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Adversaries of comprehensive warehouse safety programs argue that they pose too great of a demand on current employees, create a potential need for dedicated personnel, and leach off of resources needed for more imminent, tangible tasks. Seeing is believing; therefore, reactivity typically takes precedence over proactivity since well-defined tasks pose a sense of urgency. Nonetheless, such proactivity could prevent both tragic consequences to affected parties in an accident and crippling financial liabilities to a company that has neglected to enact and sustain safety protocols.? Formulating a checklist and routinely assessing compliance to established standards is a relatively effortless way to ensure that safety is paramount to your warehouse.??
Personal Safety
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Proper training, visual graphics, first aid supplies and communication are paramount in ensuring that people?personnel or customers?are sufficiently advised of potential hazards. As Voltaire said, ?common sense is not so common?: stating the obvious is the best way to protect others, as well as yourself.? Clean all spills immediately upon their occurrence and/or use proper hazard cones to ward individuals away from the area. One of the most common causes of accidents results from unattended spills.
? Designate pedestrian walkways as well as areas that people are prohibited to walk, unless authorized.?
? Use appropriate signage to instruct people of the following: directions throughout a warehouse, hazard symbols, forklift traffic, gantry cranes, and requirements for moving heavy items. This list is not all-inclusive since it varies by warehouse to warehouse, but it targets common issues.
? Use proper methods for retrieving items high in warehouse racking (e.g. forklift) and do not allow persons to climb the racking.?
? Maintain accessible safety equipment (safety glasses, eye wash stations, respirators, etc.) in required areas.
? Use proper ?Exit? signs and require that all persons use man doors, instead of walking under open garage doors.
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Fire Safety
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Fire safety relies heavily upon logistics: evacuation coordination and accountability. It?s critical to protect property, but it?s of utmost importance to ensure all peoples? lives are safe.?? Make sure all points and paths of egress, including fire doors, are well marked.?
? Establish and practice an evacuation plan where each individual is assigned to a pre-designated outdoor staging area. Ensure a lead is appointed to each staging area with a list of all individuals that must be present.
? Formulate a safety committee; regularly ensure members are trained in first aid and CPR.?
? Ensure that the appropriate quantity and spacing of fire extinguishers exists in your warehouse and that they?re properly charged. Verify that sprinkler system is operable.
? Test fire alarms regularly.
? Keep flammable items an appropriate distance from sources that would facilitate combustion. Utilize the NFPA 704 ?fire diamond? and educate personnel on its meaning.
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Material Handling Safety
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? Provide MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for chemicals and materials, if applicable.
? Utilize the HMIS (Hazardous Material Identification System).
? Educate personnel on the proper disposal of various hazardous substances and be sure that necessary cleaning and disposal supplies are equipped in designated places throughout the warehouse, in addition to making sure that you have all the equipment needed for handling? dangerous goods storage.? Also, use concealed containers to discard sharp objects (e.g. knife blades).?
Electrical/Mechanical Safety
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? Utilize OSHA?s lockout-tagout procedures on any piece of equipment that poses a hazard and must not be run.
? Display proper hazard symbols (e.g. sharp edges, electrical shock) on machines and electrical items such as breaker boxes and transformers.?
? Make certain that proper safety gear and attire is worn by operators and that tools/machines are used solely for their intended purposes.??
Forklift Safety
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? Wear the manufacturer provided seat belt and do not leave forklift until stopped and parked. Retain key at all times.
? Travel in designated forklift lanes and only when forks are lowered; never park a forklift with the forks raised. This is a prime instance for personal injury.
? Reduce speed, utilize horns, and yield to pedestrians at all times.
? Do not exceed weight limit on the forklift.?
? Only use forklift for its intended purpose.
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Safety should be the main concern of any business that owns a warehouse, since taking care of employees is a key to a successful and prosperous business. Use these guidelines to prepare and implement an inspection checklist and you?ll be sure to increase safety awareness in your warehouse.?
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