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A client receives 20ft containers packed with cartons of product. Operatives have to empty the container by hand. This entails removinf cartons from container and placing onto a pallet. The operatives have to reach up to 2m for top boxes and down on the floor bottom boxes and every height in between, with shorter opertaives using a 2-step ladder. In one instance the container can contain 1300 boxes each weighing 12.2kg, a greater quantity but lighter in weight. They have three hours to complete the task. Having assessed the taks, there is a significant risk, as the guys have to stoop, bend, reach up, twist and sometimes use the steps at the same time. I can suggest job rotation, breaks but I am really looking for a better less strenuous method, such as scissor tables and conveyors; I am sure other companies have the same problem
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Is it an option to have the cartons shipped already on the pallets in the container?
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Interestingly all product coming from the EU are shipped inside the container on pallets, which are removed with a FLT, so not manual handling issue. Probably becasue fo the manual handling issues with loose boxes. A third of the product comes from the Middle East, and all boxes are packed individually inside the container. I have suggested that they do the same as the ones from the EU, but at present I'm not winning the arguement, because of less boxes, and additional cost. My aim is to suggest some mechanisation at a cost that may sway them to palletising the boxes like those from the EU
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I know the method you refer to (I used to help offload a container in the same way when I was a student many moons ago). Depending on the time of year you can add to your list of risks - heat and dust - it can get extremely hot in Summer when offloading this way and sliding boxes from the back of the container along the floor can generate alot of dust and risk of goods being damaged/toppling out at the end. It is purely a financial reason for not using pallets (you get more goods/boxes inside without) but if one of the workers gets injured or puts a claim in then those savings will soon be wiped out. The supplier will be able to puth them on pallets but suspect your management team would rather avoid the extra cost and reduction in stock (until an accident happens that is)?
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Could you calculate the cost of 3 hours labour to unload against the cost of a few less cartons?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Rank: Forum user 
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Thanks for the response; I'll check out the two links. I have calculated the cost of the guys for three hours, but not used the cost ratio analysis, but one typical response from a manager was, well we're paying the guys anyway; I did the job for about 15mins, and although I am much older, my lower back was aching and I don't think I could last 3 hours. It was difficult to get the cartons out of the stacks as they had been squeezed in to the container.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: Brian Hagyard  Wow, I just watched that robot unload, I feel really sorry for it now! It must have a terrible back at the end of that! Am I in the wrong job?
The poor guys must hate it. What's the staff turnover and morale like? I bet it's high turnover, no one would want to do that all day! It surely must cost more in time wasted just to put it all on pallets at this end when it could already be on pallets and trucked out by FLT. TBH, I bet IF they could do it with correct technique, not twisting, reaching etc it would take even longer. It's not just the cost in terms of time they spend doing it, it's the loss of other work they could be doing too, so it's double the wasted resource. All I can say is the shipping costs must be astronomical (or the labour costs so cheap in the originating country) if it's cheaper to get an extra few boxes in and then get those guys to unload it like that. The company is putting the men's health at risk just to make a few extra £'s profit, it's labour exploitation to me. Sad thing is, I bet the directors take their bonuses, put on a branded T-shirt (made in a developing country at 4p a day wages) go and play golf and get a caddy to carry their clubs.
It's blatant penny-pinching at the expense of the employees' health, and it makes me angry.
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 1 user thanked Dave5705 for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user
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I used to work for a now defunct toy retailer. We did exactly as your describing with most stock being stacked rather than palletised. We used a flexiveyer, a huge concertener converyer with wheels on the top to send boxes into the warehouse from the 40ft artic trailers. You could get it to go round the coner but needed someone at the bend to push the box round without it falling off. We had the advantage of a loading bay, which you may not have, so it was all level. Worked pretty well.
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