Working in a warehouse is a fulfilling and prosperous career. But at the same time, you have to wear high visibility workwear to ensure your safety. Even though working in a warehouse may seem to appeal to you, you have to remain careful throughout the work hours. If you are working as a warehouse manager, then you have a staff to look after. Too many fatalities and injuries occur regularly among warehouse workers. During 2015-2018, 19 warehouse workers on average suffered death and wounds. But this number can come down significantly, provided practices for warehouse safety are followed.
There are several factors involved in developing warehouse safety regulations. Whether a company is big or small, it should ask workers to wear high visibility work wear. The factors depend on practices, size, and policies the company follows. To maintain a minimum level of OSHA compliance, rules might be implemented based on the most often reported infractions.
Typical Workplace Accidents
For improving the safety of the warehouse, the first thing is to understand typical occupational injuries. The higher-ups should see what kind of injuries commonly occur and understand the reasons behind them. To avoid injuries, the workers must have high visibility work wear on while on the premises. These are some of the most typical injuries and their causes:
1. Mishaps Due to Heavy Machinery
Heavy pallets and forklifts are the most commonly used equipment in warehouses. Workers are recommended to wear high visibility work wear. This is an essential practice. It helps in avoiding situations that may prove fatal or cause injuries. There are countless dangerous scenarios that the employees encounter. These include dropping from an elevated platform, getting struck by forklifts or ran over by them, and tumbling between a trailer and the lift. These mishaps frequently happen as a result of random chance, an overcrowded warehouse, or poor forklift safety instruction.
2. Dangerous chemicals
Numerous warehouses make use of dangerous chemicals. Also, others manufacture them according to their requirement. However, while working with several liquids, you cannot avoid accidental spills. The workers need to garb high visibility work wear. This is because several leaks and chemical accidents may lead to hazardous circumstances.
3. Getting Hit by falling objects
At any moment, there is a risk of stacks of objects falling off the shelves. As a result, these may cause injuries to the workers stationed nearby. While there are several reasons for that but these injuries mostly happen because of ineffective planning and operation. While stationed in such vicinity, it is necessary to wear high visibility work wear to avoid such a situation.
4. Machine entanglement
Among the riskiest scenarios, while working in a warehouse, machine entanglement is the most severe one. Such accidents occur when the workers come in contact with hazardous or massive machinery.
5 Tips for Warehouse Safety
While working in a warehouse, it is necessary to implement a comprehensive safety strategy. It is necessary to implement appropriate safety protocols to avoid the hassle. Here are some of the things to consider to avoid the injuries mentioned above:
1. Constantly use safety equipment
While working in a warehouse, ensure that your back remains safe. This is because you may have to lift heavy machinery at work like hydraulic lifts or forklifts. Utilize high visibility work wear and other safety equipment like PPE as well as other necessary gear.
Heavy machinery such as forklifts should only be operated by the professionals in the warehouse. This is because they are the ones who know how to work with it correctly and safely. Respecting this regulation can aid in protecting the workers and operators of the warehouse as well as others associates.
2. Maintain a tidy and organized workspace
It is crucial to organize and clean your workspace on time to time basis. If it does come into practice, it may bring down accidents to a significant level. Another benefit of having an organized workplace is that it allows locating heavy objects easily and fast. Also, it will be an effective operation for the warehouse and let employees follow the suit.
3. Address electrical risks
Encourage the use of safe electrical wiring practices, especially when working with temporary wiring, cable trays, and open wiring on insulators. Include all the electrical equipment and installations that are installed, used, or in adjacent locations of the warehouse and its structures.
4. Mark off dangerous areas
Safety labels and signs help raise awareness of the people. This particularly provides awareness to those working in danger zones and stops injuries and accidents from happening. Visitors and employees are exposed to hazardous environments and machinery in a warehouse. In that situation, use the necessary warning signs and labels, while storing the equipment. Some of the safety indicators include Admittance signs, Danger signs, Warning signs, Caution signs, Biological hazard signs, Notice signs, general safety signs or safety instructions, and fire safety signs.
5. Make Use of High Visibility Workwear
While working in a warehouse, ensure not to wear loose-fitting clothing. Otherwise, it may become entangled in the pallets or machinery. Hence, there are chances of getting an injury. Another helpful suggestion to maintain the warehouse’s safety by asking warehouse workers to wear high visibility work wear. As a part ofthe warehouse, it is crucial for them to also wear eyewear, hard hats, gloves, vests, and masks.
