How to Avoid The Most Common Warehouse Safety Hazards (Part 1)

Warehouses can be dangerous places to work; there are plenty of possible ways to be injured in one. From the heavy objects that are being stored to the potentially dangerous equipment that is used, safety must be a priority in every warehouse.

Thankfully here at Pallet Racking Direct we know a few things about how to avoid some of the most common hazards from our years of experience as pallet racking suppliers, and we’re more than happy to share a few of these with you in this series.

Slips, Trips & Falls

Slips, trips and falls are amongst some of the most common warehouse hazards that exist, but thankfully they’re one of the easiest to avoid. Common causes of these hazards are spilled loose materials or liquids, steps or ridges, objects on the floor and dark areas, all things that can be eliminated with minimal effort.

Make sure that you are vigilant about tidying in your warehouse (take a look at our blog on keeping a clean and clutter free warehouse if you need help), eliminate any steps or ridges that aren’t absolutely necessary and have all of your warehouse well lit during working hours.

Heavy Equipment

Warehouses are full of heavy equipment that may pose a risk to safety; heavy equipment such as forklifts are used every day in most warehouses. The hazard presents itself when employees are either not trained properly, or they become so comfortable using the equipment, they start to underestimate the danger they pose to others.

Ensuring that your employees are properly trained and always alert when using this machinery should eliminate any hazards associated with this kind of equipment.

Fires

Fires thankfully aren’t too common in warehouses but when they occur they can be devastating. Because of the destruction they can cause when they occur they must be prevented at all costs. If you ensure that there are no damaged or exposed wires, leaking flammable fluids and gasses, or anything else that may lead to a fire will help you to prevent fires from starting in the first place.

You must also make sure that, should there be a fire, extinguishers are available, exits are clearly marked and everybody knows the exit strategy.

That’s all for this series but join us in the next part to find out some more ways to avoid the most common warehouse hazards to keep your employees safe.

Here at Pallet Racking Direct we have a number of essential pallet racking solutions that can help any warehouse improve its efficiency and safety. If you’d like to inquire about any of the solutions we provide, don’t hesitate to contact one of our experts on 01444 220 290.