Warehouses are highly hazardous environments due to various factors, including heavy machinery, manual handling, hazardous spills, the increased risk of trips, slips and falls and so on. It is therefore important that warehouse safety is a priority, not just when designing a warehouse but also maintaining it. Failure to correctly design and maintain a warehouse can place employees at high risk of injuries and in some cases even fatality. This article will highlight four key areas to focus on to reduce hazards in a warehouse and prioritise employee safety.
Centralise and Secure Access Points
When designing a warehouse, it is important to position access points in strategic and efficient locations to simplify processes. When entry and exit points are more centrally located, they can be easily and quickly accessed by workers to streamline tasks. In addition, centralising access points offers enhanced safety benefits as they can be easily monitored to reduce the likelihood of intruders.
Furthermore, to improve safety in a warehouse it is crucial that these access points are secure. This can be achieved by using barriers, access control systems and security personnel to prevent unauthorised entry. Access control systems can be particularly beneficial, especially those that are more advanced. For instance, fingerprint scanners are a modern technology that offer an extremely high level of security from intruders.
Fire door maintenance
Fire doors are a crucial component of a warehouse’s protection system, so it is important that they are regularly checked to ensure that they are functioning correctly and will be effective in the event of a fire. Even minor areas of damage or alteration to the door can have a significant effect on the function of a fire door.
Looking after your fire door involves conducting routine inspections, a minimum of once every six months. However, doors located in high traffic areas should undergo more frequent routine inspections of at least once a month, as they are more susceptible to damage.
Ensure Proper Lighting and Signage
For the safety and security of a warehouse it is crucial to ensure proper lighting and signage is used. Effective signage and lighting will reduce the risk of accidents and improve the efficiency of operations within a warehouse.
For instance, adequate lighting ensures that workers can spot hazards easily and operate machinery safely, as poor lighting can increase the risk of injuries greatly. Furthermore, it ensures clear vision for the picking, packing and labelling of items, increasing the efficiency of processes in a warehouse. Emergency lighting maintenance is an essential process for ensuring the correct function of lighting in your warehouse. This can be done through a monthly function test to ensure emergency lighting performs effectively during a power outage.
Proper signage is also crucial for safety as it ensures that workers are directed to the appropriate exit points in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, signage is crucial for hazard identification as it ensures workers can easily and efficiently be notified of spills, heavy machinery and restricted areas.
Optimize Storage for Safety
To create an efficient and safe warehouse environment for workers, it is crucial that storage is maintained and organised. Placing heavy items on the lower or middle shelves ensures an even weight distribution, this can help prevent racking systems from collapsing and causing injuries to those in the vicinity. In addition, it is important to adhere to specified load limits when storing items on racking systems, as overloading racking can place too much pressure on the apparatus.
Furthermore, racking systems should be regularly inspected to ensure that they remain in good condition and free from damage. If your racking is damaged then this should be reported and fixed or replaced immediately to prevent accidents. It is important that racking is installed by qualified professionals, for safety, efficiency and cost saving purposes. Poorly installed racking systems have a shorter lifespan as they can collapse more easily, leading to accidents and damaged stock.
Reducing warehouse hazards is essential for managing employee safety, improving the efficiency of processes and preventing costly mistakes. By implementing these simple yet effective measures you can ensure that your warehouse runs smoothly and your staff members are protected at all times.
