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With the many moving parts in any warehouse, ensuring safety can be a complicated task. Warehouse safety should be a primary concern for everyone. A safe environment improves employee morale and can save companies the expensive costs associated with workman’s compensation, high insurance rates, and general downtime.

  1. Training: It’s Not Just a Manual

Training is the foundation for warehouse safety; it shouldn’t be thought of as a one-time event. Continually remind your employees of the appropriate safety expectations. Have these guidelines clearly posted so that they can be referenced quickly and easily.  By creating a pop-quiz or other form of assessment, you can keep employees on their toes and get a feel for how well employees know the warehouse safety guidelines. Frequent errors could mean it’s time to conduct a refresher course on training.

Many companies skimp on training because it’s expensive and time consuming, but investing in training can prevent costs down the road—including insurance claims, lawsuits and OSHA fines.

  1. Find the Sweet Spot

Back pain is one of the most common complaints from warehouse workers, and it can be prevented with a few adjustments around the facility. Placing fast moving products between knuckle and shoulder height prevents unnecessary bending—which means less strain on the back. This placement also improves pick rates, saving you time and money in the process of improving warehouse safety.

Select products that have ergonomic features as well. Power carts, for example, can be adjusted in height so that employees aren’t bending or straining to use the shelves on them. These carts also prevent employees from walking back and forth across the warehouse; instead, they can bring their barcode printers or computers directly where they are needed, and even keep them powered.

  1. Label It

Warning signs are a critical part of warehouse safety. These signs are a legal requirement in most warehouses, alerting workers about possible dangers, precautionary steps, and exits. Clearly labeling other facets of your warehouse makes it easy for employees to make it from point A to point B, quickly and safely.

Tape or paint on the warehouse floor can also be used to label where it’s safe for pedestrians or denote areas that are for forklifts only. This prevents dangerous collisions.

  1. Lend a Helping Hand

By allowing your employees to use hands-free technology, they can remain more aware of their environment and focus on the task at hand. With wearable solutions, employees can easily scan a product with a ring scanner, and the information is displayed using an arm-mounted mobile computer, leaving their hands completely free.

Voice-picking is another trend in warehouse safety. These devices provide directions to employees through a headset, and they can confirm their activities with voice commands, eliminating the need to look at a computer. These solutions let employees focus on what’s in front of them, improving warehouse safety and efficiency in the process.

  1. Lighten up.

Poorly lit areas of the facility are a recipe for injury. Not being able to see warnings, spills, or other dangers puts your employees at risk. Falls and slips are another major concern for warehouse safety. This can easily be prevented by ensuring that areas are well lit, letting employees quickly identify hazards.

Flashing lights installed on forklifts can also alert workers to the moving vehicle. This is especially important in environments where noise levels are high, and they might not hear the vehicle approaching.

Warehouse safety shouldn’t be taken lightly. Train employees, remember the value of ergonomics, clearly label areas, use hands-free technology, and make sure everything is well lit. These steps are simple enough, but often disregarded. Don’t let your employees pay the price for your neglect.