Learn how to save your back when landscaping & gardening!
Overland powered carts and powered wheelbarrows have been improving the lives of customers since 2008. The concept came from customers demanding to haul heavier loads but not wanting to compromise usability. The wheelbarrow is a great concept, but has not been improved on in 1,000 years. Wheelbarrows also present numerous health concerns as much of the weight and strain of the load can be put on the user of the wheelbarrow. Overland Carts are always available online – SHOP ONLINE
So what exactly is the problem?
The human back. The American Chiropractic Association estimates that as many as 31 million people are suffering from back pain at any given time and an estimated 80% of the adult population will experience back pain at some point in their lives (Williams). It is also the most frequent injury resulting from days off work in the US is the back. Back pain and back injuries account for 20% of the total time lost due to work place injuries (National Safety Council).
Fred Elliott reports in an OH&S article that “manual material handling can lead to fatigue and to injury, especially when a worker performs the tasks repeatedly or for long periods of time”. So the back is most prone to injury and manual material handling often leads to injury. This presents a problem that most people can relate to. Backs are not designed to take excessive strain over time, yet there are so many tasks that involve moving heavy and awkward items. Enter in the Overland Wheelbarrow, designed from the ground up to make material handling and excessive back strain a thing of the past.
Here are five ways that Overland Electric Wheelbarrows improve safety!
1. Manual wheelbarrows are good but not great
Overland electric powered wheelbarrows pick up where the manual wheelbarrow left off. The original design of the wheelbarrow dates back to a Chinese design in 220 AD (ChinaCulture). It largely has not changed in the last 1800 years. The concept of a wheel in the middle with handles remains the standard wheelbarrow. While the design can handle small loads, it is still very easy to put extra strain, or too much strain on a persons back.
LIFTING
If a person wants to move a wheelbarrow, they are going to have to lift it. There is no way around it. Anne Asher, neck and back pain expert, has studied this and identifies this as a vulnerable maneuver to the structure of the spine. It is open to strain or injury, especially if the wheelbarrow is overloaded. And chances are, the user’s are not going to realize this until they go to pick up their load and move it. The Overland Wheelbarrow eliminates this completely, moving the load without any lifting. Simply pull out the red e-stop button and twist the throttle. The cart does the rest of the work and can handle up to 750 pounds.
GRIPPING AND HOLDING
Holding a traditional wheelbarrow can lead to wrist, arm, shoulder and neck strain (Asher). This is due to supporting the weight of the wheelbarrow. The Overland Wheelbarrow is similar to driving a motorcycle. There is no weight transferred to the user on flat surfaces and minimal weight transfer on inclines. This reduces the strain on wrist arms and shoulders.
MOVING THE WHEELBARROW
Once the wheelbarrow is lifted up and the grip is established, one of the hardest things remains, moving the wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow often has 100-200 pounds in it and even on concrete it takes continual effort to keep the wheelbarrow moving forward. This puts strain on muscles, joints and backs (Asher). Moving up an incline always requires additional strength and provides more opportunity for unhealthy strain. Entering into soft terrain such as grass or light gravel can cause extra stress on the body or even make the entire cart immovable. The lack of weight distribution can lead to the wheel digging ruts in yards and create unstable loads. It is always up to the user to correct the tipping wheelbarrow and a quick reaction can throw a shoulder out.
The Overland Electric Wheelbarrow really shines in this comparison. The Overland starts as a solid steel chassis featuring FOUR wheels for stability. The two drive wheels in the front ensure proper traction. The two rear wheels swivel and are flat free for improved performance. The wheelbarrow is able to handle 750 pounds on a flat surface and 500 pounds on an incline. The cart is very stable even on softer terrain such as grass or stone. It requires almost no effort from the user.
DUMPING THE WHEELBARROW
Once the wheelbarrow is to the location it must be dumped. This presents another issue for traditional wheelbarrows. It takes careful attention from the user to make sure the load is transferred properly out of the bucket and to the ground. If lifted incorrectly, the user’s back may be injured or strained (Asher).
The Overland Wheelbarrow is easy to dump via a quick release G-pin on the side. It takes a little effort to get the load lifted, but once it’s going the natural design of the cart allows for gravity to do most of the work. An exclusive feature to Overland Wheelbarrow is the POWER DUMP option. This option uses an electric lifter to raise the load and dump it. It is operated by a single switch on the front of the wheelbarrow. This completely removes any strain to the user of the Overland Wheelbarrow.
Landscape Stone – Quick Release
OVERLOADING THE WHEELBARROW OVERLOADS YOU
Annie Asher discusses how tempting it is to overload a standard wheelbarrow in her article. It’s extremely common for wheelbarrow loads to be over the capacity of the wheelbarrow and the person pushing the load. This leads to unhealthy muscle, joint and back pains the next day. Overloading can pass extra weight to hips and can lead to users losing their balance as they try to offset the load. Overland Powered Wheelbarrows counter that by providing ample room to haul loads while not passing the extra strain on to to the user.
2. Overland Wheelbarrows are an investment in future health
Human bodies wear out, it is a fact of life. The good news is that there have been gains in the last decade in preventative health care (Dr. Makuc). It is becoming more and more common to see potential health issues and adjust lifestyles and activities to prevent issues in the future. Years of straining backs, muscles and joints can lead to very expensive and painful results to be dealt with in the upcoming years. WebMD lists that in 2005 the average estimated medical expenditures for adults with back pain was $2,590 greater than those without back pain (Williams). Overland offers an easy to use wheelbarrow that reduces strain on the body. In a recent article by the U.S. Department of Labor, it was determined that “one-third of compensable back injuries could be prevented through better job design (ergonomics)”. As mentioned previously, the Overland Wheelbarrows are built to take the beating, not your body. Overland has heard from active customers who appreciate the electric wheelbarrows because it saves their back and helps them to get back to working outdoors without the pain.
