Here we are in the middle of the 3rd Quarter already. Schools are starting back up here in the states, the summer vacations were great, visiting with all the friends and family was a bit exhausting and everyone's getting ready for that final push through to the holidays next quarter.  

I mention all that because this is a unique time of year regarding employment, careers, and opportunities in our light industrial industry. Production plants are wrapping up the Christmas runs, the manufacturing arena is resetting for the next year, and distribution centers are running full bore again. The kids are back in school and we all are ready for the sprint to the end of the year! 

I’m Marty, and I’d like to thank you for stopping in with Warehouse and Operations as a Career today! We’re going to continue with our Job Description or Warehouse Positions series, but I wanted to take a few minutes and get a few of your questions answered. Going forward we’ll throw in an AMA segment every once and a while, an Ask Me Anything minute or two. It’s so cool to review all the thoughts and ideas being sent in every week, and please keep’em coming!  

Speaking of questions. Someone asked about the baler in the warehouse, lets see, this came from Valeria in Spokane Washington. Today we’ll get that explained and try and gather up some answers to a few other questions as well as speak to the unique time of year it is! 

Let's start the episode off with a broad question from Malone. Malone asked why attendance is such a big deal. She is working, or was working, her first warehouse job. Her background was in the food service industry. Her struggle point was why is tardiness and the occasional call in treated like the associate doesn't want the job or that they don’t care about the company. She stated her restaurant employers understood employees better.  

Retail and restaurant, even fast food and convenience store jobs are great and all of them can make great careers as well. Their management positions can be quite lucrative. And yes, they can be a bit more lenient than the manufacturing, production, and distribution jobs. Its not a difference in the managers or the bosses, its that the responsibilities, regulatory concerns, the workplace environments and the dangers that are present in so many more ways. If we’re late for our department startup meeting we may not be able to work our shift. That’s where we’ll learn about our day, our KPI’s, our production needs, the shifts expectations, and any safety related concerns for the day. That meeting, depending on the job, may be required by some agency, our handbook may stipulate the meeting to be mandatory. You can imagine if your manager had to cover the same speech three or four times as people straggled in.  

Yes, the occasional tardy should be worked with by our employer. Things like traffic, wrecks, and congestion can happen to us. Thats why it's important for us to make it the exception and not the rule .  

You may have heard me, and I always get reprimanded when I say it, that our warehouse careers are like being in the major leagues, or in the big’s! Not that the jobs are better or more prestigious, but that, or I feel that, there's more responsibility and yes, more growth possible in our industry! I’ll get a few emails about that statement! 

Our industry doesn't let NCNS’s slide, the leave earlies and coming in lates don’t work. Our industry has production needs to be met. Safety concerns that need full time focus. A commitment to excellence if you will.  

I hope that answered Malones question. Attendance is paramount in our industry. 

Ok, which position are we discussing today, let's talk about that piece of equipment that’s often tucked away in a corner of the warehouse, but plays a big role in both cleanliness and cost savings, the baler or compactor. 

If you’ve worked in a distribution center or large warehouse, you’ve probably seen one. Big, boxy, and maybe a little intimidating, these machines handle our leftover cardboard, plastic shrink wrap, and sometimes other recyclables.  

A baler is a machine that compresses recyclable materials like cardboard or plastic film into dense, stackable bales. These bales are then tied off with wire or plastic strapping and can be easily moved with a forklift or pallet jack. 

Now a compactor works kind of the same way, but instead of creating bales for resale, it compresses waste materials into a container for disposal. In some facilities, both functions are combined in one position. 

The primary purpose is to reduce the volume of waste materials. Loose cardboard or plastic can take up a massive amount of space in a dumpster or recycling area. By compressing it, we not only keep our docks and aisles clear, but we also reduce hauling and disposal costs. 

In the day-to-day flow of warehouse operations, we generate a surprising amount of packaging waste. Palletized goods arrive wrapped in layers of stretch film. Products often come in bulk cases packed inside cardboard boxes. Pallets of small items may have multiple layers of protective packaging. 

Without a system to manage all this plastic and cardboard, it would quickly pile up, create clutter, and become a safety hazard for the team.  Your facility we may have a sanitation department that separates and brings us cardboard and plastics to bail. 

Here’s how the process typically works.  Sanitation, us, or associates gather empty boxes and plastic wrap at workstations or at collection points like at the end of aisles or the end caps. Then the waste is transported to the baler/compactor area, often using rolling carts, bins, or cages. I’ve seen some great wire cages created for the plastic and cardboard slipsheets.  

So how does this monstrosity work? These matchings can be big and quite intimidating!  

