A good mushroom picking trolley should have features that make picking as efficient as possible. Therefore, it should be equipped with solutions that facilitate picking from the top and bottom shelves of the shelving, which are harder to reach. But what solutions exactly? What to look for in a trolley to ensure effective bottom and top shelf picking?
Key takeaways
- A comprehensive lorry (serving the full height of the rack) usually beats a pair of two lorries, because it simplifies aisle logistics, reduces manoeuvring, and saves workers’ time as well as the investment cost of two solutions.
- Ergonomics determines actual efficiency: what matters includes the seat position, the reach to the scales/containers and controls, and limiting unnecessary movements.
- The lighting on the lorry should allow good illumination of every shelf both in the seated and standing positions.
- The minimum and maximum platform height are a critical point, because some lorries do not go low enough for the bottom shelf or rise high enough for the top shelf (especially for shorter people).
- More expensive, better-refined solutions make economic sense, because labour is a key cost on a mushroom farm, and better ergonomics reduce fatigue and increase productivity, thereby improving profitability.
Are specialized trolleys a good choice, or are comprehensive trolleys better?
There are two ways a mushroom growing farm can approach the problem regarding picking from the bottom and top shelves of the shelving. The first option, still in use on some farms, requires using two different trolleys working in parallel.
One of the trolleys is only suited to picking from the bottom shelf, while the second one allows for picking from all the other shelves, i.e., from the second or third shelf all the way to the top one.
Another option is investing in a comprehensive trolley, which facilitates picking from all of the shelves, including the top and bottom shelves. It’s a better solution for many reasons, for example, due to the fact that there’s no need to maneuver two trolleys around the working space, which makes picking easier and safer.
Furthermore, two specialized trolleys would require more pickers – with one trolley that fulfills both of their purposes, labor costs are much lower, as it’s possible to pick the same amount of mushrooms with reduced staff. Lower maintenance costs are also worth mentioning – one trolley takes up less space and is less costly and faster to service than two.
An ergonomic trolley is the way to go
It’s worth making sure that the chosen trolley is ergonomic, as ergonomics equals more comfortable and efficient work. But what physical qualities determine whether a trolley can be called ergonomic?
All of the mushroom containers, remote control panel and other trolley features have to be placed in such a way that they will be easy and fast to reach. Location and optimal construction of the seat are also important – a well-made seat will greatly increase the picker’s comfort.
That’s not all – the picker won’t be able to effectively pick if the shelves won’t be visible enough, so lamps mounted on the trolley need to be properly positioned, to provide good visibility (whether the picker is sitting or standing). It’s worth noting that pickers might differ significantly in height, so modern, ergonomic trolleys should offer the ability to adjust certain elements and features to a given person’s needs.
The platform should lower and rise to the necessary height
The height to which the platform of the trolley can lift or lower itself plays a significant role in the ability to effectively pick from the bottom and top shelves of the shelving.
Some trolleys might have platforms that can’t be lowered enough for the picker to comfortably reach the bottom shelf, even if they are advertised as trolleys capable of bottom shelf picking.
Similarly, not every mushroom picking trolley has a platform whose maximum height will allow it to facilitate picking from the top shelf of the shelving, which can be located quite high. Many pickers might turn out to be too short to reach it easily (or at all).
Summary
After many years of experience in the mushroom growing industry, we’ve come to a conclusion that optimal construction of the trolley, which allows for easy and fast picking from top to bottom shelves of the shelving, should be one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a mushroom picking trolley.
Modern, ergonomic trolleys equipped with optimal solutions might require a bigger investment upfront than cheaper, more basic models, but it’s an investment that will pay off in the long term. They ensure lower maintenance and labor costs (which are one of the biggest costs associated with running a mushroom growing farm) and high efficiency, all while reducing employees’ fatigue, leading to visibly increased profits.
FAQ – frequently asked questions
Is it better to have one lorry for all shelves or two different ones?
One comprehensive lorry means saving money and time. It is a better investment both now and in the longer term.
Why can two lorries in the same aisle get in the way?
Because passing and manoeuvring them along the rack length makes harvesting less smooth and reduces workplace safety.
Which ergonomic elements should be compared before purchase?
Among other things: the design and position of the seat, the distance to the rack shelves (mushrooms) relative to the picker’s position, and the distance/position of the scales, containers, and remote/control panel.
What should be considered regarding lighting on the lorry?
That the light should be mounted in such a way that it effectively illuminates every shelf during seated and standing harvesting, while not dazzling pickers on other lorries.
Why does the possibility of adjusting lorry elements matter?
Because it makes it easier to adapt the workstation to people of different heights and reduces fatigue.
What does a “too high” minimum platform position mean in practice?
It means that harvesting from the bottom shelf is inefficient or even physically impossible, even though the lorry is declared to be “for all shelves.”
What happens if the maximum platform height is too low?
It makes comfortable harvesting from the upper shelves more difficult, especially for shorter people.
Can a higher lorry price pay for itself?
Yes, because better ergonomics and design are meant to provide higher long-term profitability through greater worker productivity and, thanks to the lorry’s generally higher quality, lower maintenance costs.
