Industries

Refrigerated trucking is the transportation of highly perishable goods in temperature-controlled carriers, which are also referred to as reefers. This product delivery system is constantly increasing in popularity. If you’re looking to get into this business, here’s what you need to know about refrigerated trucking:

Reefer Trailer Construction

The carriers of the trailers are usually constructed with metal and fiberglass. Their walls, ceilings, and floors are designed to not only provide heat insulation but also absorb odors.

The heavy construction is then fitted with refrigeration units, ensuring that the temperature required is maintained. A single carrier can be divided into several units. Each of these can be set to a different temperature. This facilitates the transportation of different types of goods at different temperature levels.

Goods Transported By Refrigerated trucks

Refrigerated trailers vary in load capacity–the big ones can take up to a maximum of 43,500 lbs. Here’s a list of some of the goods you can transport with your reefer:

• Honey bees
• Tobacco
• Flowers
• Pharmaceuticals
• Candles
• Hazardous materials
• Meat
• Groceries

Depending on demand, you may want to specialize in one line of products or be a Jack of all trades. In other words, if transporting flowers alone can keep you busy throughout and pay your bills, you can stick to that line. But if flowers alone can’t give you enough returns, you can carry any of these products whenever you’re called to.

How To Find Reefer Loads

You need to know where and how to find loads to transport. If you can’t find a shipper that keeps you fully occupied with deliveries, a good alternative is to work with several shippers. This is very possible through the use of online load boards.

Typically, shippers and brokers post on the platform about the type and volume of loads they need to be delivered to various destinations. By being a member of such load boards, you can easily find reefer loads.

Make sure to sign up with a reliable platform that regularly vets the shippers. You don’t want to work with fraudulent people who can swindle you. A good platform also enables you to competitively price your services in correspondence with the current market rates, enabling you to make good profits.

Food Safety Rules And Regulations

When transporting food in refrigerated trucks, it’s important to handle the shipment with care to avoid contamination.

Thoroughly clean the carriers before loading new products. Doing so prevents cross-contamination of the current freight by the previous ones. Take note that contamination can lead to food poisoning for the consumers. In the worst-case scenario, this can cause death, for which you can be sued.

In this sense, it’s also good if you work with truck loaders who are well trained in safe food handling. This way, you can rest assured that you’ll deliver uncontaminated food to your clients’ customers.

Market Volatility

Seasons definitely impact the availability of loads to transport. Food and flower industries have high and low seasons. When its harvest time, fresh fruits and vegetables increase in the market. This means they need to be transported by certain dates or else they go bad.

As a reefer owner, you should take advantage of the produce season. Schedule your trips more regularly to make the most profits during these high seasons. Also, combine shipments from various clients to ensure your truck is filled to capacity. Just ensure that you don’t overload and break your country’s laws. You can be fined heavily, ruining your business’ financial standing.

When the low season comes, you can consider modifying your truck to also carry dry weight, which refers to loads that don’t require temperature control.

Keeping Records

Record keeping is very necessary for the transport business. Without proper records, you can easily mix up shipments from different clients, then fail to know the exact ones to be delivered to a particular customer. Delivering the wrong products to customers is a sure way of triggering complaints and conflicts. 

Additionally, proper records act as proof that you did what was required of you. For instance, if the goods in transit are supposed to maintain a certain temperature, you can use your records to prove to the client that you transported them at the required temperature. Should they go bad, then it can be attributed to other causes, and not poor temperature regulation.

Maintaining Cleaning Standards

As mentioned earlier, you should always ensure that your trucks are thoroughly cleaned before loading. Depending on what you’re transporting, you may need to take your cleaning procedure an extra mile.

Fruits and vegetables, for example, are likely to absorb odors. Assume you carried candles on one trip, followed by fruits and veggies on the next trip. If the candle scents linger in the carriers, the fruits and vegetables may absorb the strong smells, and end up tasting awful. So, on top of cleaning the carriers with water, you need to air them until the smells disappear.

Remember to avoid the use of corrosive chemicals since they can corrode metal surfaces and could harbor contaminants.

Preventing And Handling Breakdowns

Equipment can fail anytime. This means they should be closely and regularly monitored. Install alarms that alert you when there are system faults, such as penetration of outside air into the carriers.

On top of that, always schedule thorough check-ups before and after deliveries. Inspect your trucks for flaws in proper airflow, security seals, tire pressure, and wall damage. This ensures that your trips proceed with minimal interruptions.