As the bailer or compactor agent, we’ll open the feed door and load our material into the chamber. The door is big, thick, and heavy. You’ll notice the large locking hooks that secure it. This door can be dangerous if not locked properly. 

We need to stack the waste in layers to help the machine create a uniform, dense bale. 

Once enough material is inside, we’ll secure the door back in place and engage the compaction cycle. The hydraulic ram compresses the material, reducing it to a fraction of its original volume. 

When the chamber is full and pressure can’t compress further, the machine signals that the bale is ready. We’ll thread baling wire or plastic ties through the little pre-cut slots to secure the bale.  Once we tie off the wire or crimp the ties we’re ready for the machine to eject the bale onto a pallet where we’ll haul it off or have a forklift operator haul it and stage it for pickup by the recycler. 

Why did facilities create this position you may ask. Couldn't everyone just use the baler when necessary. Absolutely, and some facilities may train several people on how to use it. Like many other tools or machines in the warehouse the baler can be a dangerous machine, its under immense pressure when compacting. And like many of the others, 

when operated properly its safe and a great tool for us. Its use offers several advantages. Lets see, I made some notes here. 

Space Savings, cardboard and shrink wrap can take up huge amounts of space if left loose. A baler reduces that volume dramatically, keeping floors and dock areas clear. 

Safety Improvements, loose materials on the floor are tripping hazards, especially those slick plastic slipsheets. And stacks of uncompressed cardboard can tip over and block doorways or exits. Keeping materials contained improves housekeeping and reduces potential OSHA violations. 

And we can't overlook the environmental impact. Recycling cardboard and plastic reduces landfill waste. Many companies use their recycling programs as part of sustainability initiatives, which is increasingly important to customers and corporations. 

And then there's the revenue from recyclables. Baled cardboard and plastic film can be sold to recycling companies. Prices vary, however larger facilities can generate thousands of dollars annually from these sales, easily offsetting the operational costs. 

Lower Waste Hauling Costs is another huge advantage for facilities that pay by the dumpster or by the haul, compacting means fewer pickups, saving on fees. 

While the benefits are clear, and I briefly mentioned it earlier, balers and compactors are also extremely dangerous if used improperly. 

We have to keep in mind things like crushing hazards: The hydraulic ram exerts tremendous force, enough to crush materials into dense blocks. That same force can cause severe injury or death if a person’s hand, arm, or any part of their body is inside the chamber during operation. We can’t get tangled up either. Loose clothing, jewelry, or long hair can get caught in its moving parts. 

Bales can weigh hundreds of pounds. If improperly tied or ejected without care, they can fall and cause injury. 

Performing maintenance or clearing jams without shutting down and locking out the machine is a leading cause of compactor-related injuries. Lockout and tag out. 

The big one for me is untrained associates operating the machine increases the risk of accidents. As you’ve learned here at WAOC, never touch or even get close to a piece of equipment or machine that you haven't been trained on and certified to operate.  

Your facility should require that all baler and compactor operators be trained and authorized to use the equipment. Safe practices include: 

Our training of course should cover the proper loading, operating, tying, and ejecting procedures. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), gloves to protect hands from sharp edges on cardboard or metal ties. Safety glasses when cutting or tying wire. Steel-toed shoes for protection from the heavy bales. 

And people, never bypass safety devices. Most machines have interlock switches to prevent operation when doors are open. Never override or disable these features. 

Clear communication is a must, see how I through that word in there again. If multiple people work around the baler, operators should signal before starting a compaction cycle. 

And proper material handling is important. Never put non-approved materials in the baler (e.g., metal, glass, hazardous waste). Load evenly to prevent jams. And remember your Lockout/Tagout training, always shut down and lock out the power before performing any maintenance or clearing jams. 

The baler or compactor position may not be the flashiest position in the warehouse, but it’s a vital one. Poor baler management can cause clutter, reduce safety, and slow down operations. A good operator keeps the whole recycling process running smoothly.  The baler or compactor is one of those behind-the-scenes machines that keeps a warehouse efficient, safe, and clean, while also adding a little extra revenue to the bottom line. But it’s also a machine that demands respect. Proper training, adherence to safety procedures, and an understanding of its role in the bigger picture of operations make all the difference. 

So next time you pass by that big machine in the corner, you’ll know it’s doing more than just crushing boxes! 

Ok, I’ve got to get back to work myself now. If you enjoyed todays talk please urge your friend to check it out on there favorite podcatcher and send them over to our Facebook and Instagram pages using @whseops and send us an email to [email protected] with an idea or two. 

Have a great week, be productive, be on time, and be safe in and out of work, the family is waiting at home for us.