DJ Products, Inc.

“Clean Energy Act Could Force Nearly 20 Percent of Manufacturers to Close” screamed the breaking news headline in the July 2, 2009 Special Edition of Manufacturing & Technology eJournal. According to the results of an informal reader survey conducted by the magazine, President Obama’s proposed cap-and-trade energy conservation program “could cause energy costs to skyrocket and fuel more unemployment.”

“More than 17 percent of those who answered [the survey] said they would have to shut down their business because there is no way they could handle the kinds of increases being predicted,” the magazine said about reader comments received on environmental strictures proposed by the Waxman-Markey climate change bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Nearly 1,000 readers responded to the Manufacturing & Technology survey, indicating the volatility of the cap-and-trade issue. Besides shuttering their businesses, readers warned that meeting currently proposed cap-and-trade requirements would cause them to raise prices by as much as 22%, institute layoffs or move to a 4-day work week. “Only nine percent [of survey respondents] said they would do their best to absorb the energy costs increases without making any changes,” the magazine said.

Many fear that cap-and-trade will have a disastrous effect on U.S. manufacturing. Senators in industrial states hard-hit by the recession like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky are being lobbied to fight the cap-and-trade bill, now under consideration by the U.S. Senate. In an interview with Manufacturing & Technology eJournal, Kentucky’s Republican Senator Jim Bunning criticized the bill, saying, “The legislation is essentially an energy tax hike on small businesses and will raise electricity costs in Kentucky 90% by the year 2035.”

Whatever your personal stance on cap-and-trade, it seems inevitable that growing environmental concerns will spur the eventual passage of this or some similar bill in the not too distant future. Change is ever-present and savvy businessmen will accept and prepare for change. Moving to environmentally-friendly, clean-energy, battery-operated powered carts and movers today will lessen the burden of compliance tomorrow. To find out how DJ Products’ energy-efficient, ergonomically-designed material handling equipment can positively affect your operations, contact a sales engineer today.

While comprehensive action probably won’t occur until a permanent head of OSHA is named sometime this fall, the feds are gearing up for an expected battle on ergonomics. In addressing an assembly of safety professionals Monday, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab said, “You are not alone. We have your back and your fight is our fight . . . there’s a new sheriff in town.”

The Obama administration seems poised to make good on the President’s campaign promise to toughen ergonomic standards and beef up enforcement to ensure safe working conditions for the nation’s workers. According to the online edition of OH&S, a magazine targeting occupational health and safety professionals, OSHA will continue its Voluntary Protection Programs, but is initiating what Barab called safety inspector “SWAT teams” that can be sent into areas in force to insure compliance with OSHA standards. OSHA’s first SWAT teams are poised to sweep through Texas in the coming weeks to add muscle to the U.S. Department of Labor’s construction enforcement program.

According to OH&S, Barab also said OSHA is reviewing behavior-based incentive programs. OSHA is concerned that such programs punish workers who report workplace injuries, thus encouraging non-reporting of accidents and injuries.

Ergonomics will be back on the table after measures introduced during the Clinton years were swept away by the Bush administration. Barab acknowledged the challenges OSHA will most likely face in any attempt to implement ergonomic standards, saying, “It’s a big political football that others don’t want on the field.” He urged safety professionals to lobby their congressmen to vote for the passage of tough ergonomic standards.

Statements made by Barab seem to indicate that OSHA is in the process of revamping its entire standards process. During his speech, he called on safety professionals to share their experiences and expertise with the agency, saying, “OSHA compliance standards, as far as I’m concerned is the floor, they’re irrelevant. You all know better than we do how to move on.” Barab also warned that the agency plans to revise its penalty structure, making good its threat to criminalize grievous non-compliance. “We’re looking at what we can do under the law to increase those penalties . . . and, where it’s appropriate, introduce criminal penalties, as well,” Barab said.

Smart business owners will act proactively to forestall coming under OSHA’s scrutiny by upgrading to ergonomic material handling equipment now and implementing ergonomic practices. To find out how you can protect the health and safety of your workers and make a positive impact on your bottom line, contact a DJ Products’ sales engineer today to find out what ergonomically-designed material handling products can do for your business.

The U.S. auto industry is starting to make its comeback. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the first loans from the $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program authorized by Congress to support the U.S. manufacture of energy-efficient cars and automotive components: 

• Ford Motor Co. was granted $5.9 billion to retool factories in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio to manufacture fuel-efficient vehicles.  
• Nissan North America received $1.6 billion to retool its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant to produce electric vehicles.
• Tesla Motors got $465 million for production of advanced electric vehicles in California.

Other signs of industry recovery include Gestamp Corporation’s $90 million investment in a Chattanooga, Tennessee stamping operation to produce parts for Volkswagen’s new mid-sized sedan, and Ralco Industries’ $6.4 million expansion of its Pontiac, Michigan facility to increase production of welded assemblies  for the auto industry.

It’s a relief to finally see the first twitch of life in the U.S. auto industry. And it’s exciting to see the industry retooling for what promises to be a robust future. But along with forward-thinking changes in their product line, the auto industry should be implementing innovation changes in their production practices. Retooling initiatives should include ergonomic material handling equipment on the assembly line, on plant floors and in factory storage lots to ensure the protection of workers’ health and safety. The workers who made concessions in pay and health benefits to keep the auto companies alive deserve to work in an environment that promotes good health. The citizens who provided the cash that the government is using to fund the loans that are jump-starting new life into the auto industry deserve to know that every possible measure is being taken to create a financially lean manufacturing operation. Ergonomic material handling equipment accomplishes both goals.

Ergonomic equipment like DJ Products’ CarCaddy car and vehicle pusher pushes heavy equipment down an assembly. The CartCaddyLH electric tug can push a vehicle down a rail or be used to push/pull from station to station heavy carts of raw materials or parts weighing 10,000 to 50,000 pounds. The DealerCaddy car and truck pusher easily maneuvers cars and trucks around storage and dealer lots. All DJ Products’ material handling carts and movers are ergonomically designed to prevent expensive and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries. Ergonomic equipment and practices have been proven to cut production time and costs, protect workers’ health and safety, improve worker morale, and significantly reduce the musculoskeletal injury expenses that cost U.S. businesses more than $150 billion each year. Including ergonomics in auto industry retooling efforts just makes sense — for the auto industry, for workers, and for taxpayers.