Safety and Ergonomics in Moving Heavy Loads: The Right Caster for the Job

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When transporting a load on casters, it is important to match the caster to the job.

Choosing the right caster requires an assessment of the load to be moved, the floor surface, and environmental conditions. For lab animal facilities, ergonomics, maintenance, and cleaning also play an important role in caster selection and operation. Identifying the applications and conditions where casters will be used can increase efficiency and safety.

Unless there is some form of motorized operation, moving equipment on casters requires people. The purpose of using casters is to make heavy loads easy to transport. Avoiding strain is one of the most important ergonomic considerations. To keep workers safe from excess strain in pushing or pulling equipment, the loads must be kept appropriate. Exceeding the capacity of the casters means that the equipment is harder to move.

Sprains and strains are the most common type of injury that result from poorly specified casters on laboratory equipment. Here are some tips to get rolling safely:

Starting effort is the point of greatest exertion. Taking an item from a stationary position into motion can put the most stress on workers.
It is important that the casters roll smoothly and that the operators are trained to not overload the capacity. Making one trip with a load in excess of capacity can be more harmful than multiple trips with appropriate or lighter loads.
The largest wheel for the application is the easiest to push/pull.
Where equipment is to be pushed or pulled, it is most desirable to specify wheels with roller or ball bearings. Plain bearings, or busing inserted in the wheel, are suitable for infrequent movement of objects.

From Shake? Rattle? ... or Roll! by Mike Titizian