How to Use Transport Dollies in Your Warehouse

Dollies are designed to help staff perform heavy lifting safely, and transport items from one location to another without injuring themselves or damaging the products. There are different types of Dollies intended for specific uses, and staff should always be trained to avoid common mistakes when using a transport dolly.

What are Transport Dollies?

Dollies are platforms on wheels designed to move large and bulky items. Once your goods are lifted onto the dolly, moving it becomes much smoother. The load can be secured in place and steered wherever it needs to go. Different types of Dollies serve different purposes. Mostly, these depend on what kind of item needs to be picked up.

Utility Dolly

Utility Dollies are also known as hand trucks. They consist of an L-shaped platform with two wheels and a handle. These tools are versatile, small and convenient. The lower shelf of the dolly can slide under a heavy object and help lift it onto the platform. From there, the trolly is tilted back, and the weight can easily be rolled to its destination.

This dolly serves for all purposes and works well for moving small and large boxes or transporting lightweight furniture. The capacity of this type of dolly is usually around 600 pounds. The large, rubber tires don’t leave marks on the floor, and the dolly is easy to manoeuvre in tight or awkward spaces.

Utility Dollies also work well on-ramps, making this tool indispensable for distribution and transport.

Appliance Dolly

Appliance Dollies match Utility Dollies in structure but are explicitly designed to move large boxes and appliances at heavyweights. They have sturdy nylon straps to secure items in place and rub rails to protect them. The weight capacity is around 700 pounds.

Furniture Dollies

Furniture Dollies are designed to move cumbersome, complex and broad items. They consist of a flat platform with four swivel wheels and a wide base made from wood or steel. These simple contraptions can handle up to 1000 pounds and are essential if you have to rearrange heavy units.

How to Use Transport Dollies to move Storage Boxes

Transport dollies are safe and easy to use. Still, a few simple mistakes could ruin the transport experience, and risk damaging items, warehouse facilities or injure staff. Because of this, anyone using the dollies must be aware of safety procedures.

1. Clear a path, removing all obstacles from the way, between your starting point and destination.2. Put the largest and heaviest box you intend to transport onto the base of the hand truck. Place a second on top of it and keep stacking boxes until you reach the vertical height of the dolly. The highest box should at least be half supported by the back of the truck. Otherwise, it will slide off.3. Create a straight and balanced stack, making sure the boxes are perfectly aligned so that they don’t fall when the dolly moves. Using stackable storage boxes for this task is ideal.4. To move a stack of boxes onto the dolly, slip the bottom plate underneath the boxes. Carefully tilt the hand truck onto its wheels and hold the front of the cargo with your hand to make sure it tips backwards with the dolly.5. Pull the loaded dolly slowly and carefully towards your destination.6. Roll straight over bumps, thresholds, and stairs. Approaching them at an angle could cause the dolly to tip.

To move a heavy box or item onto a furniture dolly (a flat platform on wheels), follow these adjusted steps:

1. Move the dolly close to the item. Lift the side of it onto the dolly. Then position the dolly in place with your foot. Someone else should assist in raising it to a flat base. Keep a firm grip on the item to prevent it toppling or sliding until its resting fully on the dolly.
2. Push gently from the back to roll the loaded trolly to its destination. As these dollies are less mobile and harder to control, take special care around corners and obstacles.

Transport Dollies Make Manoeuvring Boxes in Your Warehouse Easier

No matter how often you lift heavy boxes or need to move items, even a small utility dolly can be a great asset for your warehouse, storage room or distribution channel. Avoid injuries for your staff and safely transport anything with the help of this simple contraption. Making this process easier allows for a more productive warehouse organization and saves staff time and effort. Use stackable euro containers to further improve the transporting experience.

Founded in 1989 as a family-run business, Caterbox is now a market-leading supplier of glass and chinaware as well as catering boxes for the outside catering and event hire industry including transport dollies. Besides a wealth of industry knowledge, they enjoy a customer-focused approach and a vast range of solutions to protect pack and store equipment.

Caterbox is the premier supplier of chinaware, glassware, stacking glass storage boxes and other general catering items to the equipment hire.