Dumbwaiters have become the invisible team member of stations, coffee shops, supermarkets and our favourite restaurants. They take on the role of an extra pair of hands, making easy work of difficult jobs, and reducing the risk of injury to members of staff.
One of the reasons why dumbwaiters have become so popular is the massive reduction in workplace injuries. Every year almost a third of workplace injuries that require more than three days off work are due to manual handling injuries: the transportation or supporting of loads by hand or bodily force.
The most common injuries to employees are still slips, trips or falls, accounting for around 37% of all workplace injuries. Handling injuries are second on the list, with a reported 23% of workplace injuries requiring missed work days because of carrying good between floors, offices etc.
The majority of handling accidents cause back injury, leading to an average 17 days off work. In a lot of handling injury cases, the victim never fully recovers. Back injuries can be known to consist way into the future.
Handling injuries can occur in a number of different ways. Loads themselves can be as diverse as a box of goods, animals or a patient and the environment in which injuries occur include everything from a home, a factory to an office, a hospital to a bank, a building site or whilst making deliveries.
If you are repeatedly moving goods between floors by hand, then installing a dumbwaiter will help improve safety and help you meet Manual Handling Regulations. You are legally responsible for the welfare of your staff during their working hours, as well as the health and safety of any visitors to your site. Dumbwaiters will not only help improve safety, but efficiency as well.