As everyone in our industry knows, moving granite countertops and slabs can be dangerous. Great caution and care must be used when moving and transporting them. An accident in the workplace does not only cost time and money, but it could injure or kill an employee. Granite carts, transportation racks, and buggies are essential tools in fabrication shops and on jobsites. Choosing the right one for the right job is essential.
Types of Granite Carts
There are many different types of granite carts, and it is important to note that using the right one is vital to overall productivity and cost. Training employees to recognize the differences is important. The most notable differences are physical size, capacity rating, single or double-sided capability, and overall stability.
Dolly Carts and Small Trolleys
Dolly carts are mostly used for moving small pieces on the install jobsite (i.e., in homes or offices). Since they are small, they fit in install trucks. Their light weight allows installers to pick them up easily.
Single (SS) and Double-Sided (DS) Carts & Buggies
You can always find different capacities for different needs. Smaller carts are usually kept by the CNC saw and/or CNC router. They are used to keep entire jobs together for staging at the polishing area or in an area to be loaded for installation.
Drywall Carts
These are used similarly to SS and DS carts. If a company does many smaller jobs, then these work well. Drywall carts have weight capacity limits, so some jobs need to be on two or more carts. Again, they’re used for staging in different areas and general transport around the shop. Some have four swivel casters, and others have just two. Always make sure at least two of the swivels have a wheel lock.
Cart Safety
Here are some cart safety guidelines you should always follow:
- The largest carts and transport racks can move full slabs around the shop or to a machine or polishing area.
- Great care must be taken, and all floors must be mostly level and free of debris. The area above the cart must be clear of anything the top of the slab could run into.
- Most carts have a strap or pole to secure the slab to the cart to prevent it from falling over.
- Never use a cart for a full slab that is not rated for the correct capacity. Most slabs are in excess of 800lbs and can be over 1000lbs.
The Right Carts
The right granite carts will:
- Encourage labor savings and allow fewer people to do more work
- Improve employees’ physical well-being; using a cart is better than carrying
- Allow for the staging of jobs/keeping work and shop flow moving
The right carts can even benefit jib and workstation cranes by cutting labor and saving workers from injury while moving large pieces of granite manually.
With this guide to the many types of granite carts and how to find the right one, you’re now more equipped to handle this material safely. Use the information above to stock up on the right granite carts so you can keep yourself and the workpiece out of harm’s way.