Warehouse Safety Checklist: Five Simple Steps to Stay Safe
From heavy machinery to oversized pallets and significant foot traffic, warehouses are home to a number of safety hazards. In fact, studies show that there were about 4.8 injuries per every 100 full-time warehouse workers in 2019 alone.
With this in mind, it’s crucial to take every precaution possible to keep your employees, clients, and other visitors safe while they’re in your facility. Below, we’ve compiled a warehouse safety checklist with five easy steps you can take to improve your warehouse safety.
1. Identify All Hazards
Regardless of your space’s layout, size, or purpose, a good warehouse safety plan always starts with pinpointing potential hazards. When you walk around your warehouse to assess problem areas, keep in mind that almost anything can represent a safety issue – from cracked or uneven flooring to narrow walkways. It’s always a good idea to preventatively correct hazards, rather than wait until an injury takes place.
2. Train and Educate Your Workers
Any employee working at a warehouse setting should know how to do their job safely, and the training you provide should reflect that. Be sure to train new workers with a comprehensive curriculum that introduces them to potential hazards in the facility, the personal protection equipment (PPE) they’re expected to wear to stay safe, and how to respond in certain situations (such as a spill). Even veteran employees should take continuing education courses to stay up-to-date with the latest warehouse safety practices.
3. Inspect Your Equipment
Warehouses rely on a variety of equipment to operate effectively and efficiently. Like any machinery, the hardware in your facility is bound to require maintenance from time to time. Failure to appropriately inspect and maintain equipment doesn’t just result in breakdowns and lost productivity – it can also lead to safety issues. In addition to assessing and repairing your machinery regularly, you should do the same for PPE. Even hardhats have a shelf life! Developing a warehouse inspection checklist can streamline this process and make sure you don’t miss any potential problems.
4. Keep Your Facility Tidy
Perhaps the easiest way to prevent slip and fall incidents is to ensure that your warehouse space is clean and organized. Establish a comprehensive organizational system that you train all employees on and expect them to adhere to. Most slip and fall accidents take place because an object or material hasn’t been returned to its rightful place. Proper organization can help with safety and keep your warehouse running smoothly.
5. Communication Is Key
Communication is crucial in any workplace, but it’s especially critical in warehouses due to their unique safety hazards. Additionally, warehouses tend to be fairly noisy, which can have an impact on how well your employees communicate. Be sure to develop a system that allows workers to always know what’s going on in the facility. Additionally, you should properly alert all personnel when potentially dangerous activity is taking place so that everyone can be aware. A variety of problems can be resolved with good communication, and warehouse safety issues are certainly some of them!
Improve Warehouse Safety with Help from A-Lined Handling Systems
Where does your warehouse stand in terms of safety? At A-Lined Handling Systems, we’re here to help you protect your workers, visitors, and clients through high-quality safety solutions. From industrial guarding to end-of-aisle rack protectors, and more, we have a variety of effective products that can be implemented into virtually any setting.
For more information about our safety solutions, contact us today!