This is a forum for the frank discussion of the human aspects of materials handling. Every materials handler tries to manage space, but as humans we tend to spend less time making room for improvement—of ourselves and our fellow workers. We tend to put productivity first and human relations second. Consequently, both suffer. None of us is perfect. But what if we could learn by our imperfection? That’s “Imperfectly Frank’s” philosophy. He’s Modern’s resident expert on imperfection, and he hosts this forum on the bonehead mistakes made on the job and in our relationships with fellow workers. He wants to use this blog as a way to share strategies to improve our culture, starting in the workplace. en-us http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601.html?nid=4312 Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information. Subject to its Terms of Use November 12, 2009 http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/600039660.html?nid=4312 I like technology as much as the next guy, but there are some things I draw the line at—which, funny enough, is what my cartoonist always tells Modern’s editor when they’re hashing out my next “adventure” in the magazine. Believe it or not, I actually read the rest of t… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/870038687.html?nid=4312 Did you know this is Armageddon Week on the History Channel? Every night there’s going to be a program on how close we are to the end of the world. They kicked the week off yesterday with a marathon of shows on “The Seven Deadly Sins.” Greed and Pride were highlighted as the basis … http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1500037950.html?nid=4312 My mom used to say "Good things come to those who wait." I take after my mom. She wasn’t too smart either. I HATE waiting. That two minutes it takes my toaster to burn my Pop Tarts in the morning is downright painful. Not to mention how painful it is to eat a charred, molten… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/800037280.html?nid=4312 Hey, I sat in on Modern’s Lift Truck Customer Satisfaction webcast. The discussion focused on stuff I can relate to. Dumb stuff, like companies cheaping-out on lift truck operator training and why operators don’t wear their restraints. I just saw another report that said workers are pret… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1580036758.html?nid=4312 Do you like music like I do? Then you probably wear headphones a lot. I don’t jog to music, I tend to waddle rhythmically. I wear headphones so much that sometimes I forget they’re on my head and my life takes on a musical soundtrack of its own. It’s become a vice. And lik… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1950036395.html?nid=4312 When I’m having a bad day on the job, there’s always a bright side. Modern might get a cartoon out of it. Most of the Frank cartoons that have run in the magazine revolve around MY mistakes. But once in a while, something happens in the 3D world that rivals even my dumb stunts. … http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/810035681.html?nid=4312 Believe it or not, I’m an optimist. Even with all the trouble I cause, somehow I survive to screw up another day. There’s a place for us in this world—if only to give the pessimists someone to laugh at once in a while. There’s a place for pessimists too. They tend to… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1540034954.html?nid=4312 With all the stupid situations I get into, you might wonder how a train wreck like me still has a job. Comedy relief is my life. During these tough economic times, Modern pays me to lighten your load—at least emotionally. It pays for me to be dumb. But don’t try this at home. He… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1050034105.html?nid=4312 Materials handling has a feature role in another big box office flick that just came out. Remember, a while back we talked about Wall-E? This time the movie is “Eagle Eye,” and MH plays a pivotal role in a chase scene. This time the plot mover is a conveyor that diverts the evil doer off… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1310033331.html?nid=4312 Let's face it. When you're neat, lean and clean, you're more successful. I know--"Who am I to talk?," right? I ain't any of those things. And admit it, if I were those things, what kind of cartoon character would I be? You need someone like me for contrast to neat, lean and clean… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1940032594.html?nid=4312 Remember the sad story I told you of that guy who was disabled after the lift truck he got off of pinned him against a wall? He said he didn’t understand why his lift truck didn’t have a “deadman switch” that would have powered-off the truck when he got out of the seat. Well,… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1700031970.html?nid=4312 If the stuff that happens to me on a regular basis happened to a flesh-and-blood person, it wouldn’t be funny. In fact, few people could survive what I’ve been through in my career as a cartoon character. I'm stepping away from my role as comic relief to act as an intermediary. Let me te… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/100030810.html?nid=4312 My favorite movie is Frankenstein. You got this poor, big, dumb, ugly ox who nobody understands and everyone tries to avoid because he’s an unpredictable monstrosity. I can relate to this guy. He and I even share the same first name—well, technically it’s my first name and part of … http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1500029750.html?nid=4312 You might ask how a dumb guy like me, who gets into all kindsa trouble on the job, keeps his job. How ‘bout comedy relief? There ain't many jobs available for a “comedy relief,” and I guess there’s some level of skill required to be such an artful screw-up.… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1950029195.html?nid=4312 Hollywood has done it again! Another big box office blockbuster features materials handling in several key scenes. Actually, you could say the star is a materials handler himself. The movie is Wall-E and this time the spotlight falls on robotics and vertical carousels. Wall-E (short for Was… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1890028989.html?nid=4312 The reason I have a part time job here blogging for Modern is I have a full-time materials handling day job. The editors wanted me because I set a good example. The magazine shows the kind of stuff I do and you people are supposed to do the opposite. The thing is, I do mean well.… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1230028523.html?nid=4312 Sometimes I think I’m not important enough to get arrested. If I were, though, I’d want to be arrested in the United Kingdom. Maybe then I’d become a better forklift operator. There’s a place in the U.K. called The Glen Parva Young Offenders Institute. It’s an … http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/710028271.html?nid=4312 Hey folks! I just saw that “Incredible Hulk” movie. Three thumbs up! The materials handling in it accounts for the extra thumb. You’ll see conveyors, lift trucks, shelving… and you’ll see this big green guy do something we’ve all wished we could do after a bad da… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1090027709.html?nid=4312 Remember that story ‘bout the boy who cried wolf too much? Eventually he was ignored, and eventually a wolf DID come. It can be that way with lift truck alarms if you ain’t careful. I just saw a report from Hyster Company that evaluated its own accident reports. Turns out, lotsa people g… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/780026878.html?nid=4312 Lotsa guys think safety's a matter of common sense. Yeah, that’s right, guys who work in a warehouse or DC know how to be safe around lift trucks and racks. Gimme a break. If safety was that easy I wouldn’t be takin' so many cartoon pratfalls. I got a lot to learn when… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1950026395.html?nid=4312 You know, if anyone should be depressed, it’s me. You seen the kinda trouble I get into. Heck, you maybe even get a few laughs at my expense. Go ahead, laugh. I know what you’re thinkin’—“Better you than me,” right? A buddy of mine says comedy is based on some oth… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/1240025724.html?nid=4312 You can be the smartest guy in the world, but go into a warehouse and, believe me, folks, the playin’ field gets flat pretty quick. This is a place where common sense trumps book learnin’. And sometimes common sense ain’t so common. My mom always said I wasn’t the sh… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/200025420.html?nid=4312 I may be a cartoon character, but I have feelings too. When Foster Apple responded to my first blog about the cartoonish situations logistics folks get themselves into, I was glad someone out there in the blogosphere was paying attention to me. Unfortunately, what he told me wasn’t very f… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/850025085.html?nid=4312 If you read every issue of Modern like I do, you probably seen those "Imperfectly Frank" cartoons. I almost cancelled my subscription when they started printin’ ‘em. A buddy of mine even told me to sue. There’s gotta be somethin’ about invasion of privacy I could ge… http://www.mmh.com/blog/10000601/post/250024825.html?nid=4312 Hello. I'm Frank. These people here at Modern are wise guys. They call me "Imperfectly Frank" -- just because I'm a little accident prone. Stuff happens, right? Anyway, they had the nerve to ask me to host a blog for them about stupid things that happen on the job. Guess they fee…