Warehouse operations have become increasingly complex with the rise of e-commerce, next-day shipping, and on-demand storage capacity. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transition to e-commerce and put further strain on the system, leading to a critical shortage of warehouse space across the country.

Let’s look at four strategies that you can use to boost warehouse efficiency.

Technology plays a central role in helping improve efficiency at warehouses—we look at the most impactful investments. Share on X

#1. Manage Inventory Visibility

Modern warehousing requires a high level of inventory visibility to maximize available space and ensure on-time deliveries. For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey built a database of unused warehouse space to copy with seasonal spikes in demand (e.g., holidays) and unexpected disruptions (e.g., COVID-19).

On a warehouse level, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) incorporate IoT data points to track inventory in real-time as items move from receiving to shipping. In addition, integration with external systems can keep shippers and customers up-to-date with the latest information, enabling real-time notifications of any delays.

Finally, inventory visibility goes hand-in-hand with Vehicle Management Systems (VMS) that control safety and maximize productivity. Powerfleet’s telematics solutions can help warehouse managers track operator performance and asset utilization. That way, you can reward top employees, retrain underperforming employees, and right-size fleets.

#2. Properly Maintain Equipment

There’s nothing that slows down a warehouse faster than malfunctioning equipment. For example, a broken dock door or dead forklift can force a production slowdown and delay deliveries. Even worse, a faulty forklift could lead to costly product spills or damages. These take precious time to clean up and result in lost inventory.

Of course, faulty equipment can also create safety hazards that lead to injury or death. For example, OSHA estimated over 8,140 severe injuries and 79 deaths from forklifts alone in FY2019. These injuries lead to an immediate shutdown of operations and could trigger significant fines and penalties—particularly for repeat offenders.

Powerfleet’s electronic checklists make it easier to identify problems. Source: Powerfleet

Proactive and preventive maintenance are the best ways to avoid these problems. For instance, our industrial telematics provide an electronic safety checklist for each operator at the beginning of their shift to identify potential defects. Telematics also combine real-time data with machine learning to predict when maintenance issues may occur.

#3. Implement Vertical Space

Many warehouses need to expand as a business grows. Rather than horizontal expansion, managers should look vertically to grow their footprint cost-effectively. For example, taller storage units and the right equipment can help fit more inventory in the same footprint, avoiding the need to expand and reducing travel distance.

Lean inventory practices can further improve efficiency. While inventories must never run dry, excess inventory makes it hard to efficiently move products in and out. Managers can strike a balance by reducing safety stocks and encouraging suppliers to deliver smaller quantities more frequently, resulting in a smaller amount of overall inventory.

Analysis of industrial vehicle patterns through telematics solutions can provide insights to high traffic areas of the warehouse and could help identify areas that may need to be re-organized to optimize for inventory accessibility and streamline operations while increasing safety.

#4. Leverage Technology

Telematics ensure regulatory compliance, automate safety, lower total cost of ownership, and provide complete fleet visibility and management.

Telematics sensors and camera systems continuously collect raw data. For instance, you might outfit each forklift with a GPS device that reports its location throughout the day or an accelerometer that detects unsafe driving behavior. Meanwhile, cameras record everything in real-time to provide a valuable record in the event of an accident.

Telematics software converts these raw data points into actionable insights. For instance, Powerfleet IQ makes it easy to analyze forklift utilization levels across locations and adjust allocations by downsizing, purchasing new equipment, or transferring equipment. And, the same system provides insight into driving behaviors across the warehouse.

Warehouse managers can use these insights to improve safety and productivity:

• Enforce Certification: Driver sign-in and safety checklists ensure that uncertified drivers cannot access forklifts, while safety checklists help comply with OSHA regulations. Powerfleet even lets you customize checklists for drivers in training.
• Better Training Videos: Forklifts with video recording devices produce valuable training videos showing real-life examples of completing specific tasks in a warehouse, as well as examples of good and bad behaviors.
• Refresher Training: Sensors that monitor speed, detect impacts, and track other incidents can alert managers of unsafe driving. That way, you can quickly provide refresher training to adhere to OSHA regulations and minimize costly safety incidents.
• Reduce Wear-and-Tear: Speed limiters and other technologies prevent speed and abuse with electronic throttles, extending the lifetime of vehicles and tires. At the same time, telematics software enables more intelligent maintenance schedules.

