If you’re new to warehouse ops—or you’re onboarding a team—material handling terms can feel like a different language. This glossary explains the most common material handling, warehouse, and shipping terminology in plain English, so you can spec the right equipment, communicate clearly with vendors, and streamline day-to-day workflow.
Start here to browse category-level solutions: Material handling hub. Need a quick refresher on the basics? What is material handling?
Industry reference: MHI defines material handling as the “movement, protection, storage and control of materials and products…” Source: MHI
A. Core concepts
Material Handling (MH)
The processes and systems used to move, store, protect, and control materials and products in a facility—from receiving to storage to shipping. Source: MHI
Material Handling Equipment (MHE)
Any equipment used to support material handling, such as pallet trucks, carts, racks, conveyors, lift equipment, and containers. (Often used as an umbrella term in warehousing and manufacturing.) Source: MHI
Unit Load
A group of items handled as one unit (e.g., a pallet of cartons, a tote full of parts). Standardizing unit loads helps speed up moving and storage.
Touch
A “touch” is a manual handling event (pick, move, restack, repack). Fewer touches usually means lower labor cost and fewer mistakes.
Slotting
Assigning products to storage locations based on velocity, size, and handling needs. Good slotting reduces walking and improves pick speed.
B. Warehouse areas & workflow terms
Receiving
Where inbound shipments are unloaded, checked, and staged for putaway.
Putaway
Moving inbound inventory from receiving to its assigned storage location.
Replenishment
Refilling forward pick locations from reserve storage to prevent stockouts.
Staging
A temporary holding area for inbound, outbound, or work-in-process (WIP). Poor staging often causes congestion.
Pick Path
The route a picker takes to collect items for an order. Shorter, clearer pick paths reduce time per order.
Cross-docking
Moving goods from inbound directly to outbound with minimal storage time—useful for fast-moving items.
C. Storage & organization terms
Racking
Industrial storage structures (often pallet racking) designed for heavier loads and vertical storage.
Shelving
Lighter-duty storage systems designed for hand-picking and smaller cartons/totes.
Bin / Tote / Container
Reusable storage containers for organizing parts, tools, and small items—often crucial for accuracy and speed.
FIFO / LIFO
- FIFO (First In, First Out): oldest inventory picked first (common for dated or perishable goods).
- LIFO (Last In, First Out): newest inventory picked first (sometimes used for bulk storage).
ABC Inventory
A method of grouping inventory by importance/velocity so you can place “A” items closer and “C” items farther away.
D. Common equipment terms
Pallet Truck / Pallet Jack
A manual tool to lift and move pallets short distances (dock to staging, staging to aisle). Great baseline equipment for most warehouses.
Hand Truck (Dolly)
A two-wheel cart used to move stacked boxes, equipment, and supplies—common in workshops and backrooms.
Cart
A wheeled platform or multi-shelf unit used to move items during picking, kitting, packing, or line-side delivery.
Load Capacity (Rated Capacity)
The maximum load a piece of equipment is designed to carry safely. Always match capacity to real-world use.
Turning Radius
How much space equipment needs to turn—important for aisle planning and congestion reduction.
E. Shipping & freight terms
Parcel
Small-package shipping (typically via carriers like FedEx/UPS). Often used for lighter cartons.
LTL (Less-Than-Truckload)
Freight shipping for loads that don’t fill a full trailer—commonly used for pallets and heavier shipments. Reference: Inbound Logistics Glossary
TL / FTL (Truckload / Full Truckload)
A shipment that fills most/all of a trailer, usually moving directly without terminal consolidation.
Freight Class
A classification used in LTL pricing based on density, stowability, handling, and liability.
Liftgate Delivery
A truck with a powered platform used to lower freight from the trailer to the ground when no dock is available.
Inside Delivery
Delivery that brings freight inside a building (often extra service/fee).
For how these options typically work in real orders, see: Shipping policy
F. Safety & ergonomics terms
Housekeeping (in warehouse safety)
Keeping aisles and storage areas clear to avoid trip hazards and improve equipment maneuvering—OSHA addresses storage stability and housekeeping hazards. Source: OSHA 1910.176
Secure Storage
OSHA requires that stored materials be stacked/blocked/interlocked and limited in height so they remain stable and don’t create hazards. Source: OSHA 1910.176
Manual Material Handling (MMH)
Moving items by human effort (lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying). NIOSH provides guidelines and references tools like the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation for evaluating two-handed lifting tasks. Source: NIOSH/CDC (PDF)
Quick cheat sheet for clearer communication
When you’re requesting help or quoting equipment, include:
- Load type: pallet vs carton vs small parts
- Typical weight: per item and per move
- Distance: short dock moves vs long pick paths
- Aisle width & turns: tight corners vs wide lanes
- Floor condition: smooth concrete, ramps, thresholds
- Shipping needs: parcel vs LTL; liftgate/inside delivery if needed
If you want help translating your workflow into the right equipment list, reach out: Contact us.