When it comes to safety as your warehouse, you may have one of two mindsets. There’s a good chance that you think your warehouse is safe as is, or you take shortcuts but don’t see these “efficient” methods as a huge deal. However, it’s very important that the warehouse you run has gone through a thorough inspection to ensure that customers’ prized possessions are in great care when not in use.
It’s also important to operate a warehouse that emphasizes the notion that safety is a mission that everyone on the team must work to accomplish. This means that all professionals have to follow the correct procedures to ensure that items are being transported into storage areas properly and kept intact while there. If you’re running a warehouse, you know that it only takes one accident for a team member to be injured and for you to be liable for any damage that is done to items that belong to customers.
These suggestions can serve as a great starting point for making sure you’re choosing the safest warehouse, or practicing the best regulations for making sure your warehousing services are reliable.
Make sure there are no areas where people could slip and fall in the warehouse. Surprisingly, there are plenty of ways that a warehouse professional could trip while loading and unloading items. There shouldn’t be any cords plugged in that are not in use or left on the floor, since these are a tripping hazard. If there are any tools left on the floor, they can be tripped over as well. Leaving heavy tools on top of shelves or on top of a box can be dangerous as well. It’s also best to have an inspector see that there are no cracks or openings in the garage flooring, since these can make your heavy warehousing equipment like forklifts difficult to operate.
It’s also essential to see the that right number of team members are being utilized to carry very heavy items. Wearing protective goggles and hardhats are a must if you’re moving extremely heavy machinery and furniture and lifting these items above your head. Be sure you’re using the right tools for these types of jobs, so that the furniture won’t fall from the shelf and cause serious injury to your workers or damage the storage items or facility.
The hazard zones in your warehouse should be clearly marked so that employees will know when to proceed with caution. Make sure that the areas where you store the most dangerous equipment are marked with bright colors that can’t be missed. Zebra stripes on the floor can also be effective in designating which areas have fragile items, or which sections of the warehouse require the use of safety gear.
Make sure that you market the fact that your warehouse is a safe place for storing goods to your current and potential customers and have workshops and classes on warehouse safety so that everyone is clear on how to keep the facility in the best shape while making sure your team members aren’t in danger while at work.