Accidents in the workplace can be quite common. When everyone gets busy in the day, deadline piles up and the stress also leads on; it’s normal for everyone to always be on their toes. This means that it won’t always be the case that employees are very careful with all the dangers that may be surrounding them. This fact is precisely why the employer has the responsibility of ensuring the best of their ability that their workplace is safe.
Many kinds of things may end up causing warehouse accidents. Products that are stored heavily may end up falling. Some items may even end up injuring some people. There is, therefore, a great need for owners of warehouses to consider putting safety measures which will be ensuring that the working atmosphere will always be harmless to all kinds of employees. As it was stated in 1974 in Healthy and Safety Act, employers have the responsibility of making sure workers are always safe. At present, the laws are even more stringent, in favor of the employees, with matters such as safety staffing.
In the information below, you’re going to see some of the things in a warehouse that would end up causing accidents and the best thing to do to prevent them.
Vehicles
They are many kinds of cars that end up operating in any warehouse such as pallets and forklift trucks.
The fatal measure regarding the various vehicles is ensuring that all the drivers are aware of the best ways of operating them. Never put your drivers right on the job, if they haven’t acquired the proper training on how to operate a vehicle that’s assigned to them.
In case you’re not very sure of the way to operate them, seek for guidance which will help you in outlining the best guidelines concerning training of forklift drivers. Better yet, send them to a few days or weeks worth of training. Note that if the vehicles are driven carelessly, they may end up causing accidents. You should always ensure you are putting in place safety measures that all drivers will be following in the process of driving these vehicles.
The vehicles should also be serviced regularly so that they can always be suitable for any job. In the warehouse, ensure you’re checking for blind spots and afterward informing drivers so that they can still be cautious.
The Floors
Trips and slips are causing most of the accidents in the various building since the floors are slippery. You should ensure you are taking measures in making sure the floors are ever dry and clear from any obstacle which may end up causing falls such as boxed stocks and trailing wires. When assessing risks, make sure you are always starting with flooring as this will help in reducing risks or even eradicating them. Risks will be including spillage, which apart from causing slippage will also be capable of causing hazards. When you suspect the possibility of slipping and tripping, install various kinds of measures that are anti-slip. For instance, you may consider placing a tape of an anti-slip kind to places where stock is done. Also, make sure that all the people in the house are having enough lighting in their building.
Equipment and Signage
Signs are known for facilitating communication in various warehouses and assistance and also reminding workers to understand various hazards and what they ought to do to protect themselves from accidents. They will be including warning signs, including dangerous machinery or other toxic substances. Make sure everyone is reading and understanding the given signage and are placing them in areas attracting many people. Concerning equipment, it is your responsibility to always supply workers with various tools which will be including highly visible jackets, eye goggles, and protective footwear.
Training
All people who are working in the warehouse have a right to acquire efficient training. When new employees join the house, you should always ensure they also go through some training. The training will be involving the given safety measures and the set rules and regulations which they will be required to abide by. Make sure they get enough training in handling machinery and equipment and also ascertaining what they will be needed to do in case there is fire.
Handling Stock
Make sure you’re practicing better methods of handling the stocks to ensure workers are not getting injured. Workers are at risk of getting injured while carrying, lifting, and placing heavy loads on the shelves. Instead of manually doing the tasks, use processes that are mechanical like using trolleys and lift trucks often. In doing so, you’re able to increase the likelihood of your employees staying safe while at work.
Racking
The place where materials are stored is of great significance. This place refers to the racks in your warehouse.
Ensure you have a competent person who will be helping you in the fitting and safety of the racks to prevent them from collapsing. Also, the racks that you have installed should be sturdy enough to withstand the weight of the items that you intend to keep. With racks, you can expect these items to stay there for quite a long time. You wouldn’t want to wake up to the news that your racks have collapsed. Not only does this damage your goods, but it may also injure your employees if it falls on people.
Afterward, make sure you’re protecting your racks as a way of preventing them from getting damaged, for example when accidentally stepped by a running vehicle. Make sure you’ve informed the staff of the dangers of going up on the racks and set rules against climbing up, without the help of the proper mechanical equipment.
Final Word
Safety in the workplace should always be prioritized. When you’re the boss or the head of a company, when accidents happen in the workplace, you can be held liable. More so, employees would never want to be a part of a work environment that isn’t safe. When they feel safe in the work environment that they’re in every day, they’ve also got a higher chance of committing better to the job that they do; productivity increases when your team feels safe and happy.
Abide by the tips enumerated above so that you can fast track the health and safety of your entire workplace.
