Warehouses store a lot of different items, from food and clothing to electronics. They’re often the main distribution point for companies, and in many cases, are large scale warehouses filled with employees and machinery. Therefore, the risk of injury can often be very high, so it is vital that the correct safety measures are put in place to avoid these issues. Also, as these warehouses can hold large quantities of valuable stock, they can be targets for criminals so it is important that the warehouse cannot be easily compromised, otherwise, this could affect your company’s profits, reputation and employee satisfaction moving forward.
Warehouse Safety: How to Keep Your Staff Safe
Working in a warehouse can be thrilling-it’s fast-paced, and the work can be physically demanding. The tasks between different warehouses are diverse, but they have one thing in common: they work. In warehouses, people spend many of their waking hours moving, lifting, and sporting goods. But no matter how physically tough the job is, it can be dangerous.
In order to ensure complete employee protection, warehouses need to include safety protocols that could be used in case of fire or other accidents. They also need to make sure that regular inspections of electrical equipment and wiring are carried out. To get an opinion, companies can reach out to John from Asset test and Tag or any other expert who is close to their location.
Provide warehouse safety training
Warehouse operations involve hundreds of employees, and each one of them is responsible for the safety of their co-workers and company assets. Therefore, it is imperative for warehouses to provide safety training to their workers. These training sessions are planned and executed by experienced safety professionals that are knowledgeable about warehouse safety procedures. The safety training is designed to educate employees about warehouse safety rules, fire prevention, threats posed by chemicals and equipment, and other safety issues specific to their line of work.
Maintain an infirmary with medical supplies
An infirmary is especially necessary for any premises that has health risks involved. There may be workplace accidents and employeess might be affected by health conditions while working. In order to reduce the danger of such situations, you’d want to have some provisions in place to mitigate such problems, such as a designated medical bay or an infirmary. Select or employ a set of qualified individuals or train them with the help of a Skills Training Group so that they can deal with injuries or other medical emergencies during work hours. There may be a worker who experiences a cardiac arrest after being electrocuted with high voltage, or there may be workers that get injured due to negligence or defective machinery. Health concerns might arise at unexpected times, so it is in your best interest to mitigate them in a controlled environment until there is proper medical attention in the picture.
Introduce automation
The use of automation in the workplace has increased greatly in recent years, due to its efficiency and useful qualities. Automation can come in many forms in a warehouse, including vehicles, barcode scanning handsets, elevators and even robots. It can help reduce the number of time employees are having to work at height using forklift trucks; it can reduce how physically demanding the job is if they can use elevators to take the heavier items, and having computers can speed up the processing time for dispatching products from the shelf to the customer’s doorstep. Often many of these tools can be easily installed, even elevators can be easily installed if you check out Titan Machine, so it is worth investing in automation for the future of your warehouse.
Install warehouse safety signs
Safety signs are an important tool to use in a warehouse. Warehouse safety signs can help employees remain aware of hazards and prevent them from causing or being in accidents. Warehouse safety signs also can help staff members identify unsafe behavior. Warehouse safety signs should be posted both inside and outside of the warehouse.
Maintain cleanliness
Maintaining cleanliness in the warehouse can lessen the possibility of slips, trips and falls, which are common causes of workplace injuries. In a clean warehouse, the chances of fire accidents are also less compared to a cluttered space. In order to maintain a clean warehouse, you can work with a company that provides Commercial Cleaning Services and can keep your storage facility organized and well-maintained.
Have working fire suppression systems
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises that employers should plan, design, and install a fire protection system that meets or exceeds OSHA standards and specifications. While this seems reasonable enough, employers often overlook the importance of designing the system around the needs of specific workers and tasks. Once you have a good system in place, it is important to run through it in great detail with your employees to ensure they have a good understanding of what necessary steps they need to take.
Ventilate
Ventilation is an essential element of warehouse safety and worker health. Every employee may need to wear a respirator (see papr respirator for reference) and a facemask when working in a dangerous environment. However, workers should also have access to fresh air and clean air at all times. When employees are exposed to dangerous chemicals, dirt, or dust, it’s important for them to be able to breathe the air around them without risk. Otherwise, they may begin to suffer from a number of health issues, including lung and respiratory problems, eye irritation, and even fatigue.
Conclusion
Warehouse safety is important for maintaining employee morale and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. Many warehouses only focus on warehouse safety in relation to safety on the job, but warehouse safety also refers to the general safety of all employees, as well as the equipment surrounding the warehouse.