Do you have a manufacturing business and a warehouse? If so, offering top-notch safety measures to your employees is crucial.
How often do you make sure your staff is following safety policy? If the answer is “never”, you could soon be facing a serious problem. A lack of safety measures in the workplace usually results in a catastrophe of some kind or even death.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, take some time to generate a workplace safety checklist today. Write a few easy-to-follow steps that you can post around your warehouse and refer to often.
Keep reading for the most important points you should cover in your warehouse safety checklist.
Wear Protective Gear
Wearing the right protective gear in a warehouse is critical. It is important to identify physical hazards such as:
- moving heavy objects
- working with sharp edges
- working with hazardous materials
Appropriate protective gear should be worn when working in the warehouse to reduce the likelihood of injury. Make sure to use:
- safety glasses
- a hard hat
- steel-toed boots
- gloves
- hearing protection
- a respirator
Keeping these safety tips in mind will help ensure that everyone remains safe while working in a warehouse.
Enforce Proper Lighting
Proper lighting in warehouses is essential for worker safety. Ensuring workers have a good view of their worksite and tasks helps to prevent injuries, reduce fatigue and improve productivity. All walkways and aisles should have enough unrestricted light to be visible.
Ceilings should be inspected regularly to make sure any fixtures remain in good condition. Emergency lighting is also recommended for backup. Motion detectors, timers, and light switch placements should be inspected and tested regularly to ensure proper operation.
If the warehouse is too dark for tasks to be seen, luminous strips or LED lights should be used as a supplemental form of lighting. Make sure to follow the OHSA standards for illumination to guarantee safety and productivity.
Maintain Housekeeping
Warehouses need to maintain good housekeeping to ensure the safety of their workers. Proper housekeeping involves keeping aisles and passageways clear of encroaching supplies or objects. Store items should be organized and spaced in such a way that it is easy to access them and employees have plenty of room to move around.
Floors should be dry and debris-free to reduce the risks of slips, trips, and falls. Crate contents should be neatly stacked to prevent shifting and piling and eliminate potential hazards. Hazardous materials should be clearly labeled and securely stored to avoid accidental inhalation or contact.
Emergency exits should be clear and accessible, and performance-enhancing drugs and alcohol should not be consumed on-site. By adhering to these housekeeping habits, warehouses will provide employees with a safe and clean environment.
Utilize Safety Signage
Safety signage is an important tool when it comes to warehouse safety. Signs can keep employees informed about any hazards in the area and alert them to the correct safety protocols needed to stay safe. Along with the proper protective gear, safety signage can provide an additional layer of protection in warehouses.
Signs should be visible and relevant to the job. Signs can be placed throughout the:
- warehouse
- near doorways
- stairwells
- entrances
- exits
They serve as reminders of any special safety rules. Signs can be bought from any safety equipment and warehouse supplies shop or printed out.
When implementing safety signage, it is also important to provide employees with a brief tutorial on how to identify it and follow any directions associated with it. This will ensure that everyone is aware of how to safely navigate the warehouse environment.
Inspect Equipment and Tools
Inspecting warehouse tools and equipment is paramount for any successful business safety operating within a warehouse. It is essential to inspect all tools and equipment before and after use to ensure they are fit for use and that they are in optimal condition to avoid any breakdowns or accidents.
All tools and equipment should be regularly checked for signs of damage or wear and tear. This includes checking for:
- any loose parts or pieces
- discoloration
- corrosion
Additionally, workers should take the time to review an equipment or tools manual regularly. It will help to review instructions, safety protocols, and proper operating procedures. The manual should also provide an in-depth guide on how to care for tools and equipment to keep them in optimal working condition.
Train Workers
When it comes to warehouse safety, it is essential to provide new and existing workers with the proper training experiences and materials. Employers should ensure workers are familiar with the specific safety regulations for their job by providing supervisor-led training and cross-training when appropriate.
This should include a review of the types of materials and heavy equipment they’ll be handling, the proper use of safety gear, the loading and unloading process for materials, and the protocols to follow in the event of an emergency.
Additionally, employers should conduct weekly safety meetings with workers to review key safety procedures. Review any accidents that may have occurred in the previous week to ensure preventative measures are being taken.
Follow Safety Protocols
Safety is essential in any warehouse environment. As the employer, it’s important to provide guidelines and protocols for warehouse personnel to ensure the safety of both workers and equipment. All workers should have access to, understand, and follow safety protocols and procedures.
Safety protocols include:
- instructions on proper lifting techniques
- safe use of machinery and tools
- use of personal protective equipment
Workers should be trained to recognize and react to any hazardous situations. Noise levels should always be kept to a minimum to provide a safe environment.
Maintenance should also be regularly carried out on equipment and machinery to ensure everything is functioning correctly. Above all, warehouse workers should be informed of safety protocols and reminded to follow them at all times.
Establishing Workplace Safety Guidelines
Workplace safety is important for any organization to reduce the risks of fire, slips, and other hazards. As managers, it is important to take proactive steps to evaluate the safety of a warehouse and ensure risks are appropriately eliminated. Together, we can create safer warehouses and strengthen our safety networks.
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