Unlike a downtown office in a business center, a warehouse is a dangerous place to work in. Accidents occur here more often than in other places and this is no wonder as there are so many dangers for the workforce. Heavy loads, ceiling-high shelves, sharp objects, and moving vehicles like forklifts are just some of the dangers a warehouse worker has to be on the lookout for.
A big part of the problem are business owners who are at first reluctant to invest in safety improvements because they regard them as too expensive. However, once a worker gets injured and a lawsuit soon follows, owners swiftly change their mind. In order not to be a bad boss, you should implement the following safety measures that are, contrary to popular belief, actually cost-effective. Saving lives and saving money go hand in hand in the warehouse business!
Frequent check-ups
It is free to look around and that is exactly what your management and workers should do regularly. Basically, you probably have a safety system in place but are you sure that it is enforced the way it should be? That is why you have to conduct regular inspections to check if the employees are wearing reflective vests or if the fire extinguisher is where it’s supposed to be and if all fire exits are passable. A heavy crate next to the emergency escape exit may spell disaster, so be sure that all the procedures are put into practice.
Safety barriers
If you have watched those CCTV camera online videos, you might have noticed that even the slightest contact of a forklift or other vehicle with the shelves could bring about a catastrophe. That is why the use of safety barriers is essential because you never know when a malfunction of the equipment could destroy the entire warehouse. Bollards and guardrails are the two most frequent types of barriers that are placed where someone can fall from height or to protect sections of the supporting structure against vehicles in motion. Steel floor guards are usually placed at corners of shelves to prevent the forklift from scraping against their edges.
Maneuvering the forklift
A warehouse worker’s best friend in terms of machinery is definitely the forklift. They come in all sizes but the small ones are most used because they are easily maneuverable. A seasoned forklift driver can do magic inside the warehouse, saving hours of time necessary to transport goods. However, a forklift can also be problematic if not operated properly. You must take great care of the maximum weight a forklift can transport in order not to overturn it. Modern forklifts come with a load weight indicator that will prevent overloading. An important safety feature are cages like the ones NFM Forklifts have, which are there to protect the driver from injury and falling objects.
A warehouse worker’s best friend in terms of machinery is definitely the forklift. They come in all sizes but the small ones are most used because they are easily maneuverable. A seasoned forklift driver can do magic inside the warehouse, saving hours of time necessary to transport goods. However, a forklift can also be problematic if not operated properly. You must take great care of the maximum weight a forklift can transport in order not to overturn it. Modern forklifts come with a load weight indicator that will prevent overloading. An important safety feature are cages like the ones NFM Forklifts have, which are there to protect the driver from injury and falling objects.
Employee training
You cannot expect your workers to remain safe unless they are aware of all the safety procedures. In the labor market of today, there is a greater flow of workers, so not all of them get the chance to go through the basics of workplace safety. That is why your HR department should do their job and hold frequent safety briefing so each member of the staff will know how to protect themselves, their co-workers, and the firm’s property. Apart from the knowledge and expertise necessary for carrying out their everyday tasks, the workers should know how to act in case of a fire or a medical emergency. This can also be achieved by holding fire drills that are organized in coordination with the local fire department. Finally, the workers need to learn to communicate among each other, as sharing information is the best way for them to stay safe. If the staff on the floor now that an oversized cargo is bound to arrive, they will be ready to move out of its way when it passes them by.
All the right signs
Although they have gone through rigorous training and they have been briefed a dozen times about safety, workers still sometimes forget to take the necessary precautions. That is why it is good they have visual reminders all over the warehouse, reminding them in a graphic way about the safety procedures. In some places, signage prompts workers to use safety gear like headphones or eye goggles. There are even internal traffic signs warning about a blind corner up ahead. In other parts of the warehouse, the signs can alert about potential dangers, like an increased risk of a fire which forbids smoking or a hazardous material stored behind a particular door. Not only are signs useful reminders but you are also required by law to place them at specific sections of the warehouse.
Although they have gone through rigorous training and they have been briefed a dozen times about safety, workers still sometimes forget to take the necessary precautions. That is why it is good they have visual reminders all over the warehouse, reminding them in a graphic way about the safety procedures. In some places, signage prompts workers to use safety gear like headphones or eye goggles. There are even internal traffic signs warning about a blind corner up ahead. In other parts of the warehouse, the signs can alert about potential dangers, like an increased risk of a fire which forbids smoking or a hazardous material stored behind a particular door. Not only are signs useful reminders but you are also required by law to place them at specific sections of the warehouse.
As you have seen from the measures listed above, warehouse safety will not cost you an arm and a leg. In most cases, you will only have to prioritize safety, and not splash huge amounts of cash.
About the author:
Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home, design and lifestyle. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader.
They might look fun to operate, but forklifts are nothing to be toyed with. They are a serious workplace hazard. Forklift drivers are constantly at risk of injury when operating them. Accidents range from human injury to equipment destruction. Proper safety precautions are absolutely necessary to keep this from happening. Here are some examples of how to implement safety measures.
Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home, design and lifestyle. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader.