If you run a bar or a restaurant that serves alcohol, you know that beer kegs are essential for your inventory. However, while kegs can bring in big bucks, they're also a massive liability. Unfortunately, workers can hurt themselves significantly by lifting kegs regularly. Fortunately, there's an easier way to improve employee safety and make your team more productive. Let's dive in and see the future of handling kegs and keg storage.
Did you know that a single full keg can weigh around 161 pounds, or about the weight of three full-grown leopards? Over the course of a single shift, an employee can lift as much weight as two elephants.
Unfortunately, tons of evidence shows the physical toll that comes from repeated heavy lifting. Workers who lift kegs regularly can experience backaches and chronic back pain, wrist sprains and aches, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the back and shoulder.
Not only that, but OSHA regulations state that full kegs are too heavy for one person to lift. So, if you're short-staffed, you could wind up hurting your employees and put yourself at risk for non-compliance. Over time, the dangers of keg lifting far outweigh the minimal benefits of fast and efficient transportation.
Another reason to ditch manual keg lifting is the cost of worker's compensation claims. The average claim is about $50,000, and even if you have insurance, you can expect your rates to skyrocket after an incident. No matter how you look at it, lifting kegs manually is a substantial liability.
Thankfully, you don't need to use two people to move kegs safely and securely. Instead, you can let technology be your assistant, thanks to the keg lifter. This one device can protect your workers from unnecessary strain and improve productivity and efficiency.
How does it work? The Keg Lifter is basically a forklift for your kegs. It comes with a hook system to latch onto the keg handles. Then, you use the attached drill device to raise and lower the keg as you see fit. Two rear wheels allow employees to move around smoothly and quickly. Each piece is made of durable powder-coated metal, so you can rely on this product for years to come.
Thanks to the lifter's slim profile, storing kegs is a breeze. You can maneuver around tight corners and place kegs on shelves with ease. The design ensures that the keg won't tip over when in the raised position, so don't worry about secondary or indirect worker injuries either.
When your lunch or dinner rush hits, you can't waste time trying to move around discarded and empty kegs. Also, you don't want workers to strain themselves even more by rushing to change kegs once one is tapped out.
With The Keg Lifter, you can utilize shelves and a more comprehensive organization system. For example, one corner can be for empties while the rest of the room holds full kegs. Since you can maneuver around tight spaces, your room can be fully stocked without sacrificing speed or productivity. And, as we all know, a more productive keg room equals higher profits.