Warehouses and fulfilment centres have increased in number and size across the country, as e-commerce platforms continue to dominate retail markets as a preferred option for consumers. Whether your warehouse is for a new retail endeavour or part of a manufacturing chain, health and safety should be a chief concern. But what common hazards should you look out for?
Slips, Trips and Falls
Slips, trips and falls, according to the Health and Safety Executive, are responsible for over a third of all major workplace injuries – making them the most common cause of injuries at work. They can also be responsible for injuries by other means, with a slip resulting in a fall from height or contact with an electrical hazard.
Care must be taken to ensure that warehouse floors are kept free from trip hazards. Regular cleaning can ensure debris and packaging offcuts are swept clear. Company policy should also require workers to clean up after themselves, and to return equipment to a designated storage facility immediately after use.
Machinery Misuse
Many warehouses rely on the use of heavy machinery to operate efficiently and effectively. Forklift trucks are a common feature for delivering heavy objects and storing them at height, while bespoke automated packaging systems can be found in larger fulfilment centres. But these items of equipment introduce risk. Improper use of said equipment can cause injury, both of users and of other workers.
The potentially dangerous misuse of specialised equipment illustrates well the importance of training to warehouse safety. Ensuring staff are all skilled to the same level in the usage of forklifts and bespoke equipment can ensure there are no knowledge gaps, and that errors are minimised.
Machinery Failure
But machinery is not just dangerous in everyday usage. Malfunctions and failures can also occur, which pose significant risk to workers in the form of crush injuries, collisions or even exposure to high-pressure hydraulic fluids.
Regular maintenance is a key factor in ensuring worker safety when engaging with heavy and industrial machinery. Each item of equipment should have its own equipment log, that indicates previous uses and dates for prior repairs. Maintenance technicians should also keep to a strict programme of equipment downtime and maintenance.
Specialised tools should be utilised to ensure equipment is correctly cared for; DeWalt grease guns can be used to inject lubricant into difficult-to-reach parts of a system or installation, which unique tools and machined parts can be kept in stock for the replacement of proprietary components.
Heavy Lifting
Lifting poses a direct risk to worker health if undertaken improperly. Poor posture when lifting, including lifting with the back as opposed to the knees, can result in muscle strain and spinal injury. Lifting without the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) can introduce new risk, from lacerating the hand to crushing the feet.
Proper PPE should be supplied to staff, alongside proper training on correct lifting technique. Heavy objects should never be lifted alone, and objects of a certain weight should be transported by machinery.
