Shelving Safety Tips to Help You Avoid Big-Time Damage

One of the most crucial aspects of running a warehouse is making sure all of your employees follow the proper safety protocols. This is important not just for the health and safety of the workers in the warehouse, but also for the safety of your inventory, to prevent any damage from occurring to it and costing you a significant amount of money. There is always the chance for injury and inventory damage in a warehouse, but careful planning and safety procedures can do a lot to reduce that risk as much as possible, so long as you make it a priority at all times.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you go about your everyday work in your warehouse to prevent major damage from occurring:

• Plan out your shelving usage: When you install brand new heavy-duty shelving in your warehouse, you should always do so with a planned purpose for that shelving in mind. The design of your shelving should match the specific needs of your warehouse—you shouldn’t constantly try to fit square pegs into round holes with your shelving and storage situation. There are some types of shelving and storage that are better for some items than others. If you understand these differences, you’ll be better able to avoid damage or potential accidents.
• Train everyone on how to handle items: Sure, there are going to be some scenarios in which faulty equipment is to blame for an accident, but the vast majority of accidents that occur in warehouses are the fault of employees mishandling equipment or items, which can easily lead to injury or damage. For this reason, the best way to prevent this issue is to make sure every employee in your warehouse is properly trained in the processes of loading and unloading all your inventory and transporting it throughout the warehouse. This is especially true if there are any items you keep in your warehouse that have some more complicated issues that must be dealt with.
• Stay on top of maintenance: It’s not just important to make sure the shelving systems in your warehouse have been installed properly—you also need to follow that up with outstanding maintenance. Check and see if the manufacturer has any recommendations with regard to replacement schedules or weight limits for the shelving. If you inherited the shelving you have from a previous owner, do the necessary research so you can understand your shelving’s specifications and capabilities.
• Make safety an ongoing priority: It can be easy over time to start getting a little bit lax with your adherence to safety protocol, but don’t let your attention slip. Making safety an ongoing priority in your warehouse is important because the second you let your guard down an accident becomes significantly more likely. Make sure you’re always following all suggested safety rules.

For more information about warehouse safety and what you should know about maintaining your heavy-duty shelving, we encourage you to contact the team at Industrial Shelving USA today.

Categorised in: Equipment