It’s also important to travel with a professional reefer mechanic. Should any system break down, they can quickly correct the fault, allowing you to quickly get back on the road. This way, you’ll always be punctual with deliveries.

Tracking Shipments

Your clients will most probably be interested in knowing the location of their cargo at any point in time. So, consider installing digital video recorders in your refrigerated truck. This way, they can receive live updates on your whereabouts via the internet. Such transparency portrays you as an honest entrepreneur, hence clients won’t find it hard to stay loyal to you.

Conclusion

You now have information that can help you to successfully run your refrigerated trucking business. With the right approach, this can be a highly profitable venture.

If you own a business that requires moving heavy materials from time to time, you might feel uncertain about whether you should buy a forklift or rent one instead. Although it wouldn’t hurt to have your own equipment, there are several cases where forklift rental is the better option.

When you rent a forklift, you get the convenience of flexibility with the make or model, hire type, length of rental, and maintenance package. You can also reduce your operational expenses if you take this route.

Read on to find out why you should rent a forklift for your business:

1. Cost-Effectiveness

There’s a right time for you to buy large equipment, especially if it involves a high cost. A forklift, in particular, can have a price tag of tens of thousands of dollars. Thus, it would make sense to look into other more cost-effective options first before acquiring one.

Buying capital equipment may drain your funds if you don’t plan for it well. You can only compensate for the cost if you manage to keep the equipment for a long time and maximize its use.

On the other hand, forklift leasing in Toronto or anywhere else can spare you from spending a significant amount of money. Unless you’ll use the forklift for your day-to-day business operations, your investment may end up just sitting in a corner waiting to be utilized. Instead of letting that happen, you can use your capital for other aspects of your business that require financial attention.

2. Flexibility

Aside from saving money, you get to enjoy the flexibility of terms if you decide to rent a forklift. Since you can hire a forklift depending on the demand and needs of your business, you can rent it for a day, a month, a year, or an indefinite period.

Although there’ll be a hire contract when you rent a forklift, it shouldn’t be a big concern since it would contain your preferred terms.

If you intend to use a forklift only for a short period, forklift rental is the better option. After all, there’s nothing practical about buying a new forklift for short-term use.

3. Maintenance

Even if you don’t use it every single day, the time will come when you’ll need to have your forklift repaired or maintained. Maintenance and repairs on any equipment can be costly, depending on the damage or amount of wear and tear on it.

When you own a forklift and it breaks down, you have to spend on the labor and parts and consider the amount of time the repairs would take. You cannot forget the possible losses for your business, too. When your forklift breaks down, downtime can occur in your business operations.

However, when you rent a forklift, expert technicians from the rental company can do immediate repair. Forklift rental is the most cost-efficient option should unit failure occur because you’ll get a backup if there are mechanical problems. The repair team can quickly address the issue, and if they can’t, the company can provide you with a replacement unit.

Moreover, renting a forklift can help you avoid the recurring expenses associated with the periodic maintenance of the vehicle. When you choose to own a forklift, one of your responsibilities is to regularly send it for servicing and maintenance to ensure that it’s in perfect condition and keep your forklift drivers safe.

4. Scalability

Aside from the length of the rental period, you can easily decide on the number of forklifts you’ll rent depending on your needs. There may be times when you have to get more vehicles to meet your operational demands. Renting allows you to use any number of forklifts without spending too much.

On the other hand, buying your own forklifts may be a waste if you won’t be using some of them on lean seasons. By renting, you can decrease or increase the number of forklifts you’re using anytime.

5. Trouble-Free Compliance

There’s another issue you may encounter once you own a forklift: passing strict air quality standards. You don’t want to lose your reputation if you’re found violating air quality standards since that can be inconvenient and costly to resolve.

If you rent a forklift, you can prevent yourself from taking on the burden of following the regulations. Since reliable rental companies would want to save themselves from the issue of noncompliance, you can be confident that the forklift you’re about to rent meets all safety standards.

6. Operational Efficiency

Besides complying with safety standards, most forklift rental companies offer forklifts that are not more than two years old. Thus, you’ll likely get relatively new equipment with the latest features when you rent a forklift. This gives your business the advantage of completing various tasks more quickly because you’re not using an outdated model or version of the forklift.

As mentioned, you have to keep up with maintenance when you own a forklift. If the vehicle you have is outdated, you may have to purchase a newer model to ensure employee efficiency and safety.

A forklift rental company can help you conquer those challenges as they provide some of the most recent forklift models. There’ll be no downtime due to the malfunctioning of older models, which means your operational efficiency will stay intact.

