Many warehouses have an order picking application to make their duties easier. An order picker is also called a stock picker or warehouse selector and these are actually machines that will help pick separate items at different levels of height in a warehouse. These have to be operated by a person and you will need certification for this.
You can use order pickers to stack or transport items to a trolley, pallet or a roll cage from the warehouse shelves so that the merchandise can be transported to stores. You will find different types of order pickers on the market. There are low level order pickers that work on the ground that are flexible and user-friendly. These come with a gentle breaking mechanism and the ability to accelerate rapidly. You will be able to move the order picker between picking stations carefully because of these properties. They come with great ergonomics as well. You can easily manoeuvre them around tight corners in a warehouse. There are also medium and high level order pickers that come with increased reach. This allows you to maximise warehouse storage and utilise larger volumes to store items.
The maximum height an order picker will go will depend on the manufacturer. Generally, you can go up to 11 metres with medium and high level order pickers. You will find these equipment in warehouses that have a lot of stock keeping units. You will need to have an order picker licence to be considered for the job. Training courses for order picking will include how to inspect the machine before operating it, safe operation of the machinery, handling loads correctly, avoiding hazards and moving the machine skilfully. Safety training will ensure that you understand how to keep records properly, carry out important maintenance tasks and also identify different types of lift trucks. You will be provided information on government legislation that applies to this and your responsibilities when it comes to handling this equipment. You will be educated on load limitations and lift capacity. You also have to be aware of how to maintain fuel safety when it comes to propane or electric order pickers and safety procedures in general.
There are businesses that will provide training to employees as a group. Some also provide training to one individual so they can become a trainer for the other employees of the company. If you are planning on becoming an order picker operator, you should have training in fall protection safety. There are also personal safety checks to be maintained, one of which is wearing the safety harness always. The lifting capacities of the order pickers vary according to the model and you will notice that there are different front end carriages depending on different models. These are also designed for rough terrains and outdoor use. There are several attachments that can be used with an order picker, all of which will be covered in training. You also need to know when an order picker can be used; they can’t be used for right angle stacking or transporting loads over long distances.