Different lines of work come with their problems and hazards. According to OSHA in Australia, statistics on fatalities in the warehousing industry are higher than the national average on fatalities in all other industries combined – a scary insight into the dangers of warehouse operations.
As a warehouse worker, it’s essential to be safety-conscious—not just for personal safety but for the coworkers as well. This article presents eight important safety tips with which every warehouse worker should be informed and trained.
- Inspect Equipment and Tools Before Use
Inspect tools and equipment before use to make sure that they are in good working order. This is valuable in helping you to identify and solve small problems before they become significant ones. Implement a system whereby all tools are regularly tested for safety and replaced/repaired as and when needed.
- Proper Equipment to Ensure Worker Safety
Proper equipment should always be available and in good working order to decrease the physical demands on warehouse workers, therefore reducing the potential for injury. This may include but is not limited to trolleys, hand trucks, and pallet jacks. Having the correct equipment available to do a job allows workers to move heavier items without excess stress to the body, so strains, sprains, and other injuries are less likely to occur.
This also involves the provision of the right equipment by the employer for all lifting and moving processes with appropriate training to employees on the proper use of such equipment. Such equipment should also be regularly serviced or maintained for safe and effective usage.
- Learn the Safety Measures and Procedures
You’ll receive detailed training on safety processes, including ergonomic training to help prevent injuries from repetitive motion or stress, before starting work on the warehouse floor, plus information related to your particular job and equipment.
During the training period, obtain a clear understanding of all safety procedures and ask questions where there may be doubt. If you believe that your training in any particular aspect is deficient or if you have certain doubts regarding the same, then it is important that you discuss the matter with your supervisor to get proper guidance.
- Keep Your Workspace Organised and Dry
A messy workstation can obstruct workers’ and machineries’ pathways, increasing the risk of accidents and physical harm. Keep your area clean and well organised at all times; never leave boxes or any kind of equipment in aisles or store them in corners. Moreover, keep your work area dry since the presence of water on the floor, ladders, or conveyor belts may cause slipping or falling.
- Regular Inspection of Electrical Systems
Unless properly maintained, electrical systems can pose some serious threats to the operations of a warehouse. Defective wiring, overloaded circuits, and faulty equipment may cause a fire or electrical shock that eventually threatens the lives of everyone inside the building. It’s vital to conduct regular inspections of all electrical systems and equipment for any potential hazards.
Additionally, warehouse workers must be trained on how to identify potential electrical problems, such as frayed wires or flickering lighting, and report them. That should then be followed up with prompt repair and maintenance by an electrician like Cowley to ensure that all electrical systems meet code requirements and are safe to operate.
- Be Alert & Understand Your Surroundings
A lot is happening in the warehouses, such that there are people walking and machinery moving. You should be awake at all times when on duty.
Familiarise yourself with the layout of the warehouse, noting blind spots and areas in the building where ventilation may be poor. Employers may wish to highlight high-risk locations and install access control, ensuring that only trained and experienced workers have access to such areas.
Exit routes should be indicated, and a fire alarm system should be installed in all warehouses in the United States. Be sure to know the locations of the various exits and the emergency evacuation routes. Never wear headphones, either, for this can prevent you from hearing sounds that might be important. Every time one crosses the aisle or rounds a corner, he or she needs to stop and then look left and right.
- Always Wear PPE
This doesn’t go for all warehouse roles. However, where applicable, your employer will provide PPE, which is designed to help safeguard you against many of the dangers in your work area. PPE should be worn continually during the work process when extreme temperatures, dust, or other hazardous conditions are present.
- Properly Label and Store Hazardous Materials
Chemicals and other hazardous materials generally have strict guidelines on handling and storing. OSHA has laid down firm instructions regarding the proper labelling and storage of such chemicals. Obey these and any other instructions your employer may have when working with hazardous materials.
- Ensure Adequate Ventilation
A properly functioning and well-maintained ventilation system is very crucial in the warehouse environment for preventing dust, fumes, and other dangerous by-products that can be dangerous if inhaled.
Poor air quality inside working locations may create respiratory problems and a host of other health issues in workers. If you work in a warehouse, your employer should ensure you have an appropriate ventilation system within a warehouse to establish a steady inflow of fresh air, especially in an area where chemicals are stored or equipment that runs frequently.
- Report Accidents & Injuries
No matter how minor, report all injuries as soon as they happen. Reporting of accidents and injuries not only ensures that there is an official record made, but it also helps prevent similar incidents to occur to other people.
- Stay in Your Lane & Only Perform What You’re Qualified to Do
Using equipment for which you are not trained, or performing a job that isn’t within your skill area, can cause you to be injured. Perform only those tasks for which you have been trained. If you are requested to perform a task that is beyond your skill, discuss the problem with a manager to find a safe solution.
Safety procedures in a warehouse are not just best practices; quite often, they are the law. It’s in every employee’s best interest to follow set ways of doing things all the time in safeguarding their safety and that of the other workers, too.