The Warehouse Safety Checklist: Steps You Can Take Towards a Safer Warehouse Environment

Warehouse safety is usually an overlooked topic. Safety procedures are oftentimes not implemented due to a lack of time, resources, or money to implement them. The lack of safety measures taken leads to employees being vulnerable to some major health risks. These types of working environments face high employee turnover and have an underperforming staff due to fear of getting injured. Hence, companies can face lost working days, reduced output, and legal issues.

Most of the time, warehouse owners/managers look at the upfront cost of providing a safety measure; let’s take the example of buying new heavy-duty safety helmets for the whole crew. Good quality supplies, such as helmets, can be expensive. The issue is that owners/managers look at these things as costs rather than investments.

When safety measures are implemented, employees are satisfied and are more productive. There is a reduced risk of accidents and injury, leading to fewer disruptions during the workday.

In this article, we will focus on the common areas where workers’ safety is at risk and focus on the strategies that can be enforced to improve safety levels.

Vehicle Safety

Whether workers are driving lift trucks, forklifts, or delivery trucks, being safe while vehicles are being operated is key to creating a safe work environment. Most vehicle accidents occur while the driver is reversing.

What Can You Do To Maintain Vehicle Safety?

Here are some rules and strategies you can implement to maintain vehicle safety at your warehouse:

• Workers must keep under the speed limit while driving. The standard speed limit for forklifts is 5 miles per hour.
• Workers should avoid reversing. Try and set up a one-way system at your warehouse and plan the routes drivers will drive, so others are aware that they will be driving through. Routes could be marked through wall retractable belt barriers.
• Only those workers trained to drive such vehicles should be allowed to drive them.
• Regularly inspect vehicles and have them go through regular maintenance. 
• Keep aisles free from obstructions; make sure they are cleared away of any equipment or packaging.
• Maintain warehouse flooring to avoid damage to vehicles and to keep them from overturning.

Lifting Safety

Workers in warehouses are required to transport, carry, and deliver heavy packages and equipment; they either lift manually or with lifting equipment. If lifting is not performed safely, it poses a risk to those performing the activity and those nearby.

What Can You Do To Maintain Lifting Safety?

These are some ideas you can enforce to maintain lifting safety:

• If workers are lifting manually, guide them on techniques they can use to minimize the strain on their bodies. They should not lift more than the manual weight handling limit, which is typically around 20 to 25 kilograms.
• When using machinery for lifting, workers must ensure to follow the safe working load. The safe working load is usually printed on equipment. Going over the safe working load can lead to wear down and break down of equipment.
• It is recommended not to use manual lifting techniques.

Falls, Slips, and Trips

Falling, slipping, and tripping are the most common causes of work related injuries while falling from heights is the most common cause of work place fatalities. Being one of the most frequent causes of accidents, steps should be taken to avoid them.

What Can You Do To Keep Workers Safe From Falling, Slipping, and Tripping?

• Make sure to carry out good cleaning; clean up spillages and remove obstructions from paths.
• Schedule cleaning outside of work hours.
• Make sure the warehouse floors are level to prevent uneven steps and falling.
• Make use of anti-slip paint, shoes, and tape.
• Display warning signs while cleaning is happening. For example, a sign to warn workers the floor is wet.
• Use a stable ladder when working at heights.
• Workers should be equipped with full-body harnesses with self-retracting lanyards to mitigate falling hazards when, for example, they are stocking things on an extremely high shelf.
• Railings should be installed on higher floors.

Fire Safety

Equipped with open spaces and kindling (such as pallets, cardboard boxes, and racks), fires can spread quite easily in warehouses. Fires harm your workers, can burn down your warehouse, and waste valuable resources. Most businesses never fully recover after experiencing a fire.

What Can You Do To Maintain Fire Safety?

• Test your fire alarms and make sure they are in working ability
• Designate one of your workers to be the fire warden. They would be responsible for taking charge when a fire emergency takes place, planning an escape route, and minimizing fire hazards.
• Carry out a fire drill every few months. Make sure your planned escape routes are feasible to follow and that your workers know all the escape routes.
• Install good emergency lighting
• Clear away any fire hazards such as packaging and boxes. Workers should handle flammable and hazardous substances with care.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE protects workers from uncontrolled hazards. Although other protective measures should come before PPE, PPE adds an additional level of safety.

Examples of PPE You Could Include In Your Safety Measures:

• Eye protection such as goggles and safety glasses
• High visibility jackets so workers can be easily seen and identified
• Hard hats, but only those that are compliant with manufacturing standards
• Safety shoes that are anti-slip and protect feet from crush hazards and impacts
• Hearing Protection to reduce noise exposure

Training

Workers should be trained in regards to health and safety standards; it is not only a legal requirement but is pertinent to their safety. They should be trained in how to maintain health and safety measures.

What Can You Do To Help Workers Become Trained?

Here are some efforts you can make as a boss to ensure your workers get the appropriate training:

• Take training yourself. As a boss, you cannot expect your workers to learn the safety standards if you do not know them yourself. Being in charge means you are responsible for the safety of your workers, meaning you should know the health and safety regulations as well.
• Provide workers with opportunities to receive training; arrange for seminars and workshops to be conducted.

Sources: www.highspeedtraining.co.uk and www.adaptalift.com.au