Within the wide selection of "material handling equipment" that workers use to get cargo from point A to point B, hand trucks are generally regarded as some of the simplest and most useful items to have along for the ride on a delivery. Hand trucks are basically manual machines, with wheels and cargo rack features, that workers operate manually.

When a manager orders hand trucks or introduces them to a work area/project, one main aspect of this process is to give adequate attention to safety for hand trucks. For those business leaders eying safety for hand trucks as a training imperative, or the use of pallet truck or hand cart models as a source of potential liability, web resources can help out for:

1. Creating proprietary in-house safety training for hand trucks on Powerpoint, whiteboard presentations or another medium.

2. Finding convenient video training solutions for showing the whole crew how to handle hand pallet truck machines and other gear.

3. Accessing details on OSHA requirements for the workplace or other necessary items or figuring out the merits of a model's OSHA features compared to the hand cart price.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for OSHA safety details for hand trucks

When looking for resources on safety for hand trucks, think about how your safety materials address the guidelines and regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, a federal agency regulating the American work place.

I recommend: Sites like this one at OSHA Safety Training provide instruction to workers on using hand trucks for sale on today's market from the perspective of compliance with the federal workplace safety organization. Find posts tagged with OSHA at the Material Handling page to view some resources based on OSHA guidelines for the workplace, as well as visuals of steel or aluminum hand trucks, folding hand truck models and other equipment use.

Find other hand trucks safety info from FAQ, article style or PDF guides

Another way to get materials for hand trucks safety is from independent web info sites that offer handy presentations on using hand trucks and other tools for safety on the job.

I recommend: At the Safety Blog, from the Safety Services Company, safety guidelines on load bearing equipment and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) are laid out in a linear fashion, along with timely articles on industrial safety. Get PDF hand trucks safety resources from sites like Landrum Professionals.

Locate video training solutions for hand trucks safety

You can also find a wealth of 'movie-style' hand trucks training options on the web, from insurance companies or other sources. Get DVD titles or previews to help in ordering up solutions that will keep your cargo handlers glued to their seats.

I recommend: Browse this collection of safety videos from the Business Loss Control page at American Family Insurance to find DVD training on safety for material handling equipment like commercial hand truck machines. Get links to more safety video titles at sites like Oklahoma CompSource: "The Source for Worker's Compensation Insurance."

There are six forms of simple machine. Two of these forms, the wheel and axle and the lever, are combined in the hand truck, a two-wheeled cart designed to slide under an object, lift it at an angle and wheel it to its destination. Hand trucks and hand pallet carts are used by anyone who needs to move heavy items on a regular basis: loading dock workers, appliance deliverymen, furniture movers and homeowners.

Hand truck manufacturers make hand trucks, pallet trucks, hand carts and dollies from a variety of materials. Plastic dollies are designed for light duty use, magnesium and aluminum hand trucks offer a combination of strength and light weight, while tubular steel hand trucks are made to handle the heaviest loads.

Hand trucks allow workers to "work smarter, not harder" in the following ways:

1. Reducing the number of workers required to move heavy objects, freeing workers for other tasks.
2. Decreasing muscle fatigue, allowing workers to work longer and handle more items.
3. Lessening the chance of merchandise being dropped or damaged, lowering the likelihood of having to replace broken items.

Action Steps
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Go for the convenience of a convertible or folding hand truck

Folding hand trucks are handy when you need occasional or easily transportable help with heavy loads, or don't have the space for a conventional hand truck. Convertible hand trucks are ideal when you haul several different loads and only want to pay one hand cart price.

I recommend: Hand Trucks ‘R’ Us offers folding hand trucks for sale with rated load capacities of 175 to 440 pounds, a folding two-position convertible unit and the Rock N Roller cart with eight configurations. Global Industrial features a 3-in-1 convertible unit, while ULine and Alden's Hand Truck Central also deal in collapsible or folding hand trucks convertible models.