7. Improved Productivity

As mentioned, owning a forklift would be impractical in the long run if you don’t use it every day. If you familiarize yourself with your daily operations, you’ll know when the busiest time of the day is for your business. Once you obtain solid data determining the most hectic periods for your business within a year, you can determine when to work with a rental company for a short-term forklift rental.

For instance, the busiest periods of your business may be during holidays such as Black Friday and the Christmas season. You can arrange the forklift rental for those particular periods only. As a result, you can boost your business’ productivity during those peak seasons and make good use of the vehicle as well.

Conclusion

Now you know how beneficial forklift rental can be for your business. While this article doesn’t aim to discourage you from buying and owning a forklift, there’s a perfect time for acquiring that kind of vehicle. Before anything else, you have to figure out how often your business would need a forklift. If you want to use a forklift without the hassles mentioned above, go ahead and look for a credible rental company in your area.

2020 was a tough year for the automotive industry. Dealerships were forced to close indefinitely while road traffic fell to its lowest levels in over half a century as Brits were ordered to stay at home as much as possible. Yet motorbike sales weren’t as heavily impacted as their four-wheeled counterparts.  

New bike sales dropped by just 2,796 compared to 2019, likely driven by a desire for Covid-friendly transport solutions and solo adventure. Some segments even saw demand increase year on year as people and businesses adapted to a new way of life, while overall bike sales in December increased by 58%.  

So what micro-trends emerged amid a relatively successful year for the motorbike industry? 

Scooters and mopeds put to work

Did you spend a lot of 2020 listening out for delivery drivers? As all types of businesses adapted to shifting consumer habits, many acquired extra scooters and mopeds for delivery drivers to cater for our increased demand. Scooter registrations rose by 11% in 2020, compared to a 7% drop for motorbikes overall.   

Cafes and restaurants in particular were behind this trend as people treated themselves on weekends or while working from home. Many consumers will also have invested in scooters as an alternative to packed public transport for commuting.   

Off-road bikes perform strongly

From trail bikes to quad bikes, off-roaders also had a strong year as people looked for different ways to entertain themselves, get outdoors and blow off steam in their spare time. Trail bike sales dropped by less than 1% in an extraordinary year, with manufacturers such as BMW performing particularly strongly.  

This segment performed even better in the US where off-road bike sales surged by a huge 47%, while the Australian market recorded similar patterns. The number of people taking out specialist insurance policies for quad bikes and other off-road vehicles is also likely to have boomed as a result.   

More riders switch on to electric

It’s no secret that electric vehicles are the future as the UK government aims to eliminate petrol and diesel car sales by 2030. It seems the electric bike market is finally catching up, with sales increasing by over 51% compared to 2019 and by almost 112% in December.  

This trend is only likely to continue as more manufacturers release all-electric models and the UK’s charging infrastructure is expanded, boosting confidence among riders. 

With the road ahead looking a little less bumpy for the UK, could the motorbike industry bounce back further in 2021?

The green movement has been gaining an increased momentum over the last few years, thanks to the millions of concerned citizens. Businesses have also been listening to this shift and changing their practices to be environmentally friendly, especially in the construction realm.

The emerging trend of energy-efficient structures is one of the main reasons for the growing popularity of sustainable building materials. From being economically responsible to ecologically responsible, there is a lot more to green building materials.

The Structures Can Last For a Lifetime

The idea behind using sustainable building materials is to build a structure that can last for a lifetime. Extended lifespan and cost reduction are two good reasons that attract more and more people to gravitate towards sustainable building materials.

From low-flow plumbing fixtures to solar panels, reclaimed wood, metal roofing, and more, there are endless options when it comes to materials that can be used for building a sustainable home.

Helps Conserve Energy and Save Money

Using sustainable building materials helps in conserving energy and saving money over time. Green materials contribute to energy conservation in two ways:

• Larger-scale energy conservation takes place using sustainable materials that do not leave behind toxic waste products during manufacture.
• Energy conservation takes place on the premises using efficient materials like intelligent thermostats, eco-friendly heating systems, green insulation, and more.

The growing public awareness has contributed to people becoming aware of such sustainable practices and their advantages. So, naturally, more people are opting to go green with building materials.

Contributes To Minimal Waste

As sustainable building materials majorly use recycled or reclaimed materials, the manufacture of the materials leads to far lesser waste than other materials. If everyone starts to use more recycled products, new products will gradually die down along with the need for natural resources.

