Any warehouse manager understands that his or her main responsibility is managing a warehouse. They will even go as far as to say they are "responsible" for what takes place between their warehouse walls. However, their warehouse pallet rack safety isn't typically a course of concern until something drastic happens. Here are five tips to help any warehouse supervisor leverage their staff to prevent accidents
1. Discuss Pallet Rack Safety and Warehouse Accidents
The best thing to do when accidents happen is preventing them from happening again. Getting your warehouse staff together to discuss accidents, not only updates the warehouse supervisor on safety or damage concerns, but also teaches other workers the how and why behind these accidents. Doing so will start to create an educated warehouse environment.
2. Hold Warehouse Training Meetings
Now that your employees know how and why warehouse accidents happen, you can develop a training rhythm to prevent similar accidents in the future. Holding warehouse training meetings will give you the opportunity to quickly implement best practices that can be exercised across your warehouse staff. This creates accountability among your workers and gives your staff the opportunity to voice concerns. This will also provide an opportunity to implement and communicate new warehouse pallet design rules and guidelines.
3. Provide Safety Rule Signage
Since holding meetings and verbally communicating to your staff on a full time basis isn't an option, providing signage to communicate pallet rack safety rules is a good alternative. Proper signage prominently displayed in the proper place can help prevent accidents on a 24 hour basis. Here are a few areas that could use such signage:
- Fall risk areas
- High forklift traffic areas
- Flammable material areas
- Loading Dock areas
- Any areas that require specific safety attire
4. Inspect and/or Replace All Safety Equipment
When all is said and done, one of the best things a warehouse supervisor can do is understand that accidents will happen. You can communicate pallet rack safety practices and rules until you're blue in the face, but accidents will still occur. That is why maintaining good safety equipment and components is very important. Items such as: rack column protectors, appropriately placed guardrail, and product safety netting being included in your warehouse pallet design, can prevent damage from common warehouse accidents.
Safety in the warehouse should be a key focus when creating an efficient and productive warehouse design layout. Incorporating these four steps will greatly decrease your likelihood of warehouse accidents, and boost company trust and morale.