Carl Nattrass

Recent Posts

Culligan Dealer finds flexibility with new PowerMate

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Fri, Jul 09, 2010

Jason Karger from Culligan Quality Water of North Central Ohio loves his PowerMate® because it gives him back flexibility he lost when one of his workers became injured, “…due to his bad back, one of our service technicians was greatly limited from duties” wrote Jason recently, “…for Portable Exchange tank deliveries, discontinued equipment removals and removal of equipment we are replacing it was difficult for him to deal with customers’ steps as well as getting the equipment in and out of his pickup.”

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Tags: Injury prevention, powered dolly, ergonomic strategy, hand truck, power hand truck, electric dolly, profit analysis, profit drivers, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers

A Good Ergonomic Strategy Means More Profit for Your Business

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Fri, Jul 09, 2010

The value of ergonomics goes beyond health and safety. A good ergonomics strategy can add value to a company’s business strategy and ultimately contribute to your business goals of higher profits. An ergonomics strategy can effect profit drivers like cost minimization, productivity, quality, delivery reliability, responsiveness to customer demands and flexibility.

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Tags: Injury prevention, powered dolly, ergonomic strategy, profit analysis, profit drivers, safety moving system, HVAC moving solutions, safety moving systems, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers

Top ten reasons why PowerMate customers buy operator training.

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Tue, Jun 15, 2010

 
  • 1. Safety: Using a PowerMate is the safest way to move boilers, hot water tanks, geothermal units, vending machines, safes, ATM machines, VLT machines and countless other awkward and heavy loads up stairs and on and off trucks. Factory authorized training ensures that the operator understands the capabilities of the machine under various real world conditions.
  • 2. Efficiency: A PowerMate can save time over other forms of moving, like using block and tackle for moving elevator motors for example. Understanding how best to secure the load on your PowerMate can reduce the amount of effort on the part of the operator by ensuring the load is in a neutral balanced position making it easier to operate the unit on stairs.
  • 3. Proper use of the Wheel brakes: The wheel brakes on the M-Series PowerMate are engaged manually. Knowing when to use the brakes can make the difference in terms of safety but also in terms for efficiency. The Wheel brakes broaden the contact with the ground (or stair) and actually add leverage during a move. Training helps operators use the wheel brakes to their advantage. The Wheel brakes on the LE-1 model stair climber are hand operated and training will provide valuable information on when and why you should use them for the safe operation of the machine.
  • 4. Eliminating damage to property: A PowerMate provides the ability to be in complete control of your load at all time, reducing the risk of damage to property or your client's cargo. Training provides operators with tips and techniques on negotiating tight landings, broken stairs or uneven ground.
  • 5. Tips and Tricks: Learn what we have learned based on 30+ years of experience in safety moving systems. How do you easily spin a 750 lb. load on its vertical axis? Training will show you how.
  • 6. Get the most from your machine: The PowerMate LE-1 is a motorized stair climber and a stacker machine. There are two drive screws, one for the wheels and another for the toe plate. This machine is very versatile in that it can ‘front load' or stack product on to a raised surface, like a hearth for example. Training will help operators get the most out of this unique and powerful machine.
  • 7. Compliance: Ensure your operators feel confident with the equipment and they will be more likely to use it. This will save you money in time, labor and injuries. You might also make more money by freeing up labor to work on other jobs!
  • 8. Profit: A PowerMate projects an image of professionalism and is a value added feature of your service because you are actively working to reduce property damage as well as reduce the time required to install. Well trained operators who know and understand this fact are your ticket to more referrals!
  • 9. Insurance premiums: The use of a PowerMate has proven to reduce job site injuries, injury claims, property damage and damage to your client's product. Add to that PowerMate training and you have a winning combination to negotiate for lower insurance premiums.
  • 10. Reduced maintenance costs: Our training programs provide tips on how to keep your machine running in tip-top shape for trouble free operation for years to come. This will save you yet more money over the long haul.
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Tags: Injury prevention, powered dolly, power hand truck, safety moving system, safety moving systems, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers

PowerMate TailGate Lift

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Fri, Apr 09, 2010

L P International Inc., the manufacturer of the successful PowerMate motorized hand truck line has developed a new safety lifting device developed specifically for installation in vans.  The new device, called the PowerMate LiftGate, is mounted inside your delivery van and is ideal for moving drain cleaners, compressed gas cylinders, hot water tanks, furnaces and other HVAC products on and off your vehicle.
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Tags: Product Information, Injury prevention, Announcements, HVAC moving solutions, HVAC-R, tailgate lift

Jobsite Injuries and Your Business

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Thu, Feb 18, 2010

All good employers take jobsite safety seriously as this makes good business sense. The cost of one lost-time injury can run an employer on average close to $29,000 in direct and indirect costs*. In the HVAC and plumbing industry, the majority of lost-time injuries are a result of physical strain resulting from moving heavy loads by hand or using a regular hand cart. Boilers, geothermal units, drain and sewer cleaners, AC units, heat pumps, cast iron bathtubs and large furnaces are usually the culprits. Some of these items can weigh over a thousand pounds and many need to be moved up or down stairs.

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Tags: moving boilers, Injury prevention, powered dolly, power hand truck, safety moving system, HVAC moving solutions, HVAC-R, safety moving systems, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers

Moving boilers, a thankless job

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Thu, Feb 18, 2010

Today's post asks the question, Isn't there a better way to move residential boilers in and out of the basement other than by the sweat of my brow?" As luck would have it there is such a solution. The PowerMate motorized stairclimbing handtruck has been designed specifically to move heavy objects up and down stairs. A motorized stairclimber is an electrically powered dolly or hand truck that has one, or sometimes two drive screws that move the wheels of the dolly up or down the frame. This feature allows the operator to easily break the load back and rest it in a balanced position. What's more, the movable wheels are the key to the PowerMates ability to ‘walk' heavy loads up and down stairs and even on and off trucks.

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Tags: moving boilers, powermate blog, Injury prevention, powered dolly, power hand truck, safety moving system, HVAC moving solutions, HVAC-R, safety moving systems, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers

PowerMate ROI

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Wed, Feb 10, 2010

What kind of return can you expect from your PowerMate®?

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Tags: Product Information, moving boilers, powermate blog, Injury prevention, safety moving system, HVAC moving solutions, HVAC-R, safety moving systems, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers

How to make more with less in the HVAC industry

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Mon, Feb 01, 2010

How to make more with less is something we'd all like to be able to do, especially when it comes to money or profits.  In the case of safety moving equipment this is very easy to do. The PowerMate® stair climbing hand truck is a safety moving and lifting device that is designed to allow the operator to move and lift heavy loads safety and easily. In the HVAC industry where moving commercial or residential hot water tanks, AC units or boilers is the name of the game, a PowerMate® motorized hand truck gives you the option to do more installs with the same amount of people. A PowerMate does 100% of the lifting and reduces the effort on the part of the operator by 87% according to a recent independent study. More installs per day means more profit. More with less.
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HVAC and Jobsite Injury Prevention

Posted by Carl Nattrass on Wed, Jan 20, 2010

 The jobsite can be a hazardous place. All good employers take jobsite safety seriously, this makes good business sense as the cost of one, lost-time injury can run an employer on average close to $29,000 in direct and indirect costs*. In the HVAC and plumbing industry the majority of lost time injuries are a result of physical strain injuries from moving heavy loads by hand or using a regular hand cart. Boilers, geothermal units, drain and sewer cleaners, AC units, heat pumps, cast iron bathtubs and large furnaces are usually the culprits. Some of these items can weigh over a thousand pounds and many need to be moved up or down stairs. The traditional hand truck is not the ideal moving solution as the operator still needs to ‘lift' the weight over curbs, on or off trucks or in the worst case scenario up or down stairs.

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Tags: Injury prevention, HVAC-R, safety moving systems, powered hand trucks, motorized stair climbers