People who are mindful of exploiting natural resources are now choosing sustainable building materials to reduce their carbon footprint in the world.

Low Operation Cost & Maintenance

One of the main reasons for the growing popularity of sustainable building materials is that it requires significantly less maintenance. Buildings constructed with such materials allow the users to save as much as a third of their energy and water bills.

As the maintenance and operating costs of a structure can account for almost 80% of the lifetime cost of a building, using sustainable materials reduces such costs. It increases the owners’ earnings collecting rent from the building.

Contributes To Better Health

People living in a green building can enjoy many health benefits, thanks to the safety of sustainable building materials used in the construction. Other materials like byproducts of plastic have been found to release toxic materials into space. These carcinogens can cause severe breathing issues and also lead to cancer.

In the light of the rising health care, people are now looking for ways to incorporate sustainable building materials even in an existing home to create a healthy space. 

With green building construction gaining traction in the residential sector, the market for environmentally friendly building materials has started to soar. If this topic has awakened the green thumb of yours, then it is time you consider some sustainable options for your house.

Workplace injuries happen, and when they do, they can be a traumatic experience. They can affect workers both physically and mentally, requiring time off work and rehabilitation to return to full health. Workplace injury victims may experience anxiety during this time, especially if they are the breadwinners of their families. However, what many workers don’t realize is that they may be eligible for compensation.

So, what are the most common workplace injuries in 2021?  Let’s take a moment to have a closer look:

Strains and Lifting Injuries 

Strains and other injuries associated with lifting are among the most common workplace injuries, even in 2021, and they can affect workers of any age and in any job role. This type of injury is often due to poor handling practices. If workers bend, twist, or lift when moving heavy objects, they may sustain injuries to their back, legs, neck, or knees, which can limit their ability to work.

Construction Site Injury

There are many dangers present on construction sites, and workers may sustain serious injuries when working in this environment. Accidents such as falling, tripping, and slipping are common on construction sites, and the chances of receiving an injury in the form of open wounds are much higher when workers are using machinery and tools.

Fractures

A bone fracture can prevent a person from working for many months. A fracture may happen when a person falls, trips, or slips. Fractures may also be sustained if a worker has a limb crushed by machinery.

Injury in the Office

Not every injury happens in a workshop or on a construction site. Injuries such as lifting, pulling, twisting, and straining can be sustained in the office when workers are moving objects. Repetitive strain injuries occur when a worker performs the same action repeatedly. In addition, falling or slipping on stairs inside the office can lead to fractures, bruising, and other physical damage.

Psychological Strain

Psychological trauma can be every bit as debilitating as physical injury.  Bullying, intimidation, or continual harassment in the workplace can lead to anxiety and emotional instability. These factors can also lead a worker to take time off work to recover.  

Tissue Injury

Injuries involving tendons, muscles, and soft tissues are very common in the workplace. Again, these injuries are often the result of repetitive actions or incorrect manual goods handling practices.  

How Can We Prevent Injury in the Workplace?

Many workplace injuries can be avoided by skid steer training for staff to observe proper workplace safety and correct goods handling practices. It is the responsibility of the employer to provide a workplace environment that is as safe as possible for all staff members  

How Do I Claim Compensation?

If you have been injured at work, you may be eligible for compensation. Compensation may cover things such as:

• Medical Expenses
• Loss of Income
• Rehabilitation Services
• Legal Costs

If you think you may be eligible for a compensation claim, there are a few steps you’ll need to follow.

1. Seek Medical Attention

You need to visit your doctor immediately after the incident in order to get the proper treatment, even if you think the injury is only minor. Sometimes, the injury may worsen over time, so it’s important to get medical advice and give your doctor all the details of the accident that led to your injury. They will then be able to give you a certificate that will help with your compensation claim.

2. Inform Your Employer About Your Injury

You’ll want to report the incident to your employer immediately, and no later than 30 days after the event. They should have a register you can fill in, but if they don’t, you can provide them written details about your injury. Be sure to keep a copy of the correspondence for your own records.

3. Submit A Workers’ Compensation Claim Form

Your employer should be able to provide you with a workers’ compensation form when you report your industry. Your doctor can also provide you with this if your employer doesn’t. Be sure to fill out this form in a timely manner and include any attachments that may support your claim.

Do I Need a Compensation Lawyer?

In many cases, you may be able to complete your workers’ compensation claim on your own, alongside your employer and doctor. There may, however, be times where your claim is more complex and you could benefit from the assistance of a compensation lawyer. 

