Castors – making the world a safer place

The importance of having equipment that is fitted with the correct castors and which are manufactured to certain health and safety regulations, cannot be ignored. During manual labor, the most common workplace injuries are referred to as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). These injuries are mainly focused on the ligaments, tendons, nerves, lower back, spinal discs, and joints. If a person develops a MSD during manual labor at his workplace it is referred to as a Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WRMSD or WMSD).

Equipment with castors attached are believed to not only be easier on the back and muscles but also believed to get the job done faster. A cart or any furniture with castors attached should always be pushed instead of pulled. Medical research supports this claim citing that we are able to exert more pressure during pushing rather than pulling; and this pressure is recognized as healthy and not strain inducing.

Having the proper castors can make all the difference at a time like this. Having hard castors on soft floors and vice versa would ensure that there is no added friction during the pushing phase, thus no undue exertion on the body of the worker. Other factors that can affect the resistance would be debris, cracks in the floor and an uneven surface. Castors with low resistance to friction are therefore the best choice.

Having castors that are also shock absorbent would be an added advantage as well. A reliable brake system would also ensure that unhealthy force is not exerted on the back which may result in a sprain or a slipped disk. Castors should also be regularly checked to assess wear and tear during labor. If they need to be replaced, it is important to replace all them on a particular piece of equipment at the same time, so there would be uniform balance and thereby less strain on the back and arms of the user.

Probably the healthiest type to use would be either pneumatic or rubber castors. Since they are shock absorbent and roll smoothly over almost any surface, they are amongst the safest not only for the cargo but also for the user of the material handling equipment. Castors can be adapted to fit almost any type of equipment, and where it is necessary it should be done, as it would reduce strain on the back and ligaments that would otherwise have been exerted during manual shifting of furniture and other appliances.