Since they provide so many benefits, telematics have a short payback period and a high return on investment, making them a smart choice for warehouses looking to improve safety and efficiency.

Don’t Forget About Safety

Warehouse efficiency shouldn’t come at the cost of safety. For example, increasing forklift speed limits and forcing overtime can provide a temporary boost in efficiency, but these efforts could have an adverse impact on workplace safety. As a result, warehouse managers should ensure that they’re optimizing for both efficiency and safety.

There are many ways to improve safety:

• Physical Barriers: Separate forklift traffic from other workers where possible, or even better, limit aisles to workers on foot or forklifts only. In addition, consider physical barriers between workstations and forklift aisles and restrict the use of forklifts near break rooms, cafeterias and exits.
• Driving Behavior: Our forklift telematics can monitor driver behavior, enabling managers to take appropriate action to address problematic behaviors. Meanwhile, you can incentivize good driving behavior to encourage drivers to prioritize safety as much or more than they prioritize efficiency.
• Safety Technology: We provide a range of solutions to improve forklift safety and minimize the risk of accidents. For instance, the Forewarner Sideliner LED projects a bright LED onto the floor, alerting pedestrians of an oncoming forklift regardless of ambient noise.

These technologies can minimize safety incidents and enable forklifts and people to work at maximum efficiency. In addition, they are relatively inexpensive with a quick payback period, making them an attractive investment for warehouses.

The Bottom Line

Efficient warehouses minimize costs, keep employees safer, and maximize customer satisfaction through improved operations.Technology is central in maximizing warehouse efficiency, from telematics to other technology such as sensors and cameras. Fortunately, these technologies make it easy to realize efficiency gains, resulting in improved safety, lower costs, and happier customers and employees.

If you want to deploy telematics to improve your warehouse’s efficiency, browse our product catalog or contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Supply chains are under tremendous pressure thanks to labor and parts shortages. The holidays will compound these issues as companies look to scale up their seasonal workforces. While finding labor is a huge challenge, companies shouldn’t neglect workplace safety. Forklift accidents alone cause more than 7,000 non-fatal injuries and 600 deaths each year.

Let’s take a look at how to ensure seasonal and temporary workers adhere to the highest safety standards.

Many businesses struggle to find workers to meet demand, but they shouldn't neglect workplace safety. Share on X

Forklift Safety Requirements

Seasonal and full-time employees must abide by the same safety standards. OSHA provides a minimum set of safety standards—and violations range from a warning to as much as $136,532 per incident. The penalties are exceptionally stiff for companies that don’t implement the policies and procedures to ensure workplace safety.

But, of course, many employers go well beyond these minimums due to the high cost of workers’ compensation and lawsuits. The NCCI estimates that lost-time workers’ compensation claims caused by motor vehicle crashes averaged about $78,446 per claim in 2017 and 2018, while even minor cuts or scrapes cost upwards of $23,000 per claim.

OSHA’s safety requirements for employers include:

• Employers shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator can operate a forklift safely by complying with training program requirements and safety management and safety programs specific to forklifts. (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i))
• Employers should not allow anyone to walk beneath the elevated portion of a forklift. (29 CFR 1910.178(m)(2))
• All forklifts must be examined at least daily before being placed in service, and forklifts used around the clock must be examined after each shift. (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7))
• Any powered industrial truck that’s not in safe operating condition shall be removed from service, and all repairs should be made by authorized personnel. (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(1))
• Defects must be immediately reported and corrected. (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7))

When hiring seasonal workers, employers should take the time to train each new employee. Never rely on a worker’s past experience operating forklifts since their training may have been inadequate, or worse, fabricated. When training seasonal workers, document their training and have them sign off on a form indicating that they’re up to speed.