Some cases where you might want to consider consulting a compensation lawyer include:

• When it’s unclear whether or not your injuries are work-related.
• If you require extensive medical treatment.
• If you need to take long periods of time off work.
• If the injury has resulted in permanent disability.

Being injured in the workplace can be a taxing experience, so it’s worth knowing how to avoid being involved in an incident, and how to respond if you are. If you have any doubts about your safety at work, talk to your employer or union about how they can make the workplace as comfortable and safe as possible.

It is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe working environment for their staff and there are dangers and hazards in every workplace. Health and safety are of huge importance in every industry and this is an area that has undergone significant change over the years to protect employees.

The Industrial Revolution

The working conditions during the industrial revolution would shock by today’s standards with people and even children working in hazardous factory conditions with long hours and poor pay. Serious injuries and fatalities were common in these times as a result of this, which eventually led to the Health and Morals of Apprentices Act 1802 (also known as the Factory Act). This was a major step forward by requiring factories to take steps to protect workers, including limiting working hours and improving working conditions.

The First Lawsuit

The Factory Act led to an increase in regulations in the years to come, including the idea that an employer had a duty of care to protect staff after an employee sued his employer after suffering serious injuries following a wagon cracking and overturning as a result of overloading by the employer in 1835 – this was the first time that an employee sued their employer over a work-related injury. The Employer’s Liability Act 1880 then enabled workers to seek compensation for injuries resulting from the negligence of a fellow employee which led to a flurry of further acts and reforms.

Health & Safety at Work 1974

The next major landmark moment came in 1974 with the Health & Safety at Work Act. This became a revolutionary act that formed the basis for health and safety legislation all around the world and spread across all industries. Under the Act, both employer and employee were responsible for ensuring health, safety, and wellbeing throughout the workplace and saw an incredible 73% reduction in the number of workplace fatalities between 1974 and 2007.

Health & Safety Today

Health and safety has come a long way over the years, but employers still need to make sure that this is a priority and that they are doing all that they can as accidents do happen and if someone is injured they may want to contact a no win no fee solicitor. Improving health and safety should include carrying out regular inspections, creating a health and safety plan, maintaining records, and providing staff training.

Employers need to do all that they can to protect and look after their employees and there have been huge strides made over the years to provide greater protection for workers.

A workplace injury can be an enormously costly thing. Depending on the severity, it might put the affected person out of action for weeks, months, or even longer. In some cases, the workers might have to seek other forms of work – and they might even seek legal redress.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, the annual cost of work-related injury in 2018/2019 was around £5.6 billion. This includes around 6.3 million working days lost. As such, there’s not only a moral imperative to improve safety standards, but a financial one, too.

What are the most common forms of workplace injury?

The most common source of workplace injury is a slip, trip or fall on the same level, which amount to 29% of total injuries. You might add to this figure the 8% that result from falls from height, while bearing in mind that the injuries sustained in this way tend to be a great deal more serious. Injuries while handling, lifting and carrying account for 19%; being struck by a moving object, like a warehouse forklift, accounts for 11%.

Around three quarters of workplace injury lead to less than a week’s downtime, though the minority can be much longer than that.

What’s the trend over time?

According to HSE figures, the rate of injury is trending downwards, though there are signs that this decrease is plateauing. These figures are taken from the Labour Force Survey and extrapolated to cover the entire UK workforce, so they can be taken with a grain of salt.

Which are the most dangerous industries?

Several industries stand out as having a significantly higher injury rate. These are agriculture, forestry and fishing; construction; manufacturing; vehicle repair; wholesale retail; and food service. Employers in these industries would be well advised to take particular measures to ensure the safety of the workplace as a whole.

If you’ve been injured and don’t believe that the work environment was made sufficiently safe, then you might seek the services of a personal injury solicitor to obtain a remedy.

Reducing the chance of an injury occurring

Now that we know all of this, how can we reduce the likelihood of an injury in the workplace?

Risk Assessment

Every workplace is different, and therefore it’s difficult to prescribe general safety remedies which apply equally to everyone. The first step for ensuring safety should therefore be a risk assessment – list all of the areas where an injury might occur, and then take steps to remedy them.

PPE

Staff should be given the equipment they need to protect themselves. This might mean facemasks, goggles, protective gloves, or substantial work boots.

Training

The right training can prevent injuries before they happen. In physical work, this might mean yoga and stretching; or it might mean having procedures in place which get rid of trailing cables, and which prevent workers from lifting heavy loads alone.