Manual loading is not inherently bad. Jobs that involve physical movement also have value.

In the logistics industry, it is often said that "manual loading and unloading is tough."

It is certainly a heavy burden on the body.
Some people hurt their backs, and it becomes harder as you age.

However, when I look at the workplace, I notice something surprising.

Drivers who have been moving their bodies for a long time are often more energetic even as they get older.

Conversely,

* Just sitting and driving
* Just waiting around
* Relying mainly on forklifts
* Not walking
* Not using muscles

People who work in such ways can sometimes decline suddenly.

Humans weaken first in the functions they do not use.

Muscles are especially important.

Muscles are not just for "strength."

* Improving blood flow
* Maintaining body temperature
* Supporting posture
* Reducing fatigue
* Preventing falls
* Maintaining recovery ability

They are truly a "device to slow down aging."

That is why "maintaining muscle" is now considered important in the worlds of medicine and health.

Of course, if you continue to do unreasonable manual loading, you will break your body.

But,

"A way of working that uses no body at all"

this might also be dangerous.

What is important is "moving moderately."

Walking. Holding. Squatting. Stretching.

Such natural movements actually support a healthy life expectancy.

And from now on, it will be important to create an environment where people can work for a long time while utilizing the experience of veteran drivers.

Instead of continuing to do things the same way as when you were young,

* Loading methods that do not cause strain
* Utilizing pallets and dollies
* Light exercise during waiting times
* Improving sleep and diet
* Heatstroke prevention in summer
* Creating routes that are less burdensome on the body

By accumulating such ingenuity, we can create an environment where people can remain active even in their 50s and 60s.

The logistics industry is currently facing a labor shortage.

That is precisely why I think we need a mindset that does not treat people as consumables.

Experienced drivers are a great asset to a company.

The loading techniques, road experience, cargo handling, and sense for preventing accidents that they have cultivated over many years.

These are not easily developed.

That is why we must prepare an environment where they can work for a long time while protecting their bodies.

That may be the kind of management that logistics companies will need in the future.

Gengoro Co., Ltd.
Representative Director Yasuhiko Seki