CustomMHS
Practical guides to the equipment we sell. Written for people specifying it, not for search engines. Every figure is checked against manufacturer data or the published standard.
Each one covers a category end to end: how the products differ, what the specs mean, how to size and choose, and the mistakes that cost money.
Small parts storage
The four bin styles, polypropylene versus fiberglass, sizing against inside dimensions, mounting systems and a verified spec table.
12 sections 10 FAQs Akro-Mils · Quantum · LEWISBins · Kadon · MFG
Safety
Machine guarding versus impact protection, what OSHA 1910.212 requires, how to calculate safe distances, specifying guard rail and bollards, and designing the gates and lift-out sections people need to cross a rail run.
14 sections 12 FAQs Handle-It · MECO · Jesco · Vestil · Mighty Line
Handheld containers
Stack versus nest and the nest-ratio math, the HDPE temperature trap, ESD containers done properly, and returnable packaging economics.
13 sections 12 FAQs LEWISBins · Buckhorn · Quantum · MFG · Monoflo
Bulk containers
Collapsible versus rigid, footprint standards, the two load ratings that are not the same thing, and the return freight math.
14 sections 12 FAQs Buckhorn · Monoflo · Davco · Orbis · Vestil
Cabinets and drawers
The density argument assessed honestly, how to configure the cabinet you actually order, reading gauge and capacity specs, and what OSHA requires for flammables and gas cylinders.
15 sections 12 FAQs Rousseau · Strong Hold · Hallowell · Little Giant
Mobility
Caster selection done properly, the 3-corner load rule most buyers get wrong, push-force ergonomics, why fitting casters can halve a unit's capacity, and choosing drawers, pegboard or bins on a tool cart.
16 sections 12 FAQs Little Giant · Metro · Jamco · Rousseau · Bayhead
Controlled environments
ISO 14644 classes explained, the gowning workflow that writes your equipment list, 304 versus 316, and why open shelving beats solid in a cleanroom.
14 sections 12 FAQs Metro · Eagle Group · Jamco · Nexel · BioFit
Drums and cylinders
Why a full drum weighs 500 lb, which grip mechanism suits your drums, the EPA containment sizing rule, and bonding when dispensing flammables.
14 sections 12 FAQs Wesco · MECO · Little Giant · Vestil
Waste and scrap
The two capacity ratings and which one binds, the density math that decides sizing, dump mechanisms, and what OSHA requires for forklift attachments.
14 sections 12 FAQs Jesco · MECO · Vestil · Akro-Mils · Bayhead
Working at height
What a duty rating actually includes, climbing angles, the OSHA guardrail thresholds at 4 and 10 feet, and choosing materials and caster mechanisms.
14 sections 12 FAQs Ballymore · Cotterman · EGA
Lifting and stacking
Load centre and how it derates your capacity, straddle versus counterbalance, capacity at height, batteries, and the OSHA training rule buyers miss.
14 sections 12 FAQs Logitrans · Presto Lifts · Wesco · Autoquip
Positioning
Why collapsed height matters more than capacity, the 50% rolling load multiplier, how platform size derates you, and ANSI MH29.1.
14 sections 12 FAQs Autoquip · Presto-Lifts · Bishamon · Blue Giant
Floors and ergonomics
Why softer is not better, what thickness actually buys you, slip-resistance figures treated honestly, drainage matting, and when the mat becomes the trip hazard.
14 sections 12 FAQs Apache Mills · NoTrax
Unit loads
The three load ratings and which one actually binds, what makes a pallet rackable, the fire code consequence of switching to plastic, ISPM-15, and the trip count where plastic pays back.
14 sections 12 FAQs Orbis · Triple Diamond · Vestil · MECO-Omaha
Storage structures
Why moving one beam changes your capacity by 42%, frame versus beam versus bay, what L/180 deflection really measures, ANSI MH16.1 load plaques, what OSHA actually says, and roll-out die shelving.
14 sections 12 FAQs MECO · Husky · Hallowell · Keneco
General storage
Why closed shelving carries 76% more than open, per-shelf versus per-unit ratings, the 30/30/15 rule where shelving becomes racking, the solid shelf sprinkler problem, and the 4 to 1 anchoring rule.
14 sections 12 FAQs Hallowell · Little Giant · Metro · Nexel · Rousseau
Security and access
Why 2 inch mesh does not stop an arm, woven versus welded wire, the DEA cage specification written into 21 CFR 1301.72, locks that do not actually lock, and sprinkler clearance.
14 sections 12 FAQs WireCrafters · Vestil
Where the work happens
Why bench height is a task decision spanning 18 to 39 inches, what a capacity rating really covers, worksurfaces compared, ESD workstations to ANSI/ESD S20.20, and IES lighting levels.
14 sections 12 FAQs Rousseau · Pro-Line · Little Giant · Jamco · BioFit
Long and awkward loads
Why a 48 inch arm holds 70% less than a 12 inch one, why base length follows the arm rather than the height, straight versus inclined arms, and what ANSI MH16.3 changed in 2025.
14 sections 12 FAQs MECO Series 1000 · 2000 · 4000
Not listed?
If you are specifying something these guides do not cover, call and talk to someone who does this daily. We would rather answer the question than have you guess.
866-333-0728
Three rules we hold ourselves to.
Dimensions, load ratings and temperature limits come from manufacturer data. Regulatory requirements are quoted from the standard. Where a figure was not published, we say so rather than filling it in.
Where the industry quotes a number that is marketing rather than measurement, we say which it is and show you how to calculate your own.
Each guide includes where the product is the wrong answer. A guide that recommends everything is not a guide.
Every guide is available as a formatted PDF for offline reading and for sharing with your team. The download link sits at the top of each guide.
Tell us the application and we will spec it. Quotes are reviewed by material handling specialists, typically within one business day.
866-333-0728
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About these guides
Written and maintained by CustomMHS. Specifications are as published by the manufacturer and subject to change; confirm against the current data sheet before ordering. Guides covering regulated topics are educational and are not a compliance assessment, risk assessment, or legal advice.