Owning a business requires taking on a lot of responsibility. This includes responsibilities to customers, business partners and the government. However, perhaps the most important is the responsibility to keep your employees safe. One place that has been the source of many dangerous accidents for employees is the warehouse. Below are a few steps you can take to ensure that your warehouse is safe for your workers.
Prevent Falls
Falls are one of the most common injuries that occur in a warehouse environment. OSHA lists not protecting against dangerous falls as the most frequently violated OSHA safety standard. Make sure to install guard rails in all areas in your warehouse where drop-offs exist to prevent falls. Doing so will prevent injuries, worker’s compensation claims and fines from OSHA.
Prevent Slips
Slipping is another very common source of workplace injuries. To prevent dangerous slips, you must keep a good watch over what is on the warehouse floor at all times. Clean up loose debris, liquids and garbage immediately to remove the danger. Even something as simple as sawdust could cause someone to slip and injure their self.
Prevent Electrocutions
Electrocutions are another big danger you need to be proactive about preventing. Make sure that there is no loose wiring in your warehouse and make sure everything regarding your warehouse’s electrical system has been installed by a licensed electrician. Add extra protection for dangerous electrical connections by installing a fiberglass electrical enclosure.
Prevent Repetitive Motion Injuries
Not all serious workplace injuries manifest immediately. Some develop over a long period of time. Injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow develop due to workers moving the same body part in the same way over and over again. These injuries are common for warehouse employees as well. Make sure to vary the tasks given to warehouse employees in a way that prevents these injuries from developing.
Train Your Employees
Maintaining a safe warehouse also requires thorough training for your warehouse workers on how to maintain safety in the warehouse and prevent accidents and injuries. This includes specialized training and even certification on how to safely use dangerous equipment like forklifts. Without this training, you will never have a safe warehouse.
Overall, there’s a lot that can go wrong in a warehouse. When accidents happen, serious injuries and even death can occur. You need to do what you can to prevent falls, slips, electrocutions and other serious injuries. Make sure your warehouse is safe and your employees have the training and knowledge they need to prevent accidents and injuries from occurring.