Cautious company: 4 serious warehouse safety hazards
Warehouse safety comes down to consistency. One lapse in judgement can cause a devastating and costly accident. By identifying hazards ahead of time, accidents are preventable. Here are some ways to keep your warehouse safe.
Trip Hazards
These are some of the most common and easy-to-fix warehouse safety concerns. They come in the form of carelessly placed objects and building construction and maintenance flaws. Either type can leave your company liable for a work injury.
Machine cords are commonly left in hazardous locations while they are plugged in or left dangling from machines, not in use. Also, watch for tools left on the floor, even if “just for a minute”. It is also key to check the warehouse for floor cracks and pits that can trip employees or cause forklifts to lose their loads.
Unmarked Hazard Zones
Leave a hazardous area unmarked, and some hapless employee gravitates to it. The first step is to identify these zones. Is there dangerous machinery that needs to be given a wide berth? Are there busy loading zones people need to stay away from?
There are many ways to mark hazard zones. Zebra stripes stuck to the warehouse floor are a good option because they catch the eyes. Cones and yellow tape also work well for temporary hazards. It is wise to always have to mark on hand.
Safety Training
Great safety policies fail if employees are unaware of them, don’t understand their importance, or feel free to disregard them. Safety training provides an organized format to clearly describe safety procedures and clears up any questions employees might have. It also allows management to demonstrate why these procedures are important.
Using examples is always helpful. Safety training also ensures accountability. Employees have clearly been instructed to follow these procedures.
Creating awareness when moving objects and equipment is an example of a useful safety procedure. What do employees do when they are moving heavy objects behind another employee? What do forklift drivers do as they turn around tight corners with a heavy load? They should always be communicating in order to prevent accidents.
Quality Construction
Quality construction and safety go hand-in-hand. When it comes to electrical construction, the design and implementation of the build are the cornerstones of a safe, efficient workplace. Make sure you use a company such as Albarell Electric Inc. or a similar provision in your area when designing and building your electric systems to avoid faulty wiring that could lead to a devastating fire.
Modernized warehouses are safe places to work. With the right safety procedures in place and employees dedicated to safety, accidents are a thing of the past.
