Warehouse managers and executives of companies that include warehouses in their operations should work hard to ensure safety for their employees. There are several key implementations and general steps that should be taken to accomplish this…
Always Ensure Proper Equipment Is Utilized
Different industries require different equipment. This bit of knowledge may seem like common sense, but it can often be neglected when it comes to the interest of safety. Work warehouses are often full of heavy machinery, forklifts, or even dangerous chemicals. Recognizing the peculiarities of your industry and knowing the type of equipment that is necessary to keep your employees safe is an important part of being a good employer.
Optimize Warehouse Layouts to Keep Open Lanes
Nothing makes a warehouse dangerous like an uncontrollable amount of clutter. A functioning warehouse needs to have open lanes for employees and forklifts to move in. This is an absolute safety essential. By allowing these lanes to be messy and cluttered, you can create an entire host of safety hazards that can cause crashes and injuries. An important part of a warehouse manager’s job is to prevent this from happening. Keeping a clean and neatly organized warehouse is the first part of ensuring this.
Strategize Your Space Around Exits
As with any workplace, exits need to be clearly established and entirely functional so that employees can exit the building in the case of an emergency. This is especially true with warehouses, as they often contain heavy machinery or flammable substances that can increase the chances of a fire. In particular, this is why it is very important to have functional garage doors that can be a large entrance and exit points to a warehouse, and it is important to keep them in good condition.
Double Down on Employee Training
The old adage “knowledge is power” is absolutely true, and that’s why companies spend millions and millions of dollars every single year to train their employees about safety procedures. You can have all of the safeguards in the world, but if your employees aren’t made aware of particular dangers and how to prevent them, then they won’t do you much good. Ensure that every employee receives thorough safety training, for their benefit, the company’s benefit, and their coworker’s benefit. Make sure that every employee is made aware of changes in safety policy, and work to create an environment where safety is important.
Labels. Labels. Labels.
Although employees may be trained on the dangerous aspects of working in a company warehouse, it is still important to properly label hazards that could cause injury and bodily harm. For one, there will often be more than just employees in your warehouse, and you need to make sure it is visitor friendly (ensure people are equipped with proper safety equipment, such as safety glasses and a hard hat, before entering the warehouse). Aside from that, though, your employees will benefit from a daily reminder of warehouse hazards.
Employ Routine Safety Checks
Just because you went through and perfected your safety procedures once, it doesn’t mean that you are done working out safety guidelines. Workplace safety is an ongoing process that frequently needs to be evaluated and adjusted. Make this an important part of your quarterly routine, so that you do not become complacent. A good way to help you do this is to keep up to date on the recent changes with OSHA guidelines and continue to adhere to those.
