As anyone who’s spent time in a warehouse can attest, they’re not exactly the safest work environments. With an abundance of heavy machinery, high shelving and large items, opportunities for injury are not in short supply. However, this isn’t to say that warehouse workers need to resign themselves to the occasional workplace accident. Many of the mishaps and injuries that occur in warehouses are easily-avoidable – provided, of course, the proper precautions are taken. Warehouse employees looking for effective ways to avoid injury and promote safety can benefit from the following pointers.
Obey the Dress Code
Although many warehouses require employees to don an assortment of safety gear on the job, many workers won’t think twice about taking this gear off. While it’s true that hardhats and safety glasses aren’t exactly the most comfortable workplace attire, they can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. Taking off your safety gear for just a few seconds in a potentially dangerous area can have lasting consequences, so it’s in your best interest to set any comfort or fashion issues aside when working in a warehouse. If your safety gear is uncomfortable to the point of hurting you, speak to a manager or supervisor, as they may be able to provide you with specially-made safety attire.
Maintain the Equipment
Warehouses use a wide range of heavy-duty machinery. While having the right machine operators is highly conducive to workplace safety, the machines themselves also require regular maintenance in order to operate at peak efficiency. Failure to provide certain equipment with the proper maintenance is liable to lead to malfunctions, which can result in worker injury. With this in mind, managers are encouraged to have heavy equipment serviced and inspected as often as manufacturers recommend. Not only will this help ensure worker safety, it can also save companies a princely sum on expensive repairs. Basic maintenance can effectively prevent larger – and costlier – issues from taking shape.
Avoid Overexertion
Working in a warehouse often requires a solid amount of physical prowess. In addition to spending a lot of time on their feet, warehouse workers do a fair amount of heavy lifting. Unsurprisingly, frequent physical exertion can put undue strain on one’s muscles and lead to a variety of long-term ailments. As such, it’s recommended that workers avoid lifting too much at once and take breaks whenever they feel overexerted. This may not be the most efficient way to move items, but it’s ultimately what’s best for your body. Furthermore, overexertion isn’t good for the items being moved, as it increases the likelihood of falls and droppage. This is particularly bad for delicate cargo and shipping containers that have been outfitted with shock watch monitoring devices.
In the absence of the right precautions, a warehouse can be a perilous workplace. Fortunately, safety doesn’t have to be an uphill battle for warehouse employees. While there’s no denying that many warehouses are potential hotbeds for on-the-job accidents, a little bit of forward thinking and basic caution can go a long way in ensuring worker safety.