3. Reduce Fatigue: Get up to 4 times the work done in the same amount of time.
Overland wheelbarrows not only help to remove strain from key parts of the body, they help get more work done.. FASTER. The build quality of these carts is exceptional and each cart can handle up to 750 pounds. Most traditional wheelbarrow loads are 150-200 pounds and even that can be quite a strain. Overland heavy duty wheelbarrows can handle four times that weight and it’s all powered by electricity, not the muscles.
The hopper sizes on the Overland carts are double most traditional wheelbarrows. Most traditional wheelbarrows feature hopper sizes of 4 or 5 cubic feet. The Overland line of wheelbarrows goes from 6 cubic feet all the way to 10 cubic feet. Overland even offers a 20 cubic foot hopper! The four wheel design provides improved stability for handling large loads. This all helps in one key area, fatigue. Fatigue is a top concern in manual material handling (Kansas State). The more tired a person is, the more likely they are to make mistakes. The body is also less able to appropriately respond to strains. Mental and physical mistakes can lead to health health issues the next day or following months. Repeated days of overwork can lead to increased issues and a need for longer recovery times (Kansas State). Overland Electric Wheelbarrows help reduce fatigue by absorbing the workload.
4. Safety Features Built In!
Overland Powered Wheelbarrows do not just reduce the risk of health issues, they are also built safe. There are numerous technologies that Overland has developed over the years to make the wheelbarrows even safer for users. AutoLock is the most popular feature on the cart. Once the operator lets go of the throttle, the cart quickly rolls to a stop and locks in place. The carts won’t move again until the operator comes and applies the throttle again, disengaging the autolock. This feature is very helpful as the cart can be stopped on inclines or declines for loading/unloading.
HillSense is a feature that was developed for complete control of the cart speed on inclines and declines. Simply adjust the throttle to the desired speed and the cart will stay at that speed. This reduces the risk of a run away cart on a decline and ensures proper control. SmoothStart was developed due to the robust electric drive system. Electric motors provide instant power, there is no need for the motor to rev up. Twist the throttle and the cart automatically dials back the throttle to the optimum start speed and then quickly ramps up to full power. The red e-stop is located right at the front of the cart for emergency safety. Hit the button at any point and power is immediately cut to the cart.
5. Renew Hope in Landscaping!
There was a recent article on health.com discussing the best and worst jobs for people in pain. Landscaping was listed as one of the worst jobs for people looking for pain relief. It listed that lifting, hauling especially in wheelbarrows can cause back pain. Overland Wheelbarrows help with the lifting and hauling aspect of landscaping. There have been numerous customers who purchased this the Overland Wheelbarrow because it allows them to get back outside and do what they love. Landscaping is therapeutic and enjoyable for many people but pain can prevent that from happening.
Common Questions
What is the price range of Overland Wheelbarrows?
Overland Carts & Wheelbarrows are all made in the USA and built to the highest standards. The basic Overland Powered Garden Cart is priced at $2,195.00. This residential cart contains all the features discussed in this article. It comes with free shipping and free lift gate service. The Overland Commercial line of carts starts at $2,495.00. These carts feature a heavy duty Brentwood bucket and dual ag tires. The power dump unit discussed in this article starts at $3,095.00. The power dump unit also includes the extended range battery for even longer run times (9-13 hours). When maximum traction is desired, Overland offers a four wheel drive power dump model for $3,595.00. This unit features two drive axles and an extended range battery.
How is my Overland Cart delivered?
Overland Carts are packed up in a custom crate in Archbold, OH. They are then delivered via freight carrier direct to the customers door. All Overland Carts ship free when purchased from our company website: store.graniteind.com. Overland takes pride in a first rate customer experience, from the moment of order to the delivery of the cart, the hope is for the customer to feel taken care of. Overland also offers free Free lift gate on all Overland Cart purchases. This option allows for easier delivery to residential customers by dropping the cart to ground level.
Who is Granite Industries?
Granite is the parent company of Overland and has developed and manufactured the brand since it’s beginning in 2008. The company itself was founded in 1997 and has built its reputation on heavy duty, USA made products ranging from scaffolding to power carts. More of the product line can be seen here: www.graniteind.com
Where can I learn more about Overland Carts & can I shop online?
The main way to learn more about Overland Carts is to visit the website: OverlandCarts.com. We keep up to date with the latest videos, pictures, blog articles and carts. You can purchase any of the Overland Carts mentioned in this article online at store.graniteind.com.
Important Overland Electric Cart Links
Overland Cart Homepage: OverlandCarts.com
Shop Overland Carts Online: store.graniteind.com/
Overland Carts Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/overlandcarts/
Overland Carts Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/OverlandCarts
Contact us: FORM
Contact us via email: support@graniteind.com
Article References
Anne Asher – Dumping a Wheelbarrow without Injuring Yourself
NOISH & CDC – Basic Guide for Preventing Manual Material Handling Injuries
OH&S and Fred Elliot – Preventing Manual Handling Injuries
US Department of Labor – Back Injuries – Nations #1 Workplace Safety Problem
Kansas State Research – Back Injury Prevention
Health.com – Best and worst jobs for people in pain
ChinaCulture.org – Wheelbarrow History
Dr. Makuc, Dr. Freid, Dr. Kleinman – National Trends in the Use of Preventative Health Care by Women
Williams, Laura – The Real Costs of Back Pain – Treatment and Prevention
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