A warehouse may seem like a safe place to work, but there are plenty of injuries that can occur in this type of environment. Warehouse safety topics must be addressed and implemented, to manage and work in a warehouse environment.
There are many issues that need to be covered when speaking about warehouse safety, including proper procedures of forklift safety, compactor operations, machine safety, loading dock safety and chemical safety (if applicable).
Below we have provided a list of the top 10 warehouse safety topics that should be addressed, to avoid potentially serious injury and to improve the safety conditions of any warehouse environment.
Safety in the Warehouse
1. Clutter and disorganization can lead to injury. It is important that all sharp objects (like box cutters) are not left lying around. Immediately after use, cords and wires should be rolled up and put away to avoid accidental trips and falls.
2. Floors should be checked daily for spills and other potential hazards.
3. Racks should be inspected and replaced (as necessary), at least twice a year, as poorly maintained or damaged racks can cause injuries. Over time, racks may lose their support, due to minor collisions with a lift truck/forklift.
4. Forklifts can be very dangerous, if a few simple safety measures are not followed. First of all, no one should operate a forklift unless they are properly trained. A lift truck should never exceed 5 miles per hour, and a damaged truck should never be in use.
5. Empty pallets should have a designated storage area, and they should never be stacked more than six feet high.
6. Loading dock safety is an area that deserves a great deal of attention. Brightly colored tape and posted signs are excellent visual safety measures to use on any loading dock. In addition, the dock plate should never be overloaded.
7. Tight deadlines may lead to injury, and this is an important warehouse safety topic that needs to be addressed – how to manage employee safety and demanding delivery deadlines.
8. Conveyor belts are a common cause of employee injuries. Belts should be inspected daily and be maintained, as needed. A lockdown plan must be established and tested.
9. Hiring a warehouse safety specialist for an annual assessment of the environment is a good investment.
10. Dehydration is common among workers that spend hours in a hot warehouse. Management should always be on the lookout for fatigue among employees, and offer ample time to hydrate and cool down during a shift.