Two prevalent issues plague businesses nationwide: accidents potentially causing injuries to employees and visitors and theft within the premises. Despite the reduction in theft from a peak of 17,700 offences in 2002/03 to 6,558 in 2022/23, any level of theft remains unacceptable.

There are many dangers around the workplace to consider, but one that seems to be continually overlooked is the safe storage of hazardous substances. What are deemed to be hazardous and how do you identify the risks? It's not just flammable material or noxious gases, it's far more encompassing than that.

Manhole covers are an essential component of the UK’s drainage and sewerage infrastructure, providing access to underground systems for maintenance and repair.

Maintenance and safety are critical aspects of managing material handling equipment. By prioritising maintenance and implementing safety measures, you can ensure smooth operations and minimise the risk of accidents.

Investing in material handling equipment offers numerous benefits for warehouse operations. From increased safety and reduced labour costs to improved inventory management and faster order fulfilment, these tools can transform your warehouse into a well-oiled machine.

Whether a forced relocation or by choice, moving business premises can be a fraught enough task in itself, so why not take advantage of the upheaval with floor layout improvements and equipment upgrades.

We all love seeing and hearing the wonderful array of birds that reside in the UK, with many of us putting out food daily in our gardens for them. As a nation we spend £250m a year on wild bird food, such as seeds, peanuts and fats. However, the cost and disruption to industry from our feathered friends is often disregarded.

When we think of lockers, we tend to visualise clothes lockers as those used in schools, swimming pools, cloakrooms and changing rooms up and down the country. These basic types are usually low-cost mild steel construction with a choice of individual compartments, either single, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 doors fitted.

Recent events have shown how vulnerable we can be to fires when the temperature rises. Bonfires, BBQs, electrical faults or even a simply discarded cigarette stub can start what can turn out to be a catastrophe.

When you start to look at the huge variety of clothes lockers that are available today, it can seem a little daunting finding out which one suits your needs best. Aren’t they basically all the same? A locker is just a locker, isn’t it?

The answer to both of those questions is ‘no’ of course! Buying clothes lockers is easy but buying the best type of locker can be anything but and far too many companies have in the past made poor choices and ended up paying dearly for a rash purchase.

“Do what you know best; if you’re a runner, run, if you’re a bell, ring”. Ignas Bernstein is credited with this quote and if you think about it sensibly, you can understand why we are a firm advocate of the 'one stop shop' approach.

PVC strip curtains have a variety of uses when installed in factory, warehouse or despatch areas. They can be used to keep the heat out in the summer and keep the heated air within the area during the colder months. They provide segregation between different work areas allowing for various processes to take place without disrupting each other. Keeping dust, debris, insects and even pests away from the workplace is very important and these curtains can help to achieve this as well.

The lunchtime rest period or tea break is normally seen as a social time for employees in the UK. Businesses are having to adapt in light of the Coronavirus epidemic, whilst still managing to provide that vital time for workers to take a well earned break from daily work duties and to recuperate in time for the tasks ahead.

We are having to get used to very different rules and guidance in our daily lives regarding the Coronavirus epidemic. This is no more illustrated than in the workplace with businesses having to adapt their working practises and define policies that allow for social distancing and safe practises. Indeed, the front entrance to a building is now being seen as the first line of defence.

From May 13th lock-down procedures are being eased across England in an effort to help stimulate the economy. Those who can easily work from home are still advised to do so but for many, returning to their place of work has now become a reality.

Why you should choose a company that offers much more than just e-commerce.

Having the responsibility for a large warehouse or factory project can be a huge undertaking. However, there’s no need to face this task alone. There are professional companies well placed to handle part or all of the work. Knowing how to delegate is the only skill you’ll need! Find a company that can schedule, organise and deliver it all on time, leaving you to continue with your normal work duties.

Choosing pallet racking for your business can be a very tricky exercise. There are so many options, styles, sizes and basic considerations that you need to factor into making the correct choice. Most decisions on whether to use pallet racking are based on either the need to use a more economic method of storing pallets at your facility, the need to improve the speed of delivery of pallets to customers or the improved use of the pallet contents within your own business..

PVC strip door curtains are a very cost-effective way to save your business money and improve working conditions. They can be introduced both internally and externally around your buildings with the minimum of ease.

The electric platform truck can save operator fatigue, increase speed and efficiency whilst maximising the time taken to complete picking, packing and despatch tasks.

A new year quite often brings with it, new intentions, both personal ones and business objectives. With all the unknowns surrounding 'Brexit' and its possible impact on UK companies, now is the time to examine your business and get prepared for a new era of trading.

Were you prepared when the temperatures soared? Why is it that UK companies never quite seem to get ahead with extreme weather planning? In the latest heat wave, suppliers across the country ran out of fans, air conditioning units, water coolers and even cold drink machines. To avoid this happening again, Action Handling advise their clients to put in place a strategic plan to cover all the seasons and all the possible extreme weather problems that can happen.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our sales team are always available to give great advice on products, legislation and site surveys. Often we find that our customers prefer to discuss large projects or bespoke manufactured requirements on their own site rather than discussing important details just on the end of a telephone.