If you operate a warehouse then you will understand that there are hazards absolutely everywhere. If you do not take the time to identify these errors then you may end up putting your employees at risk, and this can cause you to run into a lot of issues in the future.
Safe and Efficient Vehicle Operation
This is really, really important for forklift trucks. They are responsible for around 100 deaths and 95,000 injuries every single year. If you want to stop accidents from happening then you need to make sure that you are only allowing certified workers to use them and that you are also following very strict guidelines. If you find that someone is using a piece of equipment that they shouldn’t be then you need to have a strict disciplinary procedure in place. This will help you to discourage people from trying to bend the rules. Of course, you also need to make sure that people are using your lifting equipment properly. If you have old equipment that has not been maintained for quite some time then it will help to look into chain block suppliers with over 30 years experience. Distributors of Yale lift 360 chain hoist and the Tiger Chain Block.
Shelving
Poor racking and even shelving can be very dangerous to say the least. It is so important that your employees are trained to distribute any weight evenly across a shelf, and that they also understand how much weight a given shelf can take. If you teach them this properly and if you give them the guidance that they need then this should stop the shelves from toppling over and it should also stop them from causing anyone serious injury. Of course, you have to make sure that your racking is safe and in full working order too. If you notice that it isn’t then this needs to be replaced as soon as possible. You can even buy special racking protection if you want as well, as this can help to protect you against general wear, tear and even bumps.
Personal Equipment
It’s your job as an employer to provide your team with the equipment they need. This will stop them from getting injured. Typical equipment will include safety gear such as hard hats, eye goggles and even masks depending on the type of work that the employee is doing. On top of that, every single employee that you have needs to wear high visibility clothing. This will stop them from having accidents so often, and it will also help the people who are driving vehicles to stay aware of every employee on the premises. If you do not provide your employees with safety equipment, then you could be breaking the law.
Ergonomics
Training and awareness really is so important, but there are other safety measures that you should be putting in place too. Human error is responsible for most accidents in the warehouse, and this is usually because employees are not trained or even because they are mentally and physically fatigued. Your team should be trained on how to lift heavy loads and they should also be trained on how to use ladders and even flatbeds too. As an employer, it is also your duty to make sure that your team are having enough breaks and that they are not working too hard. Additional safety measures such as anti-fatigue mats are great here because they help to absorb some of the impact of your employees having to walk up and down all day.
Refreshing
Training may be given to all new employees and this is great, but you also have to make sure that they are given refresher courses, should they ever need them. Employees who have been in the industry for quite some time may be your most prized workers, but they may also be making the most mistakes. Over time, people tend to forget or forego certain safety protocols., so it really does help to give them a refresher course as well as the new employees that you hire. This won’t take up any extra time, and it won’t hurt your budget too much either.
Try and Put up Safety Signs
If you want to support measures such as first aid training and even equipment operation then you have to make sure that there are plenty of signs everywhere. You need to have the right signage for eyewash stations and even fire extinguishers. Signs for vehicle traffic and even pedestrian traffic are also important because this way, people know which direction vehicles are going to be coming from. This can prevent a huge amount of accidents, and you would also be surprised at how much it can help your team to stay safer in the workplace.
Keep Everything Tidy
Keeping your warehouse tidy is very important. A tidy warehouse is a safe warehouse, so it helps to make sure that any aisles are clear and that you also tidy up as much as you can. Your employees should be putting any equipment back where they found it and they should also know how to keep the warehouse clear too. Your team should also be trained on how to properly clear up spillages and even how to dispose of certain materials. When you do this, you can then help them to take responsibility.
Take into Account Seasonality
It’s so important that you consider the changing seasons. Heat stroke and even dehydration are very common in summer and this is especially the case when your team are working on a busy warehouse floor. Employees should be given water when working during this time and they should also be given extra layers in winter too. By doing this, you can help them to be more comfortable during the day and you can also help to keep them safe when working in more extreme conditions.
Of course, there are so many things that you can do to try and help keep your employees safe and there are also ways for you to keep your warehouse operating efficiently too. By following the above tips, this becomes easier than ever.
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