Experience Safety – Topic of the Month: Warehouse Safety
Warehouse as an industrial facility that receives and stocks many types of product, then transports or ships it to various locations evokes the image of a simple operation moving materials around with forklifts, powered hand jacks, conveyors or by hand. Thanks to this image, warehouse employees often develop a false sense of safety. With no dangerous machines or high-risk operations to consider, many fail to see the need for a sound safety program. By nature, however, a warehouse is a busy place, and such fast-paced productivity often leads to injuries. Therefore, where safety is concerned, warehouse management must do more to protect employees.
What can be done to achieve a safer work environment and enhance worker safety? What programs should be implemented not only to comply with OSH regulations but also to provide for sound safety practices?
Focus Areas
Statistics indicate that certain areas or operations within a warehouse present greater hazards than others. The following operations have historically contributed to significant numbers of injuries and are considered to be the most hazardous:
docks,
powered industrial trucks,
conveyors,
materials storage,
manual lifting/handling and
charging stations.
Other serious problems include
inadequate fire safety provisions,
chemical exposure,
improper use of lockout procedures,
lack of ergonomics and
failure to wear personal protective equipment.
To improve warehouse safety, employers should focus on these areas and take steps to improve employee training, enforce safe practices and implement appropriate corrective action.
For full original Article with explanation of how to improve warehouse safety in the Above areas, Click the link below:
Warehouse Safety
