Generally speaking, ergonomics is a neglected topic in many workplaces, and many who do physically hard work are unaware of many of the risks they are taking, because they are not good at picking up the signals sent by their bodies. Therefore, it is our mission to inform you of the importance of ergonomics in the workplace, and to keep developing our products in a more ergonomic direction.

Our products are developed under the motto “by masons for masons”, which means that ergonomics is incorporated in every one of our product solutions. The ergonomic solutions in our forced action mixer are what we, in collaboration with Charlotte Andersen, Occupational Therapist at Vasegårdens Klinikker ApS, will highlight in this post.

The forced action mixer is more ergonomic than its alternatives

But first, let’s start with the basics: Why is a forced action mixer ergonomic when you use it? It’s because you reduce any potential stress on the body associated with things like mixing large amounts of material in a cement bucket with a stirrer apparatus, where you personally have to expend a lot of manual strength on making the mixture. An alternative to the forced action mixer might be a drum mixer, however that is much heavier to maneuver, and tipping the drum to transfer the mixture into a wheelbarrow requires a huge power discharge.

But which elements make a SoRoTo forced action mixer ergonomically correct? Well, first of all, the SoRoTo forced action mixers weigh less than other forced action mixers on the market – as an example, our forced action mixer with a mixing capacity of 120L is 30% lighter than other forced action mixers on the market with the same mixing capacity. At 40L, we have the smallest forced action mixer on the market, invented back in the day to be brought upstairs in a high rise, but we also have forced action mixers as large as 300L, giving you a broad selection of models that can meet many different needs.

Next, a SoRoTo forced action mixer can be height-adjusted using the telescopic legs, giving a SoRoTo forced action mixer some of the same advantages as a height-adjustable table, ensuring optimal working height. Charlotte Andersen elaborates on the importance of correct working height here:

Telescopic legs

“The telescopic legs on a SoRoTo forced action mixer allow you to set the machine height according to your individual needs. They decrease the stress on your body, enabling you to work with your hands at a better height. I recommend doing heavy work with your hands 15-20 cm below elbow height, which is possible here”.

“Furthermore, your center of gravity is improved when setting the telescopic legs to the highest setting, making it considerably easier to tip it for transport. That way you use less muscular exertion and you put less strain on your back than you would if the mixer wasn’t height-adjustable”.

There are other advantages of telescopic legs than just allowing height adjustments, as they make it easier to tip the forced action mixer when needing to move it. Another thing that helps make a SoRoTo easier to transport is the loading wheels placed on the sides of the handle. This is because the loading wheels make it easy and comfortable to load a forced action mixer onto a trailer or into the bed of a truck, as you let the wheels do the work for you. This reduces shoulder and back strain, and it also protects your vehicle because you eliminate the risk of scratches.

Bucket stand for cement bucket

But it is not only the telescopic legs on the SoRoTo forced action mixer that contribute to a better working height. Another element that helps provide this is the bucket stand for the cement bucket that allows the placement of the cement bucket at a more natural height. According to Charlotte Andersen, this saves more bodily wear and tear than you might think:

“By raising the cement bucket 25-28 cm from the floor, you actually reduce strain on the body by about 50%”

…she says, continuing: “... It may surprise some that a relatively minor change in height means that must less strain. This, however, is due to the fact that you avoid lifting with vulnerable areas of the body, such as your lower back, which is why the tipping great provides a huge reduction in possible stress, there in particular”.

However, a better working height is not the only advantage of placing the cement bucket on a bucket stand. By placing the cement bucket closer to the opening of the tray, you are also reducing the risk of having the bucket tip over when your mixture enters the bucket at high speed. Therefore, you don’t need to hold the bucket with one hand while opening the damper, which is a very inexpedient position.

Why did we opt for removing the knife on top?

There are many arguments for and against the knife on top of the forced action mixer. Our prior models of forced action mixers have been both with and without knives, but for ergonomic reasons, we decided to remove it, because we want to take responsibility for the wellbeing of our users. You might wonder what that has to do with being responsible for your wellbeing? It is because the knife is used for opening sacks of cement, etc. in a very inappropriate way for the body. This is because lifting a cement bag in your outstretched, raised arm makes for a much worse lift, based on the National Working Environment Authority’s guide about lifting, pulling, and pushing.

To be more specific, we collaborated with Charlotte Andersen to calculate the strain on your intervertebral discs from the lift of a cement bag weighing 15 kg, which can eventually cause a herniated disc.

” Lifting a bag of cement weighing 15 kg in your outstretched arm creates a pressure on the discs in your back of almost 200 kg. A young, fit man can tolerate a maximum disc pressure about 340 kg. If you are not fit or young, you can tolerate less. This means that a single lift in your outstretched arm of a cement bag weighing 15 pounds can subject your body to excessive strain”.

Assigning concrete numbers to the way we treat our bodies paints a good picture of the bodily wear and tear that can result from having a physically hard job, and it can be risky to have to drop a heavy bag of cement from a height above shoulder height, since that is precisely what Charlotte Andersen recommends you don’t do.

” With SoRoTos forced action mixer you will want to lift the cement bag while holding it close to your body, after which you place it on the top grate on the mixer and open the bag with a knife while it lies on the top grate. That way you avoid lifting above shoulder height and twisting your body. Using the telescopic legs, you can set the mixer to low height, until you have poured the cement into the mixer. You can also place the bag on the mixer’s bucket stand if you want to divide your lift into two actions”.

Is the trowel holder just a sales gimmick?

When discussing ergonomics, we often talk about weight and weight distribution, but there are two exciting features of our forced action mixer that concern repetitive work actions, which we want to mention in concluding this blogpost. One is our trowel holder, which may seem like a simple sales gimmick, because it is nothing more than a small metal holder for your trowel, but actually the feedback from masons has been that it is very useful, because you use and put down your trowel countless times throughout your workday, and that way you avoid bending over several times. In addition, you always know where to find your trowel – so don’t underestimate the advantage of a simple, but smart, feature like the trowel holder.

The last ergonomic feature we want to mention in this blogpost is the mixing arms of the machine. What’s special about the mixing arms of a SoRoTo forced action mixer, ergonomically speaking, is the fact that they are very easy to uninstall and replace without the use of any tools. That way you avoid being hunched over the machine in a forward leaning and inexpedient position while uninstalling the arms, which is done daily in connection with cleaning the machine.

In other words, the forced action mixer is a great choice if you want to protect your body as much as possible when mixing various materials, and in that way, it is an investment in yourself and your health. At SoRoTo, we do everything possible to incorporate the best ergonomic solutions into our forced action mixers, since we ourselves know what it’s like to be the one holding the bag.

To sum up the ergonomic advantages of a SoRoTo forced action mixer, it ensures correct work height in terms of lifting the cement bucket and mixing materials in the tray, thanks to our bucket stand and the telescopic legs. Furthermore, the center of gravity is improved with a SoRoTo forced action mixer, which is due both to the telescopic legs and to the low weight of the machine. The mixing arms are easy to install, so you avoid standing in a hunched-over position while working with tools. The loading wheels make it easier to transport, preventing unnecessary stress and strain on your body.

You can read more about how to work in ergonomic positions in our blog: “5 Great Tips for Better Ergonomic”.