Back to all articles

How To Move Supermarket Roll Cages Safely

Manually moving a roll cage

Roll cages, also known as wheeled cages, warehouse cage trolleys, roll containers or retail cages – are used extensively in retail and warehousing operations.

Individual goods, stock and products are loaded into roll cages and then transported from distribution centres and depots to their final destination, the supermarket.

How are roll cages moved?

Traditionally, individual cages are moved manually. Expecting staff to manually push or pull cages, often weighing up to 500kg, presents several safety challenges, which many businesses are looking to overcome with our Roll Cage Movers.

How are roll containers used in retail deliveries?

A loaded roll cage being pushed manuallyWhen it comes to retail deliveries, roll containers are loaded into the back of a delivery lorry by hand.

With fully loaded retail cages weighing up to 500kg, manually manipulating and positioning these within the lorry can lead to strains and the risk of trapping hands.

On arrival at retail stores, a delivery driver then unloads the supermarket cages, again by hand.

Often, city centre deliveries make this task even more difficult, with drivers typically having to park 100 metres or more away from where roll containers need to be unloaded. This can often mean drivers have to manually push heavy retail cages over long distances and on inclines.

Roll cage safety infographic
Showing what roll cages are used for in retail
Roll-cage-infographic-03-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-04-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-05-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-06-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-07-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-08-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-09-scaled
Roll-cage-infographic-10-scaled
Roll Cage Safety Infographic Transcript

Safety Risks of Moving Heavy Roll Cages

What are roll cages used for?
Roll cages are used extensively in retail, logistics and warehouse environments to store and deliver stock

1/3 of accidents in businesses using roll cages are roll cage related

35% of accidents in the logistics or distribution sector involve the handling of roll containers

20% reported accidents in supermarket chains involve the handling of roll containers

How heavy are roll cages?
Loaded retail roll cages can often weigh up to 500 kg

How are they moved?
Traditionally, individual roll cages are moved manually

Common manual handling injuries involving roll cages:

  • Stains from repetitive movement
  • Musculoskeletal disorders
  • Moving roll cages on slopes
  • Injuries from loading and unloading

Maximise safety with a Roll Cage Mover

  • Zero manual handling
  • License-free
  • Total load security
  • Works on slopes

Get in touch with our team today
+44 (0) 1335 30 10 30
sales@mastermover.com
mastermover.com

What are the manual handling risks of moving roll cages?

Manual handling of a roll cage

The Health and Safety Executive reports that most retail cage injuries result from:

  • Pulling or pushing heavy supermarket cages on slopes
  • Trying to prevent rolling cages overbalancing
  • Repetitive loading and unloading
  • Trapping hands and feet
  • Incidents resulting in roll containers falling off tail lifts during loading and unloading.
  • Risk of crushing from unbalanced roll containers

How do you move a retail cage safely?

Moving heavy roll containers manually should be avoided where possible. Retailers should implement handling aids like electric Roll Cage Movers for moving heavier cages or where movements are over longer distances or on inclines.

Where the manual movement of cages cannot be avoided, staff should only move one cage at a time, and it’s recommended to push the cage instead of pulling it, as this helps reduce the strain of twisting.

Tips for safer roll container movement

A SmartMover moving a loaded roll cage up a slope towards a tail-lift vehicleIn addition to handling aids, there are several simple actions retailers can take to improve the safety of handling roll containers:

  • Quality castors wheels and bearings help reduce the resistance when manually moving
  • Routine maintenance of cages is essential
  • Ensure roll containers are in full working order
  • Replace damaged supermarket cages with new ones
  • Correctly load roll containers with heavier items at the bottom

Maximise safety with a Roll Cage Mover

With the Health and Safety Executive reporting that 1/3 of accidents in businesses using rolling cages are cage related – retailers must prioritise cage safety.

Our Roll Cage Movers enable retailers to reduce the risk of injuries and improve workplace safety. With a compact, easy-to-use design, operators can move single or multiple cages with complete control.

 

Roll Cage Mover FAQs

Can a Roll Cage Mover work with all types of cage?

With a customisable clamp, a Roll Cage Mover can connect to most cage designs. We also provide an array of adaptors to allow you to connect to your cages.

What wheel set up should my roll cages have?

For best control and manoeuvrability with an electric tug, we recommend cages are set up with a 2 x fixed, 2 x swivel castor wheel configuration.

Do I need a license to use a Roll Cage Mover?

No, all of our Roll Cage Movers are license free and easy to use.

Can they work on slopes?

Our Roll Cage Movers can safely work on slopes and are designed to hold roll cages on slopes if an operator needs to stop.

Can I move more than one cage at a time?

Yes, we offer a unique system that enables you to link multiple cages together and move them using the Roll Cage Mover.

 

Book an on-site demonstration to discover injury-free roll cage moving

Complete this short form to arrange an on-site demonstration.