work environments and has a number of additional accessories available. Here’s our illustrated guide to assembling your Expo 4 shelves - enjoy!

At Action Handling, we’re always looking at ways to improve our product range and deliver the best possible options to our customers. Our hygienic shelving was already a popular range, but now, after further improvements to the design, it’s an even better option for your business.

Planning. It’s a huge part of running every business, whether large or small. Meetings are devoted to it, whole reams of paper used up documenting it, and a vast amount of energy dispensed to implement it. In a digital age, when messages, diaries and schedules can be accessed and managed at the touch of a screen, it may seem a touch old-fashioned to use a simple wall-mounted planning system. And yet, there are benefits to such a system that you won’t get from the latest phone or tablet.

At Action Handling, we tend to get a lot of enquiries from customers about storage for unusual shaped products and equipment. After all, the materials handling industry deals with a vast range of supplies and products across a whole range of industries, so a one-size-fits-all approach is not the best option when it comes to storage. It’s easy to browse and purchase shelving or racking that conforms to a fixed storage area but not so easy to find something suitable when your product is a little different from the norm.

Steel is fantastic stuff. An iron alloy, it’s strong, doesn’t chip, bend, or crack easily (though it does scratch), and it stays shiny over years of use. But there’s just one problem: it rusts. Enter stainless steel, a metal alloy with about 10-11% chromium. When exposed to air, the chromium in the metal forms a film of chromium oxide over the surface. This film is passive and non-toxic, and most importantly, it prevents the steel from rusting by shielding it from air and moisture. Even if the metal gets scratched, the chromium oxide reforms seamlessly. This combination provides all the excellent properties of steel without the worry of rust.

When running a business, documents have to be archived in accordance with tax regulations, as well as for your own records. As your business grows, so too does the need for efficient record and file storage, combining an organised system with ease of access. At Action Handling, we have a range of archive racking to suit your requirements, whether you need to maximize your existing storage space, become better organised, or simply archive documents and records.

At Action Handling, we believe that the benefits of an effective storage system can never be underestimated. We’ve worked with many clients over the years, helping them to maximise their storage potential using either our standard product range, or a bespoke solution.

Cantilever racking is an extremely versatile system of storage equipment, designed to store items of varied sizes for ease of access. When you use a cantilevered racking system, items can be stored on pallets, loose or wrapped and also can be irregular in shape. Our bespoke steel construction service has experience creating these systems to suit specific client needs, as was the case when a global leader in Orthopaedic Implants contacted us.

Many small businesses, particularly those in the retail industry, require secure space on site in which to keep stock, equipment and essential documents. Making the most of the space you have by using an efficient shelving and storage system helps to keep operations running smoothly, and using the correct type of storage equipment is key. Getting the most out of your available warehouse space, properly utilising warehouse shelving and buying products in bulk are all easy ways for small businesses to make the most of what’s available to them.

Steel security cages can range in size from full sized room down to small boxes, but they all have the same function – keeping items or employees safe and secure.

In order to cope with the September influx of new students, a leading Welsh university contacted us with a requirement of 37 shelving bays for their music centre.

When the world’s largest supplier of car roof systems needed help to deal with exceptional growth in sales, they contacted Action Handling to find a solution.

There’s no chance of a lie in or watching the Golf with a croissant and OJ for the Phillips boys on Sunday morning … not when there’s work to be done!

Anyone who’s ever worked in a busy office environment knows you can never have enough pigeonholes. At Action Handling, we supply multiple standard choices of pigeonhole units, with our steel bin units being one of our best sellers across most industries. A multi-purpose storage solution, the units are supplied ready assembled and painted in powder coated grey (or as required!)

Manual materials handling carries a risk of strain and injury to employees, so is governed by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. These are designed to apply to a wide range of manual handling activities such as lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying, including the movement of loads up or down stairs, a common occurrence in many workplaces.

Action Handling’s range of vertical bar racks are an excellent addition to your storage and display facilities. Made from superior quality steel, fully welded and angled, they are both useful and cost effective. Quick and easy to assemble, the racks come with a steel base tray for added support and are available in both single and double sided versions. 

Action Handling work across a variety of industries, and our sales team are always on hand to answer questions and offer product advice. One of our most frequently asked questions is "What’s the highest possible point I can position the bottom shelf on my bay?"

