What does a material handler do?
Material handlers help ensure products, materials and supplies are properly stored at their workplace, which often includes warehouses and production facilities. They often use logistics and supply chain management, handling raw materials and finished products used by the production department.
Material handlers can help keep your production activities moving smoothly by documenting, receiving, loading and unloading shipments. They often also label materials, maintain records and pull materials for production orders.
Material handler skills and qualifications
Material handlers typically interact with workers from different departments and handle a mix of administrative tasks and manual labor. The job often involves hard and soft skills, such as attention to detail, data entry and machine operation.
Consider these skills for your material handler job description:
- Skilled with inventory management software and product labeling systems
- Familiarity with process improvement related to handling materials and managing inventory
- Ability to operate pallet jacks and other warehouse equipment
- Willingness to become forklift operator certified, if needed
- Knowledge of warehouse safety protocols regarding personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Quality control (QC) knowledge, such as how to conduct product inspections during order fulfillment
- Knowledge of handling fragile or hazardous materials (HAZMAT), such as flammable or toxic substances
Material handler experience requirements
A skills-based hiring approach can be effective for material handler positions since workers can often learn on the job. Assessing candidates based on skills instead of education or experience can help you find candidates with attention to detail, problem-solving abilities and other soft skills.
If applicants don’t have previous material handler experience, they may have transferable skills, such as pallet jack operation, shipment receiving or inventory management. You might seek experience in similar roles, such as warehouse worker or receiving clerk.
Material handler education and training requirements
Degrees or formal education requirements aren’t typically needed for a material handler. Instead, skills-first hiring lets you focus on technical skills based on your company’s software and warehouse machinery.
You might prefer candidates with training or certifications on your equipment or the workplace environment. For example, a candidate with warehouse skills and safety knowledge might be a quality hire if they will primarily work in that environment. A material handler working with toxic substances may need a HAZMAT certification.
Material handler salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a material handler is $40,437 per year. However, you might adjust your compensation based on the company’s location or size and your new hire’s qualifications.
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