Introduction
Every warehouse manager in India knows that accidents can occur in seconds. A jammed trolley wheel or an overloaded cart can cause worker injuries, damaged goods, and costly downtime. The humble caster wheel, often overlooked, plays a crucial role in safety. Proper safety practices and care can prevent accidents and ensure seamless operations.
Why Safety Matters in Warehouses & Factories
Worker protection: A trolley with faulty castors requires extra force, leading to strain injuries.
Product safety: Heavy machinery or fragile goods are at risk if wheels fail.
Operational efficiency: Smooth wheels = faster movement of goods.
Common Safety Hazards
Overloading: Wheels used beyond rated load capacity (e.g., using a 150 kg wheel for 300 kg load).
Uneven flooring: Indian factory floors often have cracks or debris, increasing the risk of tipping.
Poor maintenance: Lack of cleaning & lubrication.
Wrong wheel material: Using nylon wheels on oily surfaces → slipping hazard.
Safety & Care Best Practices
1. Load Management
Always calculate load per wheel = (total load + equipment weight) ÷ number of wheels × safety factor.
Example: A 600 kg trolley with 4 wheels → Each wheel must support at least 180 kg with safety factor.
Case Example:
A large e-commerce warehouse was using TPU wheels with 32 mm width, rated for 130 kg per wheel. They faced frequent failures—the core was breaking, and bearings would come out, leaving trolleys unusable. After conducting an audit, we discovered that the trolleys were exposed to frequent shock loads and very high usage. Factoring in safety margins, the actual requirement was 200 kg per wheel.
As per IS 22878, rated load capacity is tested on steel surfaces and does not account for shock loads or uneven weight distribution. By switching to 100×38 mm PU wheels with nylon cores, durability improved significantly, and push/pull forces reduced by 7–8%, improving ergonomics and worker safety.
Takeaway: Always factor in real-world usage conditions—not just rated load—when selecting wheels.
2. Right Wheel Material
Polyurethane (PU): Best for Indian concrete/epoxy floors.
Elastic rubber: Shock absorption for uneven floors.
Nylon: Good for smooth floors but avoid on oily surfaces.
3. Regular Maintenance
Weekly checks for loosened bolts, debris entanglement, or flat spots.
Monthly lubrication schedule.
4. Ergonomics & Worker Safety
Recommended push force: ≤320N for men, ≤220N for women.
Using tapered tread PU wheels can reduce push-pull effort by 10–15%.
5. Accident Prevention in Indian Context
Mark pathways in warehouses to reduce uneven usage.
Train workers to avoid overloading trolleys.
Use braked castors in inclined areas.
Conduct periodic wheel audits to ensure correct capacity and material selection (as shown in the case example).
Also Read: 9 Signs Your Industrial Castors Are Wearing Out and How to Fix Them
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