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Eagle Drum-Handling Equipment Generates Excellent ROI

Drum Handling Equipment Have Good ROI
Man uses hand trucks to safely move a 55-gallon drumMan uses hand trucks to safely move a 55-gallon drum

In today’s business world, efficiency and expediency are king. Whoever can get the job done the quickest and with the least amount of effort will prevail in most cases. This trend is visible everywhere—take the rapid adoption of AI (artificial intelligence) in recent months. More and more companies are looking to AI to make them faster and more efficient.

Within industry, companies constantly seek a better way to work smarter, not harder. Some spend a small fortune to find it, often investing in high-tech solutions that provide a solid ROI (return on investment). While high-tech solutions certainly have their place, be careful not to overlook “low-tech” options in the hunt for a better way.

For example, take Eagle’s line of drum-handling equipment. These simple, intuitive devices represent a small investment that can yield outsized returns. While Eagle’s drum equipment can add speed and efficiency to any operation involving drums, their contribution to a safety culture and improving employee morale is where the real value lies.

The High Cost of an Unsafe Workplace

It is well known that providing a safe working environment yields a positive ROI. However, based on the consistently high accident rates recorded in OSHA’s incident logs, clearly the message is not getting through. In an effort to educate business leaders, OSHA provides a useful tool, the $afety Pays Program;  a handy calculator that helps managers understand the true costs surrounding on-the-job injuries.

Using the calculator can be an eye-opening experience. When you enter a common injury such as a strain and use the default 3% profit margin, you may be stunned to find that this single strain incident can result in over $67,000 in costs when direct and indirect costs are considered. Direct costs represent about half of this amount and is paid by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier. The indirect costs, such as lost productivity, property damage, incident investigation, training and hiring costs, legal fees and more, are paid by the employer.

If this number is not enough to give you pause, it is the “rest of the story” in the tool that is truly staggering. The calculator also supplies sales numbers the company must generate to cover the direct and indirect costs. In this example, more than $2 million in sales is required to cover these costs. When viewed in this light, it really highlights how safety measures represent a fantastic ROI.

Drum Handling Accidents Suffered by Employees

Drums, barrels, kegs, and casks have been with us throughout all recorded history. They are great containers when you want to ship or move a lot of something. Their round shape makes them easy to transport and they can be stacked to maximize space utilization.

But these same factors—capacity and shape—are the very ones that make drums dangerous to workers. It makes them heavy. A 55-gallon drum of water, for example, weighs over 450 lbs. (204 kg). And, the round shape makes them hard to handle; there are no corners to grab. In the days of old, the round shape was considered a plus as it made drums rollable. But hopefully, no one is rolling around drums of hazardous materials these days.

When drums are manually handled, workers get hurt. Drums can cause all manner of injuries. First, there are the injuries that are immediately apparent: crushed fingers and toes, herniated lumbar discs, and dislocations. Then there are those not as readily apparent: the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). While not as dramatic as acute injuries, WMSD is just as damaging, consisting of arthritis, permanent back issues, and other ergonomic problems.

Improper drum handling may cause work-related musculoskeletal disordersImproper drum handling may cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WMSDs related to lifting and handling are a real problem in industry. WMSDs are conditions in which:

  • The work environment and performance of work contribute significantly to the condition; and/or
  • The condition is made worse or persists longer due to work conditions

As you probably guessed, WMSDs are both expensive and disruptive to companies experiencing them. Consider the following:

  • On average, they involve eight (8) days away from work compared to six (6) for all other nonfatal injuries.
  • Over a million workers a year have lost-time injuries due to WMSDs.
  • The Institute in Medicine estimates that the economic burden of WMSDs—as measured by compensation costs, lost wages, and lost productivity—are between $45 and $54 billion annually.

These problems do not take into consideration what happens if the drum spills or leaks during the accident. Depending on the material in the drum, this could be anything from chemical burns up to asphyxiation and death. The real tragedy is that all are preventable.

Invest in Safe Drum Handling with Eagle Products

Eagle plastic dolly with handle 1613Eagle plastic dolly with handle 1613

In providing guidance on reducing these statistics, at the top of the CDC’s list is providing engineering controls such as “using mechanical assist devices to relieve heavy load lifting and carrying tasks.” In environments  where drums are used, this means Eagle’s line of drum-handling equipment, and specifically items such as Eagle’s drum dollies and bogie, drum cart, drum hand truck, and drum lifters.

Consider the following.

  • The average cost of an on-the-job injury is approximately $50,000 (and more if the injury is a WMSD).
  • The cost of Eagle’s most expensive piece of drum-handling equipment is just over $1,000 (most are far less).
  • This represents a 4900% ROI for every injury the equipment prevents.

Where else can you find a single piece of equipment that provides a 4900% ROI?

And this computed ROI is only addressing the safety-side of the equation. With Eagle’s drum handling equipment, there will be additional ROI stemming from the increase in productivity and efficiency simply because drums are handled quicker and easier. Additional ROI occurs from the increase in worker morale because staff no longer must dangerously “manhandle” drums daily. Incorporating Eagle’s drum-handling equipment into your processes and workflows will yield nothing but positive benefits. No one will complain because they miss the good old days when drums were rolled and heaved into position.

So, if you are seeking ways to increase productivity, safety, and efficiency within your operation, check out Eagle’s comprehensive line of drum-handling equipment. As demonstrated here, this investment is well placed and will return its cost just in safety-related savings. Plus, your staff will appreciate your approach to workplace safety.

In addition to drum-handling equipment, Eagle offers a wide range of other drum accessories to make your drum operations safer, faster, and more efficient.

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