8 Warehouse Safety Tips You Need to Implement

July 24, 2020

Implementing warehouse safety tips in your workplace is necessary to the efficiency and health of your business and those who work for it. Establishing proper guidelines will help make your warehouse somewhere that both visitors and employees feel comfortable.

At Forklift Inventory, we know that safety isn’t a one-time thing. Making warehouse safety part of your company culture is key. That’s why we created this list of 8 safety ideas for warehouses that you can apply to your own facility.

Job-related injuries are all too common in America’s warehouses today. Fatal injuries are higher for warehouse employees than employees of any other industry. It’s time to change the statistics and protect our employees and businesses.

Learn more about OSHA warehouse safety and how to apply these guidelines at your workplace. Here are some simple warehouse safety tips that you can implement today.

Tip #1: Use signage to protect pedestrians.

A warehouse can be a dangerous place, especially for someone walking amidst heavy machinery. Sometimes, when focusing on warehouse efficiency, workers can lose sight of their surroundings.

Help protect pedestrians by displaying clear signage. Use signs to warn operators of pedestrian traffic. Note common forklift areas to help pedestrians watch out for dangerous machinery. Speed limit signs can also promote warehouse safety. Consider establishing a stop sign system where forklift operators must honk before continuing ahead.

Tip #2: Educate employees on warehouse safety.

Implementing these warehouse safety tips in your workplace does no good if employees aren’t aware. Educate workers on safety protocol and why it is important. Show them best practices for staying safe while increasing warehouse efficiency.

OSHA offers a certificate course that covers safe work procedures, warehouse maintenance, and solutions to common hazards. Use this OSHA warehouse safety course to maintain a safe work environment.

Tip #3: Keep your workplace clean.

Warehouses are made up of many moving parts. One of the simplest and most effective safety ideas for warehouses is to keep the space clean.

Removing debris from the floor will ensure the safety of pedestrians and the effectiveness of machinery. Fine debris like sawdust is a common culprit for slip and fall incidents. Larger debris can damage forklift steering and braking systems, putting operators at risk.

Cleanliness is not only a big part of safety. It is also critical to warehouse efficiency. When employees know where tools are and can get to them and use them quickly, they’ll save time. Adherence to these warehouse safety tips will also benefit productivity.

Tip #4: Follow OSHA warehouse safety lighting requirements.

Though you might not realize it, dark warehouses are a hazard for forklift operators. When equipment is loud and there is a lot going on, it’s all too easy for operators to lose sight of other equipment or obstacles.

OSHA warehouse safety lighting guidelines require warehouses to provide at least ten lumens of light per square foot of space, or ten foot-candles.

Tip #5: Vocalize common hazards to employees.

Does your warehouse have any docks or ledges? What about conveyor belts or hazardous materials? Keep your employees in the loop. OSHA warehouse safety regulations advise managers to inform employees of common hazards so that they can be avoided.

In response to these hazards, implement warehouse safety tips. Address dangerous ledges with bright yellow tape. Guard pinch points along conveyors. Create a protocol for properly stacking materials so that they don’t fall. Use these safety ideas for warehouses to get ahead of dangerous situations.

Tip #6: Keep up with routine maintenance.

Cleanliness is essential to warehouse efficiency, and so is maintenance. Keeping up with maintenance will keep employees safe. It’ll also help you save money by addressing repairs before they become costly.

Be sure to document maintenance in order to keep an accurate record of equipment condition.

Tip #7: Conduct routine warehouse safety audits.

Stay compliant with OSHA warehouse safety guidelines by conducting routine audits. While a daily walk-around is crucial for staying up-to-date on the condition of your workplace, warehouse safety audits offer a more in-depth look at potential hazards.

Start by checking overall workplace safety. Take the time to clear aisles, clean spills, and pick up clutter. Then, check electrical safety by checking outlet functionality and lighting. Once that is complete, move on to fire and hazardous material safety. This includes removing fire hazards, checking fire extinguishers, clearing exits, and labeling chemicals.

These are simply a few safety ideas for warehouse management to check each day and is not an all-inclusive list.

Tip #8: Enforce forklift safety.

Educate your workers on how to stay safe around dangerous equipment. Forklifts are the most common cause of warehouse injuries. Warehouse safety tips can only go so far. Make sure that operators are well trained and meet OSHA training requirements.

Remember, your warehouse is only as safe as your equipment is. Time for an upgrade? Search the largest inventory of new and used forklifts for sale with Forklift Inventory.

Having the best equipment for the job will increase warehouse efficiency. Simply let us know what you need and we’ll match you with equipment that fits.

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