How Telematics Can Help

Telematics makes it easier for businesses to enforce safety standards. For example, access control solutions ensure that only trained operators can drive a forklift. Or, automated checklists can ensure that OSHA standards are met every time there’s a shift change.

Other safety accessories  can help employers maintain a safe working environment and defend themselves if an accident occurs. For example, lighting solutions can project a bright LED warning on the floor to designate active work areas and warn pedestrians.

Powerfleet’s Forewarner MAXI alerts pedestrians of elevated loads. Source: Powerfleet

If an incident does occur, technology can provide critical evidence and documentation. For example, access control, speed monitoring, and impact management solutions paint a clear picture of each incident. The addition of camera systems provides an added visibility level while providing proof for insurance claims or legal processes.

In addition to improving safety, telematics can help streamline operations and improve productivity and assessment of seasonal workers. For example, enterprise software solution, Powerfleet IQ, makes it easy to analyze forklift utilization levels across different locations and adjust allocations as needed by downsizing, purchasing new equipment, or transferring equipment. Powerfleet IQ also helps to monitor how  individual operator driving habits identify individual or behaviors that pose a greater safety risk within the operation.

Powerfleet Leads the Way

Powerfleet provides a best-in-class solution for verifying compliance, tracking trends, and avoiding liability.

Powerfleet IQ integrates with a WMS and ERP system to provide a comprehensive and actionable overview of warehouse operations. With actionable intelligence in hand, you can reduce forklift-related damage costs by 60% to 90% while empowering managers to see who’s driving safely and who needs more training to be safe on the job.

You can also access essential KPIs, such as:

• Impact events per vehicle motion time.
• Rate of vehicle lockouts due to critical safety issues.
• Rate of vehicle lockouts due to failed pre-shift safety checklists.

Powerfleet also provides a range of other safety solutions for forklifts, including LED safety lights, speed and abuse monitoring, weighing systems, camera systems, and pedestrian alerts. These technologies ensure that operators, pedestrians, equipment, and facilities remain safe, particularly when seasonal employees are added to the mix.

Finally, Powerfleet provides solutions beyond the warehouse, adding visibility to everything from freight to last-mile deliveries. For instance, our fleet telematics make it easy to track cargo across the supply chain and ensure on-time deliveries. Meanwhile, our vehicle telematics help managers optimize everything from fuel economy to asset allocations.

The Bottom Line

Many companies are starting to scale up their seasonal workforce to meet holiday demand and cover labor shortages. While hiring is of paramount importance, businesses shouldn’t neglect safety and training protocols as they struggle to meet demand. Fortunately, telematics can help ease these burdens and ensure that everything is running smoothly.

Beyond seasonal workers, Prologis estimates that transportation, warehousing, and related fields will add close to 735,000 jobs by 2031 to meet rising demand from e-commerce and other megatrends. Telematics help ensure that your business is ready to take on these growth rates without decreased productivity or an increase in safety concerns.

If you’re looking to add telematics to your fleet, contact us for a free consultation to discover how we can help deliver a compelling long-term return on investment with a short payback period.

The ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) 2021 Fall Meeting recently took place in Cleveland, Ohio, bringing together transportation companies and vendors in the $250 billion industry. The event theme, “Mastering the New Realities of Maintenance Management”, featured sessions on vehicle electrification, future vehicle design and communication technologies, as well as other topics including advanced driver assistance systems, spec’ing vehicles for 2022 and beyond and much more. Not surprisingly, technology took center stage as trucking companies accelerated their adoption of telematics and other cutting-edge technologies.

Let’s take a look at three takeaways from this year’s fall meeting and what they mean for your fleet.

Technology took center stage at the TMC's Fall Meeting—here's what you missed and three essential takeaways! Share on X

#1. The Importance of Relationships During Supply Chain Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to supply chain issues across the economy. As labor shortages persist, the global economy is struggling to produce everything from microchips to manufactured parts. It’s a frustrating problem for manufacturers that want to deliver equipment and fleets that want to increase capacity or improve efficiency.

