Safety is one of the number one factors to maintaining your warehouse. After all, if your employees are constantly getting hurt for various reasons, then how are you supposed to get business done? Not only that, but you could also face some potential lawsuits that have the potential to completely shut you down if you don’t take care of the safety issues. Those are just a few things that could go wrong if your warehouse is unsafe.
Update Your Storage
First and foremost, the way that you store your items can completely make or break the efficiency of your warehouse and how it functions. Not only this but also having solid storage will allow you to move all of your merchandise up and out of the way so that there is no possibility of you or your employees tripping over items in the middle of walkways. If your stuff is stored properly, then you can rest assured that your warehouse will not only be much safer, but it will also allow your employees to find things with ease, which results in less time spent searching and more time selling the items that you need to.
Training
Whenever you hire new employees, make sure that you train them so that they know how to use all the equipment and the ins and out of the warehouse. Not training them will not only put them at risk for injury, but it will also put all of your other employees at risk as well. Even something like how to properly use a ladder is extremely beneficial to help keep your employees safe. You would be surprised by how many people going into a job have no idea how to do the basics of that job, so it is good to do proper training for everyone to avoid injuries.
Breaks Are Not A Bad Thing
When you own a business, you know that there is simply not enough time in the day to get things done. You may be tempted to work your employees harder to make sure that you use the time to the best of your company’s abilities. This actually should be avoided. Not only will it make your employees happier, but without breaks, they can also begin to make mistakes which could potentially lead to injuries. Allowing your employees a few breaks a day will allow them to work far more efficiently during their work day.
Safe Lifting Techniques
When you own a large warehouse, it is probably not because you have a large number of smaller items, more likely than not it is because you have quite a few large items that need to be lifted by your workers. Teaching safe techniques will keep your employees healthy which in turn makes them happier to be working for you.
Proper Footwear Is A Must
Having your employees wear proper shoes when at work is something that should absolutely be promoted. Even if you have to pay for that cost yourself, it could save you and your employees from hurting themselves. Proper shoes should be closed-toe (preferably with a steel toe) and have great tread on the bottom. If you have steel toes boots, it will protect your employees if something happens to fall on top of the shoe. Having the proper tread will ensure that even if your warehouse is slick, that they won’t fall because of it.
Tape Down Any Wires
Wires in any area can be dangerous because they are a huge tripping hazard. Even if they are running along the floor with a lot of slack, they can easily cause you to trip. Taping them down will allow your employees to safely navigate your warehouse with ease. It will also allow forklifts and any other machines to run over them without it unplugging or causing any larger issues within your warehouse.
Signage
There are a ton of things to learn when it comes to warehouse safety and we are only human. That means that everything that you teach your employees can’t possibly be remembered on day one. That is why putting signs around your warehouse is one of the better things that you can do to help your employees remember the most important things.
Contact Us
We can’t implement all of these things for you, but what we can help with is your storage needs. Whether you need vertical, horizontal, or even a custom amount of storage, Felix Loeb is your one-stop shop for all things that have to do with storage. Contact us today!