Sack trucks are essential in schools, supermarkets and demanding working environments where heavy lifting is a daily task. They lighten the load on warehouse operatives and factory workers. While they can help speed up everyday processes in distribution facilities and stock rooms. But what are sack trucks, and why should you invest in them?

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this essential piece of equipment. Meaning your heavy lifting work will be so much easier. We’ll explain the different models available, and we’ll provide you with top tips on choosing the right sack truck for your school or business.

What Are Sack Trucks?

Sack trucks (also known as dollies, sack trolleys and hand trucks) are two-wheeled carts designed for transporting heavy loads. While they vary in size and design, most models feature a robust steel framework, a toe plate or platform to support bulky loads, integrated handles and heavy-duty wheels that glide across flush floor surfaces when the truck is tilted.

Due to their versatility, sack trucks are commonplace in schools, warehouses, factories, hospitals, mailrooms, breweries and larger office environments. They remain a popular choice for those working in logistics, too. They are a simple yet practical solution to heavy lifting, and they could help you comply with workplace safety regulations.

What Are The Benefits Of Sack Trucks for Heavy Lifting?

Heavy lifting is a significant cause of back injuries in the UK. Yet it is something that we can easily avoid. By providing workers with quality lifting equipment such as sack trucks. Employers can significantly reduce the risk of manual handling accidents in the workplace without investing in expensive automated or mechanical systems.

Other benefits of using sack trucks in schools and professional working environments include:

  • Improved Productivity: With a sack truck at their disposal, your warehouse operatives will be able to fulfil orders that require heavy lifting at speed, load and unload transport in minutes, and distribute bulky orders in no time. Using trucks and trolleys in the workplace is a great way to improve workflow and productivity without putting additional strain on your employees.
  • Space-Saving Design: Office and warehouse spaces come at a premium in the UK, and larger pallet trucks and distribution trolleys can be bulky to store. Sack trucks are compact by design, and many models feature folding footplates to allow for convenient storage when not in use.
  • Covid-19 Compliance: Made from aluminium or power-coated steel sack trucks are easy to clean and sanitise, therefore they can help businesses comply with Covid-19 rules. You can wash them down between shifts and reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission in the workplace.

Choosing The Right Sack Truck For Your Heavy Lifting

As we mentioned earlier, sack trucks come in many sizes to suit a wide range of manual handling tasks. Here we provide a brief overview of the different models available to help you choose the right one for your warehouse, factory, school or distribution department.

General Purpose Sack Trucks: As the name suggests, general-purpose sack trucks are suitable for all applications and industries. Some with folding toe plates and others with a self-supporting design. The average weight load capacity for this type of sack truck is around 250kg meaning it can help with heavy lifting.

Folding Sack Trucks: An investment for smaller warehouses, schools, and office spaces; folding sack trucks fold neatly for storage. Therefore their folding designs makes them highly portable and ideal for delivery drivers. While compact models can support around 90kg in weight, heavy-duty folding sack trucks can easily accommodate 200kg and more.

Stairclimber Sack Trucks: Equipped with tri-wheels; stairclimber sack trucks glide up and down staircases with ease. Therefore they are perfect for multilevel schools, office blocks, and workshops and ideal for moving stacks of chairs.

Heavy Duty Sack Trucks: Designed to transport heavy loads of up to 400kg; heavy-duty sack trucks are suitable for daily use in demanding working environments. With a robust framework and durable rubber wheels, they are perfect for lifting and shifting heavy boxes. Perhaps why they remain the number #1 choice for warehouses and distribution centres.

White Goods Sack Trucks: If you move washing machines, fridges, freezers and dishwashers, a white goods sack truck is ideal for you. Specifically designed to transport white goods, they feature a rubber-protected framework, large toe plates, and pneumatic wheels.

For more tips and interesting articles on all things trucks and trolleys, check out the rest of our blog.