Action Handling has worked extensively with clients in the automotive sector for over 40 years, offering expert advice and solutions to satisfy requirements for any application.

If you browse our website or catalogue, it becomes immediately apparent that Action Handling supply a large range of items – over 12,000, in fact. Our shelving and racking options are very popular, with a variety of systems suited for use across different industries and applications, each with their own merits. From archived documents and food storage to nuts, bolts and large steel sheets, we have a shelf or rack unit to suit. Therefore, when it comes to choosing the right product for your needs, you need to check the features and specifications of each product to ensure it will fit your requirements.

Humans have been dealing in commerce for thousands of years, trading items large and small around the globe. As commercial enterprises grew, so did the need for mass storage as the number of items required for trade increased. The Greeks used giant storage jars called pithos, some of which were two meters tall with a weight of several tonnes, while the Romans used giant amphorae for bulk storage of food, wine and ceramics, some of which have been found in our own British Isles.

Storage can often be a problem within office and warehouse spaces, especially as businesses grow and change, but it’s also one that’s very easy to solve with the addition of additional shelving units, or by replacing your current system for something more suited to your changed requirements. If you’re looking for an easy-to-assemble, durable and versatile shelving system, Action Handling’s Click Together 265 steel shelving system is not only incredibly simple to erect, but retains all the strength you are likely to need for your storage facilities.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution to extended work-at-height jobs, our Smart Podium may be just the thing. Available in two platform heights, this mobile podium comes with a fully protected guardrail and gate. It’s ideal for quick jobs around site, plus is compliant with current working-at-height legislation. 

Action Handling supply a wide range of premium quality Mobile Safety Steps at value-for-money prices, all designed to suit different levels of industry requirements.

Complying with Health & Safety regulations and keeping your employees safe is one of the top priorities for any business. If shortcuts are taken (intentionally or not) and accidents occur as a result, the consequences can be dire. In a worst-case scenario, people are badly injured or even lose their lives, leading to serious legal repercussions for the employers and business

When setting up your business, it’s important to take the time to ensure you have the most effective fit out for your industry. Interiors that are designed to flow, the work process mapped out from start to finish. Offices layouts need to be created, décor selected, furniture, equipment and shelving purchased and delivered before being set up on site. Getting your interior flow right is key to effective delivery of services.

When working with ladders, it’s important to choose one with the correct specifications for the job at hand. Action Handling carry a large range of ladders for use in a variety of circumstances, including two seemingly similar yet vastly different types of Roof ladder, both specifically designed to reach the roof of any building from outside. 

After experiencing some issues regarding health and safety compliance, the Forensic Investigation Unit of a southern-based police authority contacted Action Handling’s bespoke steel service, hoping to find a solution.

Safety steps are one of the most frequently used pieces of handling equipment. They come in several different formats and, if used appropriately for the job at hand, play a great role in reducing the risk of work place injuries caused by improper handling.

At one point or another during our lives, we’ve all found ourselves on a ladder. Whether it’s while painting the house, climbing into the loft or reaching for something on a high shelf, ladders are a simple way to climb up when objects are out of reach.

However, if you spend time on a ladder as part of your working life, the risk of falls can increase, especially if basic health and safety steps aren’t implemented.

As businesses grow and expand storage space can come at a premium, yet moving to larger premises may not always be possible. Moving is expensive, especially if it’s only to accommodate excess goods or non-essential items such as archived documents – the cost of transportation, operation downtime, changing stationery, websites and signage all adds up, and may not be worth doing in the long run.

There are several ways to address the need for additional space without moving to a new address.

Step Right Up The basic design of a ladder hasn’t really changed since the very earliest days of their use, some 10,000 years ago according to the most recent archaeological evidence. Ladders have been found in Egyptian tombs and Mesolithic sites, symbolic representations showing up in ancient texts from around the world.

Safety first. Two small words, yet so very important, especially when it comes to preventing workplace accidents or injuries. Safety lies with the user, and also with making sure correct procedures are set in place and followed. Risk increases when working at height, so any such work should be undertaken only by those competent enough to do so, and with adequate supervision.

In the collection at the British Museum, among many other fine things, is a small cast lion weight, found in what is now modern day Turkey. Made from a tin/bronze alloy and dating to the fifth century BC, it’s evidence of the fact that weights have been used to measure commodities for trade since ancient times, just as they are today.