A Panel from TMC’s 2021 Fall Meeting

As one of the industry’s first in-person trade shows since the COVID-19 outbreak, relationship building was a key focus at the fall meeting. When supply is limited, these relationships can mean the difference between being at the front of the line or waiting months for new equipment.

There are several ways to improve your relationships:

• Touch base with suppliers regularly—even when you don’t need to negotiate—to get a pulse on their business. Since these conversations aren’t negotiations, suppliers are likely to share valuable information more freely.
• Be prompt and honest when talking to suppliers. On-time payments and accurate estimates for order sizes will go a long way in improving your relationship with them. Also, if something goes wrong, reach out to them immediately to let them know.
• Communicate using a single channel that’s easily searchable. That way, you can quickly reference past conversations and pick up where you left off. Or, you can use supplier management tools to simplify the relationship.

In short, relationships have never been more critical, and they can impact your place in line. Try to be an excellent client by adhering to common courtesies, strictly adhering to payment terms, and being polite when communicating with them – even during setbacks or when you’re frustrated. These simple steps can make you more attractive than the majority of their other customers.

#2. Data is Becoming a Must-Have

The COVID-19 pandemic has also put pressure on the trucking industry to become more efficient. With fewer resources available, companies must lean on efficiency gains to drive revenue and profitability. And often, these efficiency gains come through technology, which makes it easy to make optimized, data-driven decisions.

For example, telematics can help you forecast everything from asset tracking to truck replacement cycles. Many of these solutions involve a low upfront cost in exchange for immediate cost savings and an opportunity to streamline your business. And they’re becoming increasingly critical in today’s environment.

There are two key data points to address supply chain issues:

• Predictive maintenance can help you proactively stock parts for the upcoming year and avoid unnecessarily taking trucks out of service due to parts shortages. As a side-effect, you can give advance notice to your suppliers and improve your relationships.
• Asset tracking can maximize your asset utilization levels when you have limited resources. With growing shipping demand, fleets are under pressure to make the most of their existing assets, which is impossible when you don’t know their location or status.

In addition to meeting supply challenges, telematics data is becoming increasingly necessary to compete. Many tech companies like Amazon are starting to foray into the logistics space, which means that fleets could see pricing pressure that forces them to find ways to improve their profitability to remain competitive over the long term.

#3. Telematics Continue to Evolve

Most trucking companies recognize the benefit of real-time location tracking, but modern telematics solutions go well beyond the basics. For example, many ELD providers have begun offering dash cams and driver performance measurements to increase accountability and protect drivers and assets in the event of an accident.

There are also a growing number of partnerships throughout the industry. For instance, Powerfleet recently partnered with Hyundai Translead, a leading van trailer manufacturer, to leverage the Powerfleet LV-300 trailer tracking gateway solution to launch HT LinkSense, providing managers with the flexibility to choose sensors and telematics to meet their needs.

Powerfleet’s Vista Platform – Source: Powerfleet

Although dash cams are starting to become more common inside cabs, a new breed of connected video-enabled telematics solutions is emerging, powered by AI technologies, machine learning, and 4G LTE real-time connectivity. Powerfleet’s recently launched Vista platform for example, not only delivers real-time high-definition video, from road and driver facing cameras, but also leverages the latest artificial intelligence to analyze and proactively manage risky driving situations across fleets. 

Along with our other software solutions, you can quickly access the key performance indicators that you need to make data-driven decisions that meaningfully impact your top and bottom line.

Beyond the Supply Chain

Supply chain challenges were front and center during the TMC’s fall meeting, but the benefits of telematics extend beyond supply chain issues. There are many different ways that telematics can help streamline operations, eliminate waste, improve safety, and help companies improve their overall business.

