If you are the owner of a business that requires a warehouse to be functional, then you have to do all that you can to make sure that your warehouse is safe. There are numerous safety hoops to jump through when you are a warehouse owner, from when you buy the warehouse itself to when you buy the equipment and maintenance that you need to do on that equipment. Whether you choose to buy the walk behind forklift trucks or you decide to go another way, you have to make sure that you are leaning into safety where possible. This means that you need to look at all angles when it comes to warehouse safety, and we've got a list of tips that can help.
By Team Savant
Image: Eduardo Soares
Make sure that you have a smoking area that's away from any chemicals, gas or other hazards. Warehouses often contain a range of materials that are flammable, and LPG gas cylinders are up there with the best of them. To ensure that you have the highest possible level of safety, you need to ensure that any sources of ignition are kept well away. However, there will always be employees who would like to have a smoking break. You just have to be smart about where they take that break.
Enforce protective equipment policies. Personal protective equipment or PPE should be adhered to when you're working in a dangerous area. Even in regular warehouses that do not have chemicals or gasses or other poisons on site still require safety gear. People need to be visible and they need to wear hard hats and they need to wear gloves or steel toed boots. If people come to the job less than prepared, they should be sent home. Ensuring employee protection should be something that is strict and it should be enforced by every single staff member.
Appoint first aid wardens. While we're discussing having dangerous things on site in your warehouse, you need to also ensure that you have people on site to be able to help. First aid workers are not exactly 10 a penny, but you can have your employees trained in first aid so that those are working on the floor directly. Know what to do in the event of an accident. First aid wardens should be replaced when one leaves the business, and it should be on your dime that they are trained.
Make sure you're investing in signage and warnings. In a warehouse there are topple risks and there are crowding risks and there are risks to human error.It's so important that signage is displayed correctly for warning of danger, designation of specific areas, speed limits and even traffic flow guidance. If you have large machinery working in certain areas that should be on display so that people know to anticipate potential hazards and issues.