Good safety managers and shift supervisors are always learning economical and sustainable warehouse safety best practices to keep everyone safe. Here are five ideas and safety tips for warehouse workers that ensure all your employees remain healthy and productive.

1. Schedule Regular Warehouse Best Practices Training

If there are fundamental rule changes that better safeguard the welfare of workers and reduce accidents, it’s tough to implement them quickly without adequate training and instruction. Whenever you update your safety manual, host in-house training to make sure everyone is up to speed on warehouse safety. Schedule regular safety protocol training, quarterly at a minimum, to teach and retrain new and old hires. Address important changes like new uniforms, new safety equipment, and critical updates to on-site machinery.

2. Keep the Warehouse Floor Clean

It may sound like basic advice, but one of the most important safety rules is cleanliness. Appoint people on the floor during every shift to keep track of regular cleanups, including getting rid of boxes and other debris that collects on the floor. Keep spill kits on hand and easily accessible if you work with chemicals or store any liquids. No matter how many articles you read about safety tips for working in a warehouse, all of them point to how important it is to prevent slips and falls, which are among the most common causes of injuries. So, empty those trash bins, perform daily inspections, and empower your shift managers to keep the place spotless. Here’s another tip: Make a warehouse inspection checklist and appoint the appropriate staffers to go through it at least twice a day.

This video offers general best practice tips for warehouse safety and advice on how to avoid hazards. These are helpful guidelines when approaching safety topics for warehouse workers:

 

3. Use Signage to Communicate Warehouse Safety Rules

Hanging signs in strategic areas should be on the top of your to-do list. Mark all areas where employees may encounter:

  • Flammable materials
  • Dangerous chemicals
  • Fall risks
  • Hard hat-only zones

Loading docks can get busy and hectic, and workers may not easily hear each other over the constant noise of forklifts, trucks, and other electrical equipment. While some things may seem obvious to veterans, remember that there are always new people on the floor who aren’t as experienced. Give them easy-to-read visual cues so everyone is on the same page with safety awareness. Inspect signage monthly and put that task on your warehouse safety inspection checklist to ensure that all warehouse safety signs are always legible and hanging properly.

4. Discuss Safety and Warehouse Accidents

During your weekly staff meetings remind the team of how well they’re doing, along with your usual agenda that covers safety topics for the warehouse. Setting a moment aside to discuss an accident-free workplace gets everyone just as excited about safety and their health as other elements of their productivity. If accidents do occur, then create an open forum for discussing them and the key prevention steps to avoid accidents in the future.

5. Check and Double-Check All Safety Equipment

Treat safety equipment with the same urgency that you do when monitoring product inventory. Are any sprinklers in the warehouse blocked by piles of boxes? Do all the fire extinguishers work? Does everyone have access to safe and precise utility knives to prevent avoidable injuries? When was the last time you double-checked that everyone was wearing well-fitting and safe lifting belts? Even after receiving shipments from your safety equipment suppliers, check all products before putting the equipment to use. Performing regular safety equipment inspections is a low-cost way to provide key oversight for your workers.

Safety in the warehouse is a number one priority. Establishing and enforcing consistent guidelines reduces injuries and improves morale. Incorporate important warehouse safety best practices in your regular meetings as guidelines to make the information accessible to all your employees.

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