Other essential benefits of telematics include:

• Driver Safety: Driver safety is a key concern for every fleet for obvious reasons. In addition to reducing breakdowns through predictive maintenance, telematics can help monitor driver behaviors, such as harsh braking or speeding, to proactively reach out and reduce potential safety hazards before they result in an accident.
• Coordination: Many fleets struggle with excessive detention times and other issues that stem from poor communication with loading and unloading docks. Using telematics, you can provide accurate arrival estimates and pave the way for live loads and other strategies to reduce turnaround time.
• Compliance: The FMCSA mandates that all drivers operate within their hours-of-service (HOS) protocol. Rather than using pen and paper, electronic logging devices (ELDs) help ensure compliance, making it easier than ever to meet requirements. The result is fewer fines and safer driving through proper rest.
• Fuel Efficiency: Telematics can help collect fuel efficiency statistics, including everything from vehicle MPG to idle time, to optimize behaviors on the road. In addition, optimized routes can help avoid excessive driving and cut down on fuel costs—a key cost center apart from labor.
• Customer Service: Telematics can help improve customer service by providing accurate estimates and ensuring the products reach their destination intact. For instance, reefer telematics can help ensure that temperatures remain within range during transit to avoid spoiled food or pharmaceuticals.

Oftentimes, the key to success when implementing telematics is incorporating all of this data into a unified interface that’s easy to use and provides actionable insights. It’s equally important to ensure that hardware is rugged and low-maintenance to ensure constant data collection and minimize frustration from fleet managers.

The Bottom Line

The TMC’s Fall Meeting underscored the importance of technology in addressing supply chain issues and demands for greater efficiency. With telematics solutions, fleets can better predict maintenance requirements over the coming year and maximize asset utilization to make the most of their assets when purchasing new assets is difficult.

For more information about Powerfleet’s telematics solutions, visit our product page or contact us for a free consultation.

Forklifts are indispensable tools in warehouse and manufacturing environments, but they can also cause significant personal injury and damage products and property. That’s why the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, better known as OSHA, has so many different rules governing forklift safety—and means to enforce those rules.

Let’s look at forklift accidents, the cost of those accidents, and how telematics can help mitigate these costs (and improve profitability).

Forklifts are indispensable tools in the workplace, but they cause thousands of workplace injuries each year. Telematics are a great way to minimize these risks. Share on X

How Common Are Forklift Accidents?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, forklift-related accidents cause more than 7,000 non-fatal injuries with days away from work each year. In addition, between 2011 and 2017, more than 600 workers also died from forklift-related incidents. Of course, many accidents are unreported, meaning the actual figures are likely far higher.

The most common injuries include:

Event	Nonfatal	Fatal
Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects	7%	1%
Struck by falling object or equipment—other than powered vehicle	6%	16%
Struck by powered vehicle—non-transport	15%	18%
Falls to lower Level	6%	15%
Non-roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles	23%	27%
Pedestrian vehicular incidents	20%	12%

Source: BLS

OSHA Rules & Regulations

OSHA imposes many safety rules on employers regarding the safe operation of forklifts. For instance, employers must implement an approved OSHA Safety Training Program that goes over regulations and concepts to provide operators with the understanding needed to safely utilize the equipment and minimize the risk of injury or death.

Other OSHA rules impacting forklifts include:

• All forklifts must meet specific design and safety standards, such as an overhead guard to prevent occupational injury. (29 CFR 1910.178(a)(2))

• Employers shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator can operate a forklift safely by complying with training program requirements and safety management and safety programs specific to forklifts. (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i))

• Employers should not allow anyone to walk beneath the elevated portion of a forklift. (29 CFR 1910.178(m)(2))

• All forklifts must be examined at least daily before being placed in service, and forklifts used around-the-clock must be examined after each shift. (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7))

• Any powered industrial truck that’s not in safe operating condition shall be removed from service, and all repairs should be made by authorized personnel. (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(1))

• Defects must be immediately reported and corrected. (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7))

• Employees should have access to personal protective equipment, such as helmets and safety glasses.

