The 5 steps you need to take to make your warehouse safer
The warehousing industry is demanding, and as such it is vital that all health and safety issues are considered carefully. Recent reports have stated that in one warehouse of a big retailer, there were 80 ambulances called to incidents over a period of two years. No matter what kind of working environment you are in, this is a huge number – and clearly it shows that something must be done to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. Many companies put health and safety to the bottom of their list, but in warehousing this simply cannot be done. The festive period is almost upon retailers, meaning that pressure will rise to its peak – along with the risk of incident. So, the steps below will help to ensure that your warehouse is always as safe as possible for those working in it.
Make “box ticking” really mean something
Most health and safety professionals will spend their working day ticking boxes – but in a warehouse environment it needs to be more than just protocol. Rather than just having a generic list for every part of the warehouse, and every employee within it, procedures and checklists should be different depending on the individual needs of the department. This could include extra checks for those who don’t speak English as their first language, or in areas where problems have occurred in the past. By putting these checks into place when things are relatively quiet, you can get into good habits for the busier times of year.
Make the most of technology
Human error is one of the most common causes of injury in a warehouse environment, and investing in technology can help to avoid this. Not only are there machines that can do certain jobs around the warehouse that may come with a risk, but there are also machines that can analyse how individuals are working, whether they have poor posture, and whether their actions may be putting themselves or others in danger. Getting this kind of information can make a huge difference to health and safety procedures, and individuals will get a better insight into their own working practice. Your company probably won’t be able to invest in everything on the market, but if there are funds available, it is worth considering.
Learn your lessons from previous mistakes
No workplace will ever be completely incident free, but when things do occur, it’s important to learn from any mistakes that might have been made. This includes having a full reporting system where accidents are documented, and these should be reviewed carefully. This gives the company the chance to take a look at the systems that they have in place, and identify places where protocol could be changed to reduce the chances of an accident in the future. You should also get into the habit of reporting “near miss” incidents, as this can also help to flag up areas for improvement.
Never slack on PPE
Personal protective equipment is something that individuals may not appreciate until they are involved in an incident. It is important that this type of equipment is given to all employees when they begin their contract with the company. The clothing and equipment given should be reviewed on a regular basis, to ensure that it is serving the purpose that it is designed to. As the workplace changes and develops, you may find that equipment needs to be changed, too.
Communicate changes in policy
Health and safety policy will only ever work if everyone within a workplace environment knows about it, and this means that regular meetings are key if your own policy is to be a success. This includes informing everybody if something about the policy changes. Regular meetings will also bring with them the chance for employees to highlight areas where they believe that health and safety could be improved, and this type of insight from those working in the warehouse environment is invaluable. This communication style also helps to make employees feel as though they are being listened to, and avoids whistle blowing behaviour which can cause unrest in a lot of workplaces.
The main point to take from the tips above is that you should never become complacent with your health and safety procedures. The world of warehousing doesn’t stay still, and this means that policy should change alongside it – and be implemented and communicated effectively when it does. By dealing with health and safety procedure in this way all year round, companies can ensure that they are ready to handle high volume periods such as Christmas. Preparation is vital, and will allow the warehouse to run efficiently, which is important in order to meet deadlines. Not only will improving health and safety procedures keep everyone safe, but it should also improve the productivity of the business – so it really is a great investment.