Making Your Warehouse A Safe Place To Work

Warehouses can be one of the most dangerous work environments, due to the variation of products and equipment that can be used, and the heavy machinery that is always necessary. Like any work environment, you want to ensure your staff’s safety, not just to tick the legal box, but to look after your employees and make sure they are working to their top standard. Here are a few, simple ways to make your warehouse a safe and secure environment for you and them to work in. 

Air Filters

Anyone who has ever spent time in a warehouse knows how full the air gets with dust, debris and even fumes from lorries backing into the loading bay. This is a toxic environment for anyone to be in. By installing some industrial grade, compressed air filters you can keep the air clear and circulating - giving your staff much better quality in air and environment. 


As silly as it sounds - put signs on everything. One, it stops lawsuits. If there is a clear sign telling everyone not to step over the line, and someone steps over the line and gets hurt, you’re not legally in the wrong. Use chemical markings on anything that is deemed as corrosive or hazardous. Even mark the safe chemicals. 


Combine with signs, make sure there are clear rules for everyone to follow, like wearing high-visibility jackets within the warehouse, wearing appropriate footwear, and only using machinery they are approved for. Rules will determine the success of your management too. You don't have to be the strictest boss out there, but setting boundaries, break time and enforcing them will ensure a smooth running business. 


What’s the point of rules if the people are not trained to abide by them? Also, spending the time to properly train your staff members to use machinery, on proper health and safety regulations, and on how the business is operated will ensure that they are confident in what they are doing, that you are confident in what they are doing, and fewer accidents will occur because of that.

First Aid

Not training staff in first aid is a huge mistake. You don’t have to train everyone, but supervisors and management staff, at least, should be trained to cover the basics of any emergency - from a forklift running over a foot, to a stroke. The quicker a person can receive trained medical attention, the higher chance of saving them. You can also provide an on-site defibrillator for extreme emergencies. 


Fire exits, legally, have to be provided, multiple routes available, and all pathways kept clear. Up your fire safety with regular drills, installing extinguishers and fire blankets, and by appointing fire marshals. Make sure everyone signs in and someone grabs that register on their way out.