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Taking the proper steps to maintain warehouse safety is critical. Warehouse workers face more safety hazards than other employees due to the physical demands of their jobs. Businesses must thus ensure that they can provide a safe, secure, and healthy environment for their warehouse staff. Workplace accidents can have devastating consequences not just for those involved but also for the company as a whole. Here are five safety tips for employees and warehouse that every business must consider.
Install Advanced Protection Systems
Slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common types of accidents in warehouses. This is why government authorities insist that businesses install fall protection systems such as guard rails and other physical barriers. An important thing to consider is that OSHA has strict regulations regarding guard rails. Your business needs warehouse guard rails that meet the OSHA standards and offer the highest level of protection.
Enforce Systematic Cleaning
Systematic business office cleaning practices are an essential part of warehouse safety guidelines. Instruct your staff to keep the premises clean and tidy and avoid clutter. A clean and orderly warehouse is a safe warehouse. In a cluttered facility, dangers can appear from anywhere. Items placed randomly obstruct movement and can become safety hazards. Keeping the warehouse floors clean is also critical for avoiding accidents such as slips and falls.
Identify Potential Forklift-Related Hazards
Forklifts are indispensable in a warehouse because they can drastically improve efficiency. Yet, they can also be extremely dangerous. They can cause severe damage and create scenarios for life-altering accidents. Your warehouse will become safer once you identify all potential forklift-related hazards and eliminate them accordingly. Ensure that every person using a forklift has the competence to do it properly. This is one of the top reasons for training courses. In addition, inspect your forklifts regularly for damage or faults and instruct your staff not to overload the machines. Operating forklifts with care and respecting a maintenance and upkeep schedule can help avoid accidents.
Provide Personal Protective Gear
Another effective way to make your warehouse safer is to provide employees with personal protective gear and instruct them to wear it at all times. Workers must understand that they must also be proactive about their safety and health, and PPE standards. Hard hats, gloves, safety goggles, fire-resistant clothing, boots, earplugs, earmuffs, and foot protection are essential for minimizing exposure to various safety hazards. Without personal protective equipment, workers may experience injuries, hearing loss, eye strain, and not only.
Maintain Lighting
Another way to maintain a safety warehouse is by prioritizing lighting. If all of your work shifts occur in the day, you can .redesign the warehouse to utilize natural lighting. In addition, every corner needs to be lit thoroughly. You should install led lights into dark spots of your warehouse. This way, you should install lights to avoid mistakes, keep the area lit, and save money with led lighting.
Analyze Racks
One of the best ways to safely maintain a warehouse is by inspecting racks. Racks can get old, rusty, and dangerous overtime. You should make sure the employees understand how to properly distribute weight along a rack. In addition, you need to assess the amount of weight each rack can take. This way, you can stack boxes effectively and take advantage of the space.
Publicize Emergency Procedures
An additional tip that will help you make your warehouse safer is to ensure that employees know all emergency procedures. Warehouse workers need extensive training on safety protocol. What are the best evacuation routes? What is hazard communication? How to react to a fire emergency? Workers should have clear and detailed answers to all these questions. Statistics show that warehouse accidents are worryingly common, so warehouse safety is a big concern. Companies and warehouse managers should treat safety as a top priority.
