Warehouse Safety: What you Need to Know!

According to the statistics presented by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, over 145,000 people work in more than 7,000 warehouses in the US; however, it is very unfortunate that the fatal injury rate for the warehousing industry is much higher than the national average for all industries. This is beyond doubt alarming.

Protect your Workers from Fatal Injuries: Managing Safety in your Warehouse

When it comes to warehouse safety, a number of things are often overlooked. Safety procedures are mostly disregarded in most workplaces primarily due to inadequate time, inefficient procedures or an opportunity to cut costs in an attempt to save few dollars.

Nevertheless, when safety procedures are soundly implemented, there are a number of benefits such as improved employee satisfaction and enhanced productivity.

Here are a few safety guidelines to keep your warehouse safe. Let’s have a look

Parking lot safety

If the warehouse offers onsite parking, it should have a separate space for parking mobile plants and private vehicles. Moreover, private vehicles should be used only in specially designated areas where practicable.

Entry and Exit

Walkways that lead to and from parking lots and facilities should be well separated from vehicle routes, marked clearly, well lit, and sign posted. This essentially means that entry and exit to and from the workplace needs to be safe. This may additionally ensure that workers with disabilities and special needs can enter and leave the facility safely.

In addition:

• To prevent injuries due to slipping, the entry and exit should be slip resistant.
• Walkways and aisles should be wide and free from obstructions.
• Stairs, walkways and all entry and exit routes should be properly lit.
• Entry and exit routes should be clearly defined where it is necessary. Furthermore, the boundaries of the routes should be demarked with a 500 mm wide line.
• There should be separate entry and exit routes for mobile equipment such as trucks and forklifts and pedestrians should be provided to reduce the risk of workers being hit by moving vehicles.
• In case, there is a single route for mobile vehicles and people, there should be clear markings to designate a safe and sound walkway.
• All doors and gates should be well fitted with safety devices. There should be a see-through viewing panel in all doors present on main traffic routes.
• Furthermore, there should be some safety features in doors and gates that are operated by power, order to prevent workers from getting trapped. Gates and doors that open upwards should be well fitted with an effective safety system to keep them from falling back.
• Exit should also be clearly marked and signs should be posted to show the direction to the exit route for the purpose of emergency evacuation.

Needless to say, safety should always be a top priority in workplace. Workers should be encouraged to follow the procedures and precautions more closely in order to avoid fatal workplace injuries.