If you operate or manage a warehouse, your main priority should be keeping it safe and clean. Not only are warehouses very dangerous, but food products are sometimes also stored in them, which means they need to be kept very clean, at all times.
However, if you have no formal experience in cleaning warehouses or keeping employees safe from injuries in them, the chances are you have no idea where to start. This post will simplify things by offering nine tips you can use to cultivate a hazard-free workplace.
Daily Cleaning Schedule
A daily cleaning schedule is one of the best ways to ensure that your warehouse is kept safe, clean, and usable. A lot of warehouse managers make the mistake of not prioritizing cleaning. However, failing to prioritize cleaning can lead to waste accumulation in walkways, which can cause injuries. Investing in Rhino Rails warehouse guard rails can be an effective way to segment your warehouse, so waste disposal areas are properly marked. Create a daily cleaning schedule, so employees know who is responsible for waste disposal on specific days of the week.
Keep Floors Clear
Keeping your warehouse’s floors clean is absolutely essential. Don’t make the mistake of allowing waste to build up, as mentioned above. When waste builds up in an office, obstacles are created. The last thing you want is an employee operating a forklift to run into a pile of boxes or somebody carrying a heavy object to trip over debris left lying around. If you do not keep your office’s floors clean, you could end up having to deal with lawsuits from employees.
Organize Storage Areas
Organize and optimize storage areas for efficiency. If you do not use storage space efficiently, you could end up with your business’s stock piling up and overflowing out into walkways, which can create blockages and obstacles, the hazards of which have been highlighted above. If you need help organizing storage areas, buy proper storage equipment. Investing in high-quality storage equipment is one of the most effective ways for you to ensure you have the right storage solutions for your warehouse. You can get discounts by bulk buying storage equipment, especially if you buy from a dedicated warehouse furniture supplier.
Install Proper Ventilation
Proper ventilation is something else you need to make sure that your warehouse has, especially if forklifts or other gas-powered machinery is being operated. The last thing you want is for fumes released by your warehouse’s machine equipment to pollute the air. Air pollution in warehouses and factories can lead to serious respiratory injuries. Ventilating your warehouse is the most effective way of cleaning the air and removing any pollutants from it. Removing pollutants from the air means you won’t ever have to worry about dealing with lawsuits from employees who’ve developed asthma or other respiratory conditions as a result of your warehouse’s working conditions.
Provide Proper Lighting
As well as having good air quality, you also need to make sure that your warehouse is properly lit. A dimly lit warehouse is a hazard to everybody working in it. When you have heavy machinery being operated or large storage towers being used, the last thing you want is for your employees to be walking or driving around in the dark. Investing in quality lighting solutions should not be necessary, as most warehouses come with them. If yours does not, get in touch with a professional industrial lighting provider and explain your needs to them.
Enforce PPE Use
The use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is not mandated by law in all industrial buildings, but it is good practice. Environmental pollutants are not always eliminated by installing high-quality air ventilation. Sometimes dust and other pollutants can remain in the air, especially if they are constantly being stirred up by forklifts or other machines. By instructing employees to wear PPE, you won’t ever have to worry about them injuring themselves by being exposed to air pollutants, nor will you have to worry about germs spreading around your warehouse. PPE can reduce the amount of viral illnesses that are spread in your warehouse, which will keep employees working harder for longer.
Maintain Equipment
One of your main priorities as a warehouse manager should be maintaining your equipment. The last thing you want is for warehouse equipment to deteriorate because it has not been properly taken care of, because this can cost you a lot of money. As a businessperson, your mind should always be on cost-savings. The more money you save, the more you can invest in other areas of your business. Maintain your equipment by having it professionally cleaned, serviced, and inspected. Inspections may be included as part of your warranty, so get in touch with suppliers and find out if they are.
Train Your Employees
Training your employees on how to behave safely in a warehouse setting is absolutely essential. If you do not properly train your employees, you could end up having to deal with workplace injuries. As mentioned above, workplace injuries can lead to lawsuits. Lawsuits can cost your business a lot of money, so go out of your way to reduce your liability and properly train employees. You can train them in-house, or you can send them to an external training provider. You also need to ensure they have proper licenses and certificates if you want them to operate heavy machinery.
Manage Waste Disposal
Effective waste disposal is key. The hazards of waste accumulating have been highlighted above. No matter how many cleaning schedules or initiatives you launch, your warehouse will never be safe if you do not have proper waste disposal policies in place. Partner with a professional waste management firm and pay them to collect your warehouse’s waste once or twice a week. Also ensure you have a designated area for waste to be put while it is awaiting collection, so it does not sit out on the warehouse floor.
Cleaning and managing your warehouse can be difficult, but hopefully you now have a better understanding of how you can do it. The guidance given here will help you to keep your warehouse safe, orderly, and massively reduce your liability. Use it to tackle your warehouse’s cleanliness and safety.
