How to Improve Safety and Reduce Risk in your Warehouse

The risk of injury is constantly high within warehouses. With vehicles whizzing around, staff busy fulfilling orders and machines helping package products throughout the day, it is important to ensure that everything is working as a routine and hazards within storehouses are kept to a minimum. With a report stating over 600 Amazon workers have been seriously injured over recent years, it is of no surprise that warehouse managers are now doing all that they can to keep on top of their staff and ensure that operators stay unharmed. By law, The Workplace Regulations 1992, addressing health, safety and welfare makes all warehouse owners responsible for the safety of their employees. This means the facility’s safety measurements and workplace procedures must be kept up to date. In a busy warehouse, this can be a difficult task and it can be easy to let things slip. However, BiGDUG is here today to help you improve the safety of your warehouse and has created a list of essential tips for reducing risk within your building.

Forklifts are extremely important for warehouses. They improve worker efficiency and ensure that operations are fulfilled at a faster pace. The misuse of forklifts has been noted as one of the most common causes of workplace injury as the vehicles can endanger operators, workers around them and inventory. When employees are reversing the forklift, considerable care should be taken. This is because almost a quarter of all deaths including a vehicle at work occur whilst it is in reverse. Reversing should be avoided at all costs, however, if it can’t, drivers should always have a spotter or other forms of visibility support.

By introducing a one-way system and planning routes for forklifts to follow, the need for drivers to reverse vehicles will reduce and visibility will be maximised. Other important factors include ensuring drivers look both ways when leaving aisles and setting up mirrors so vision can be enhanced when operators are manoeuvring around corners.

A busy warehouse can quickly turn into a messy one. Aisles that aren’t kept clean, dry or in good condition can lead to slips, trips, and falls. These three types of accidents are the number one cause of non-fatal workplace injuries in the United Kingdom. These injuries are easy and simple to prevent, the following tips can help you safeguard your warehouse:

Ladder safety is also essential for workers as misusing an unstable ladder can cause serious injury or, in some cases, death. When ladders are in use, it should be ensured that:

Keep staff safe by:

Improper handling and lifting are the most common causes of injury within any workplace. Workers can develop Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) due to overreaching, straining, and using awkward postures. Employers can reduce the risk of MSD development by ensuring that their employees have had effective manual handling training. This can help workers adopt a proper posture and keep lifting to a minimum. If the load isn’t necessary to lift and can be moved to workstations, this is the safer route.

It is also important to consider whether loads can be handled alternately or if machinery can be used to assist workers in handling stock. Using machinery assistance can also pose a risk to staff if not operated properly. Staff must have training on said equipment and understand the maximum safe working load.

Warehouse workers have to load and unload pallets from racking constantly during their workdays. This must be done safely to ensure that pallets don’t drop, racking is secure, and inventory is left undamaged. Other ways that safety can be assured are by:

Due to storehouses having a lot of open space, fires can form extremely quickly. Fire hazards can be managed by taking these measures:

To ensure that health and safety remain a top priority you must provide regular training to staff, as well as enforce it and review it constantly. Without regulation, the rules in place will slip and cause significant risks to workers’ health and safety. Employers regularly believe that training is a one-off. Now, it is important to advise new employees of the risks within the warehouse and ensure they all do the relevant tests. As this is usually a good way to check if individuals have the skills and qualifications needed for their role. This is vital for busy warehouses with hazardous environments. However, this training should be a recurring practice.

All employees must have their training changed due to building, machinery, and technology changes. New workers should be given a health and safety induction before beginning their first task. This training should then continually be reinforced and become a part of the culture. This tuition is an essential safety management tool, they usually deal with problems such as increased exposure to repetitive motions and so, will help prevent bodily strain-related injuries.

Putting warehouse safety measurements in place is crucial to a business’s survival, but guaranteeing that they are maintained long-term is also important. To ensure standards are upheld within the warehouse, managers should conduct regular audits covering the building’s machinery and inventory. Employees should also be audited to make sure that their knowledge is up-to-date, and that their behaviours conform to safety procedures.

Some conditions you can audit to ensure they aren’t happening include:

When running a fast-paced business, ensuring the safety of those working in the warehouse is essential for the operations to keep running smoothly and for your workforce to be kept intact. Constantly checking and updating procedures can take time, however, the payoff is worth it. It can help save your business money and keep your employees safe from injury or other dangerous hazards. By following our advice, your warehouse will benefit, and your workforce will respect you more as a business owner for taking care of everyone working. To buy racking, shelving, flooring, and storage solutions from a reliable supplier, shop with BiGDUG today.