We share this planet with a multitude of creatures in the air, the water and the ground. Seeing animals in their natural habitat is a wonderful experience, and there are whole tourist industries built up around doing so. However, there are also times when we don’t want to share our spaces with animals – when keeping them pest-free is essential to safe working conditions.

While ladders are useful in many instances of working at height, Health and Safety UK recommend that, if your work will take more than thirty minutes to complete, you consider using other equipment. However, time duration should not be the only consideration when selecting the correct platform to use when working at height – whether a task takes five minutes or five hours, safe use of equipment at all times should be the main priority.

From 2013 to 2014 e-commerce sales increased by 20%, and the pattern looks set to continue in 2015, with changes to e-commerce and consumer ordering being cited as one of the leading industry trends this year. Demand is becoming more varied, with consumers ordering smaller item-specific purchases within a tighter delivery timeframe, as most e-businesses now offer delivery in less than 24 hours. Such specialised ordering means that suppliers now have to provide individual deliveries more quickly than ever before, so having your supply system as streamlined as possible is an essential part of staying competitive within a rapidly growing and changing industry.

My daughter came home from school the other day looking a bit put out.

     "What’s wrong?" I asked.

     "Oh, the whiteboard didn’t work so we had to do something else today" she huffed, before going off to do one of the myriad things she does after school. She was referring to the digital whiteboard used in most classrooms, where interactive videos, lessons and images all enhance the learning experience, a far cry from the dusty chalkboards of my youth. Digital displays and presentations are also the norm in businesses today, and have been for some time. PowerPoint is an old stalwart of the scene, while multimedia presentations incorporating web graphics and YouTube clips push boundaries and delight the audience. But my daughter’s comment made me consider how dependent we’ve become on the digital version and that, when the power goes out or the system malfunctions, a good old-fashioned whiteboard will never let you down.

Space is often at a premium in modern offices, as rents and property prices rise and inner city units come at a premium. Hot desking allows for more employees than desks, with workspace usage being staggered over the day as people come in and out of the office.

We’ve written before about the importance of keeping your site and workplace secure through tool and materials storage plus the implementation of security measures, both in and out doors. This week, as a follow on to our last post about staff amenities, we’re going to explore the world of staff secure storage, something even more relevant in these days of job shares, hot desking and open plan offices.

True story: my mother worked for many years at a department store in Vancouver, which also happened to be the location for the Christmas movie, Elf. It wasn’t the first film to be shot there – Vancouver is known as ‘Hollywood North’ and its skyline appears in many major films – but she remembered it as an interesting experience, as well as for the fact that it paid for new furniture for the staff room, including leather couches.

Maintaining a healthy back and strong posture is beneficial throughout our lives, allowing us to stay active for as long as possible. The British Chiropractic Organisations recommends managing back health by incorporating daily stretches and movement and taking care of any issues as they arise, rather than letting them get worse.

Eco-friendly, sustainable, recycled – none of these are new terms in the modern business world. For many years now, companies have been looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint, use resources to their best advantage and recycle whenever possible.

There’s been a lot of discussion in the media recently about the benefits of spending more time standing while at work. Sedentary desk jobs have been shown to decrease life expectancy and increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer, even if you do take regular exercise in line with daily recommendations.

Standard office furniture is designed to complement modern office spaces, all clean lines and smooth finishes, easy to clean and maintain. However, have you considered thinking outside the square and bringing a touch of industrial interior design into your commercial business space?

Image courtesy of Wikimedia.

The word mezzanine started life as a Latin word, medianus, meaning middle or central. It then changed to the Italian mezzano, before the French transformed it once more to mezzanine, the word we know today (hey thanks, Wikipedia!). It describes an intermediate floor between floors overlooking the level below, and can take a variety of forms.

When you think about it, we humans are a complex and ingenious bunch. If an activity is dangerous yet also offers a benefit, rather than consider the danger and avoid the activity, we choose instead to work out ways to protect ourselves. Helmets, padding and, in extreme cases, body armour, have all been devised to minimise the risk and maximise the experience.

Forklift trucks are an indispensible piece of equipment for many in the materials handling industry. Traditionally used for lifting and stacking, they can also be customised by adding attachments, adding to their versatility within your business.