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Eight tips for safely setting up and running a warehouse

Photo shows the inside of a warehouseWhen it comes to setting up a warehouse, your staff safety should be top priority, closely followed by arranging the space to fit the most in. This can take a lot of planning and often needs to be laid out to exact specifications. There are many things you need to consider but to help you out, here are eight tips to running a safe, practical warehouse:

#1 Install Non-Slip Flooring

Some of the most common accidents in warehouses are trips, slips and falls. By installing specialist non-slip flooring there will be more traction and therefore less slipping accidents. If you can’t afford this expense then make sure that you routinely check that the floor is clear of any liquid spills – with both approaches you need to ensure that debris is always removed to eliminate them as tripping hazards.

#2 Enforce Protective Equipment

Warehouses can be hazardous places to work and therefore it makes sense to use the correct protective equipment such as hardhats and back braces. Making sure that everyone wears these can be the difference between a serious incident and a lucky escape. All the machinery in your warehouse should be properly labelled with instructions and should recommend the safety equipment that needs to be worn during use.

#3 Correct Racking and Shelving Units

All warehouse racking units have maximum weight and size limits, and you need to ensure that these are being rigorously followed. Failure to do this could not only lead to legal action being taken against you but could also cause the units to collapse and cause injury or even death.

#4 Fixing the Wear and Tear

If you notice that anything in the warehouse has sustained damage then it needs to be fixed or replaced as quickly as possible. Shelving units are normally the main issue here, as they can easily become damaged by being overburdened or being hit by a forklift.

#5 Allocated Spaces

By putting everything in a certain space you can prevent overloading shelving or mixing up inbound and outbound items. This can be very helpful for the day to day running of your warehouse and will eliminate problems with things going missing.

#6 Provide Waste Bins

Make sure that there are waste bins and skips nearby so that cardboard, packaging and other waste products can be cleared from the warehouse floor and not clutter up the area. This will prevent trips from floor debris and give you more storage room.

#7 Put Up Safety Signs

Health and safety regulations require that certain notices need to be put up as a warning of potential hazards and dangers. Make sure that these are installed in the right places and are easily visible.

#8 Minimise Manual Lifting

Lifting heavy objects is a fast track to injury, especially when done incorrectly or if no other help is available. By having forklift trucks, trollies, jib cranes and rolling jacks available to take care of the heavy lifting you can reduce the danger of your employees being injured.

Following all these steps will help to provide a much safer working environment for your employees and it will create a far more efficient system too.

About the Author – RHP Racking provide warehouse racking, shelving and storage units. With a wide variety of products available you will find exactly what you need to properly equip your warehouse. To see RHP Racking’s full range visit the website today.

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