Get heavy-duty hand trucks to handle your heavy loads

If you typically deal with oil drums, water cooler bottles, vending machines or other heavy, bulky loads, you need a hand truck made to handle the weight.

I recommend: CLD Handling Systems offers industrial-strength hand trucks for sale with pipe-frame construction, ribbed cross braces and double-welded joints. L.K. Goodwin offers steel appliance and vending trucks, while Wesco Manufacturing offers several industrial and heavy-steel steel hand trucks. Alden's Hand Truck Central offers bottled-water haulers and self-propelled units in its line of hand trucks.

Make your hand trucks more effective with the right accessories

Sometimes you need to help your hand truck to help you, with accessories to climb a steep curb or steep stairs or to extend its nose so you can get under a wide load--or just a set of replacement wheels to keep it rolling.

I recommend: HandTrucks.com offers replacement wheels for its line of hand trucks, carts and dollies, along with such accessories as stair climbers, curb ramps and nose extensions. Alden's Hand Truck Central carries replacement wheels, parts and accessories for its line of hand trucks.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure the hand truck has a long enough nose to slide under the load without tipping it when the truck is lifted. If the load is too wide and an extender is not available, use a hand cart or pallet truck instead.
• •  Ensure the load can be carried securely by the pallet truck. Some hand trucks are designed so gravity can hold the load in place. Secure any bulky, awkward, or fragile load with tie-downs before lifting it.
• •  When placing multiple loads on a hand truck, place the heaviest load at the bottom and stagger other items so they are locked in place by the shape and weight of adjacent items. Never stack higher than you can see.
• •  Hand trucks always should be pushed on level surfaces and should go ahead of you downhill and behind you uphill. Avoid walking backward with a hand truck.

Hand trucks are designed for a variety of different purposes, and hand trucks pricing and costs typically reflect the various features and functions a folding hand truck offers. The lowest costs can be found for the simplest pallet truck designs, while more complex and compact folding features result in a more expensive product.

When calculating the cost of hand trucks for sale, also remember to account for shipping costs from hand truck manufacturers, which may be higher for larger or heavier items. Also consider maintenance costs for hand pallet carts, including replacement tires, and other supplies like straps or cords for holding objects in place on the cart.

When calculating hand trucks pricing and costs, start with a price comparison of the following:

1. Get low rates on basic pallet truck designs;
2. Compare options for folding hand trucks with a variety of load capacities;
3. Get the most features for your investment from convertible hand trucks.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the lowest hand cart price with basic pallet trucks

A pallet truck design is the simplest and typically least expensive option for hand truck designs, and is easy to load and use. Make sure to check the load capacity and any special care information for your pallet truck before you buy. This will help you prolong the life of your hand cart by not overloading or misusing it.

I recommend: Expect to pay between $30 and $80 for a basic pallet truck, depending on the load capacity and features. Discount Office Items sells a basic folding platform truck, while the model sold by Kitchen Supply Direct has more folding options.

Browse a number of standard two-wheel hand cart options for the best price

Most hand trucks for sale are two-wheel designs rather than the four-wheel platform styles. These hand trucks come in a wide range of styles and load capacities, and therefore have a broad spectrum of prices. For two-wheel hand carts designs, heavy duty carts can cost several hundred dollars more than the designs intended for light office use.

I recommend: Global Equipment Company and Luggage Pros offer hand cart models from $125 to $215. Rand Materials Handling and Packaging Supplies offers a price and feature comparison sheet for a number of heavy duty hand trucks from $300 to $500, depending on the material and load capacity.

Get more for your money with the features offered by convertible hand trucks

Another popular hand cart option is the convertible and collapsible style, that offers easy portability and flexible use. These hand carts offer some features from both the two-wheel and the four-wheel design and can be converted to serve as either type of hand truck.

I recommend: Office Depot and Business Supply both sell convertible hand trucks priced between $100 and $200. Keysan provides feature and cost comparison charts for a range of hand trucks, including several convertible models priced between $150 and $300.