5 things to consider when running a safe warehouse

Safety is paramount in any warehouse, especially with the current Covid-19 pandemic adding to the list of measures needed to be put in place to keep people safe at work. More and more people are shopping online which means warehouses are getting busier meaning there’s an even bigger task at hand to ensure safety and wellbeing. Here are five considerations to take when running a warehouse safely.

Manual Handling Training

One of the most common accidents that occur in warehouses is from incorrect manual handling. The first way to reduce accidents and improve safety is to question whether it’s necessary for the first instance. Trolleys with heavy-duty castors, forklifts and trailers are much safer ways to transport materials and are preferred if available. Should this not be an option, thorough training and refresher courses should be given to every member of staff to ensure they are properly informed and can lift with the safest techniques.

Working from a height

Most fatal accidents in warehouses are those where workers have fallen from a height. Many warehouses have stock and materials stacked in vertical shelving to make the most of the space available, but this can cause major safety issues. Make sure that products are stacked safely and securely, and the heaviest objects are closer to the ground so that they can be sourced without a forklift or cherry picker.

Slips and trips

Again, one of the most common causes for injury in warehouses, slips and trips must be taken seriously and extra precautions should be taken to avoid unnecessary falls. Contributing factors to slips are mainly from contaminated floors and obstructions in walkways which can all be avoided with training and regular checks of the warehouse floor. Footwear should also be suitable for a warehouse environment.

Visitors

Something that isn’t quite so obvious is accounting for who is in the warehouse. This is for general safety, fires and also protecting the business from theft and vandalism. Making sure that any entry points to the warehouse are being monitored is crucial and a signing-in system is a good idea to be able to check who is present in emergencies. Make sure that if you do have people entering the warehouse, that your insurance covers this.  

Covid-19

As earlier mentioned, Covid-19 is a completely new risk that businesses and warehouses have had to quickly adapt and make changes in order to ensure the safety of their workers. Making sure that workers are kept to one machine or section of the warehouse will avoid cross-contamination and will minimise any spread of the virus. Sanitisers, masks and screens should all be used where possible but with the awareness of the above risks that these extra precautions could bring such as trip hazards

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