Some of these requirements may seem onerous and difficult to enforce in practice. After all, it may take a lot of time to thoroughly inspect a fleet every shift. The good news is these efforts can improve productivity, reduce accidents, and lower maintenance costs, improving your bottom line. Even better: technology can help automate some of the work.

These safety regulations should also be a bare minimum. For example, OSHA doesn’t require ongoing monitoring of driving behavior, but implementing such a program could identify unsafe situations before they result in an accident. As a result, you could avoid both costly OSHA penalties as well as worker’s compensation and the human costs of injury.

Measuring the Cost of Forklift Accidents

Forklift accidents are one of the most common violations reported to OSHA. But a violation doesn’t always mean that an incident occurred—it may appear during an OSHA investigation too. OSHA may issue a citation, and multiple citations can trigger significant fines and penalties when it identifies unsafe conditions.

Gravity-based penalties fall under a few categories:

Type	Minimum Penalty	Maximum Penalty
Serious	$964 per Violation	$13,653 per Violation
Other than serious	$0 per Violation	$13,653 per Violation
Willful or repeated	$9,630 per Violation	$136,532 per Violation
Posting requirements	$0 per Violation	$13,653 per Violation
Failure to abate	N/A	$13,653 per Day

Source: Safety by Design

Repeat violations that occur within three years involve stiffer penalties of up to $136,532. In addition, willful violations that happen when the employer knows there’s a risk to an employee and does nothing to resolve it have the same stiffer penalty levels. However, these penalties are reduced by up to 80%, depending on the number of employees.

In addition to OSHA penalties, companies may need to deal with workers’ compensation and lawsuits. According to the NCCI, the most costly lost-time workers’ compensation claims by cause of injury were from motor vehicle crashes at an average of $78,466 per claim in 2017 and 2018. Even minor cuts or scrapes could cost upwards of $23,000 per claim.

Improve Safety & Compliance with Telematics

Telematics are one of the best ways to improve safety and compliance to minimize the risk of safety incidents and OSHA violations.

For example, forklift telematics can lock out unauthorized drivers and enforce a safety checklist before each use. In addition, the centralized reporting from these features makes it easy to verify compliance during an OSHA investigation, avoid liabilities, and view safety trends over time to ensure constant improvement and prevent regressions.

Powerfleet provides a variety of safety technology solutions, such as:

• Forklift and Industrial Safety Light Solutions promotes workplace safety by preventing dangerous pedestrian and vehicle collisions. The forklift-mounted device projects a bright LED line on the floor’s surface, alerting pedestrians in the area regardless of ambient noise.
  
• Impact Management protects equipment from abusive operators by sensing an impact that exceeds a predetermined level and alerting management to the harsh hits and improper handling.
• Speed Monitoring measures speed, distance, and over-speed events to ensure vehicle operators are held accountable. You can set audio and visual alarms when exceeding a speed limit.
• Weighing Systems can help provide accurate and reliable weight readings to ensure that forklifts aren’t lifting more than their designed capacity.
• Camera Systems can help train and coach employees on driving behaviors and operating conditions. In addition, companies use the camera technologies to lower costs of damage and provide proof of insurance claims.
• Pedestrian Alert solutions help reduce or eliminate the risk of incidents involving forklifts and Pedestrians.
• Access Control Systems manage access with an existing employee ID to ensure driver training and accountability. Gain peace of mind knowing that only certified operators are using equipment.
• Automated Checklist ensure regulatory compliance with OSHA by using an electronic checklist completion before vehicles can operate.

In addition to improving safety, forklift telematics can help streamline operations and improve profitability. For example, Powerfleet IQ provides an in-depth look into fleet utilization to optimize asset allocation across locations, downsize fleets when necessary, or support purchasing decisions. It even integrates with WMS and ERP software systems.

The Bottom Line

Forklifts are a significant source of safety incidents and OSHA violations. Fortunately, telematics can make it easier to prevent these violations and create a culture of safety. And more, these solutions can provide unparalleled fleet visibility to streamline operations and maximize profitability over the long run.

To learn more about Powerfleet’s telematics, browse our product catalog or contact us for a free consultation.