The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, has set forth guidelines for workplace safety that all employers must follow. On top of this, the automotive industry requires heavy parts moved from one part of the facility to the next, which opens up the possibility of injury. The automotive industry relies on the right casters during production to keep things moving smoothly and to prevent worker injury.

The Right Caster Wheels Reduce Risk

The automotive industry knows all about incredibly heavy loads, and employees often put a lot of effort into moving those loads safely from one area to another. Caster wheels that aren’t ergonomic or that aren’t designed to support the tremendous weight can cause overexertion, strains, and lack of productivity. Casters for the automotive industry should reduce noise, absorb shock, and adequately support the loads they are intended to carry. This offers maximum protection to the workers and ensures they are kept safe – and it helps to meet OSHA regulations, too.

Less Frequent Replacement & Repair

Casters in the automotive industry are put under a great deal of strain. Line delivery carts are often loaded with fork trucks or directly from assembly lines, which means the casters must be able to absorb the shock without breaking or becoming otherwise damaged. Line delivery carts also have quite a bit of friction on the floor, and this is especially true as more carts are added to the chain. Choosing caster wheels that absorb shock and reduce friction can go a long way toward reducing the number of times the wheels must be repaired or replaced, thus saving automotive facilities money and time.

Water and Chemical Resistance

Water and chemicals are everywhere in automotive facilities. For this reason, using the wrong caster wheels can be detrimental. For some materials, water can cause rust and corrosion very quickly, endangering those responsible for moving the loads. Chemicals can erode right through some materials in much the same way. The right caster wheels in the automotive industry must be able to resist water, chemicals, and even flammable materials that are so common in these locations. Otherwise, these loads become downright dangerous and may collapse or start a fire.

Hearing Protection

Machinery in the automotive industry is quite loud, so the casters to move loads across the floor should be as quiet as possible to reduce overall noise in the workplace. Certain types of casters and caster materials are better at reducing noise than others, so it is important to do your research and learn which ones are best in which situations. Oftentimes, things like the material itself, the tread material, and even the bearings used in the caster will all come into play, so speaking with a caster professional is often the best option if you want to reduce workplace noise.

The automotive industry is a very popular one, but like many others, it comes with inherent dangers. Some of the most common injuries in this industry and others can be avoided simply by choosing the right caster wheels for each individual load.