Businesses are continually looking for ways to improve the safety of their working conditions while maintaining efficiencies in the workplace. Of course, safety always comes first for employees, but solutions that provide both safety and efficiency are a win-win for everybody. Self-dumping hoppers are the type of industrial container that not only save time when transporting and disposing of materials, but they can also increase safety for employees performing their daily work duties.
The most common on-the-job injuries are from slips, trips, falls, muscle strains, falling objects, and machinery accidents. Self-dumping hoppers help minimize potentially dangerous activities where these injuries are possible. Different hoppers have different uses, but they all work to assist with the safety and efficiency of the workplace. Learn more about hoppers and the benefits of self-dumping hoppers below.
What are hoppers?
Dump hoppers, or simply hoppers, are containers designed to temporarily store refuse and other materials for transport to a more permanent dumping location. Users will often fill a hopper on site with warehouse, construction, or agricultural supplies and relocate it to another off-site location using its wheels, a forklift, or some other vehicle for transportation.
Once at the new location, a self-dumping hopper can tilt the material into another container, such as a dumpster, dump truck, or onto the ground. Then, it will return to a locked and upright position. This way, an employee does not have to strain themselves loading and unloading supplies from a container and risk injuring themselves. The hopper allows for quick, safe, and effective material transport.
Hoppers are often constructed out of plastic or metal and come in various sizes with different load capacities ranging from 2,000 pounds to 6,000 pounds. Some include casters for easy push transport. Others may require forklift transportation or come equipped with their own motor for moving across all types of terrain. Certain styles may even come with a lid option to help hide exposed scrap from the view of customers or to keep it safely out of the way when not in use. A few of the more common hopper designs are detailed below.
Low Profile- These hoppers are ideal for limited overhead workspace, such as under a conveyer belt or other low work stations. They can help collect leftover material from sites such as manufacturing plants and wheel it safely away from the building, without putting undue strain on employees.
Heavy-Duty- These types of hoppers are often made of steel and are designed to hold a wide variety of heavy or awkward material. Some are top loading and others have open sides for holding a variety of materials such as long pieces of wood, metal, or other large objects.
Self-Dumping- Hoppers that are labeled “self-dumping” may require a little manual force to tip forward, but they fully dump when prompted and automatically return to an upright position when the contents have been emptied. Most of these designs come with a locking mechanism that prevents the bin from tipping when it is not supposed to tip. A user generally must release this locking mechanism when they are ready to unload the hopper.
Steel Chute- This kind of hopper is wide at the top and funnels to a thin bottom on one side. These types of hoppers are ideal for handling large loads of smaller material such as nails, liquid, or sand that may otherwise get stuck in a typical hopper. These can be transported using a forklift. When the material needs to be dumped, a release cable can be pulled to open the door on the bottom for the material to fall through.
Although hoppers are relatively simple devices, their diverse applications make them ideal for a variety of workplace environments. No matter what the bulk waste disposal needs are of a company, there is likely already a hopper designed to handle it.
Sanitation and Other Benefits of a Self-Dumping Hopper
Self-dumping hoppers are extremely useful in a variety of workplace settings. They are often used for holding recyclable materials and in construction, manufacturing, and storage settings. The easy-to-use design is also helpful for employees who may frequently use the hopper. Because of this, companies rarely have to convince their employees to utilize the device. Other benefits of self-dumping hoppers are explained below.
Self-dumping hoppers are safe to use.
One of the biggest benefits to a self-dumping hopper is that they increase safety in the workplace, especially for those jobs that routinely handle large or potentially dangerous materials. Employees can easily place materials into the hopper and transport them to a dumpster or secondary location without a lot of hands-on exposure.
The simple mechanism for dumping and returning to an upright position also reduces injury risk for employees handling and transporting these materials. In addition, they don’t have to be extensively trained in using a more complex machine or risk injuring themselves trying to maneuver a lot of moving parts. Many hoppers allow for dumping at safe distances, so employees don’t have to be anywhere close to the container when it is unloading materials.
Self-dumping hoppers come in a several types of designs, meeting a variety of needs for different materials. Many designs include safety features and are specifically created to safely handle irregular, large, and hazardous material.
Self-dumping hoppers are durable.
Many self-dumping hoppers are constructed out of steel, which can withstand heavy use day in and day out. These aren’t your average dumpster. Hoppers are designed to handle tough materials and rugged conditions. Their simple design means there aren’t a lot of parts that can go bad or become damaged, which would render the hopper effectively useless. Instead, they are built to last with only the most durable of materials.
There are different load capacities for hoppers, however. So, it is important to choose one that can handle the types of loads you expect to burden it with so it is not overtaxed.
Self-dumping hoppers are useful for many applications.
Self-dumping hoppers can be used in a variety of workplace settings. For construction, a hopper can be used to store and haul scrap material away from the build site. As a pre-determined central location for these materials, the hopper can keep the build site free from debris and reduce the risk for workplace injury.
In manufacturing, a hopper can collect waste material from various places along the process. Many hoppers can be fitted with attachments such as a feeding device, which makes the collection job even easier.
In an office setting, a hopper can be used as a large item trash receptacle or recycling collection bin. When the hopper is filled, it can easily be transported and dumped at the appropriate location.
For agriculture, a hopper can help haul waste material and leftover food supply away from the fields to a secondary location. The off-road hoppers are especially designed to be used in these types of outdoor settings.
Self-dumping hoppers keep things sanitary.
A warehouse or manufacturing site may be required to keep certain sanitation levels in the workspace in order to comply with local and federal guidelines. Self-dumping hoppers can provide the right type of receptacle for keeping environments clean and sanitary. Materials left on the ground or in less durable or ill-fitted containers may be hazardous and cause injury to an employee. Not only do self-dumping hoppers help a company meet safety codes, but they also help businesses run more efficiently and are easy to use. There are very few reasons not to use one!
Self-Dumping Hoppers from Platforms and Ladders
Platforms and Ladders is committed to helping businesses like yours find the right self-dumping hopper for your needs. There are a variety of types, styles, and sizes of hoppers, which can feel overwhelming when you aren’t already familiar with these containers. Our trained and knowledgeable staff can help guide you to the right fit for your business needs to help increase the safety and efficiency of your employees.
Our simple and affordable purchase options make getting industrial supplies like self-dumping hoppers easier than ever. Review your options on our website or over the phone with us today. We look forward to serving you.