Warehouse Health & Safety: What You Need To Know
From moving vehicles to damaged shelving, warehouse hazards account for a surprising amount of workplace-related injuries. And while we often consider health and safety in the more obvious places, such as construction, often the important issue of warehouse health and safety is overlooked.
As with any area of the workplace, health and safety in the warehouse are of the utmost importance, to ensure everyone working in and around the area is protected at all times. There are a number of hazards that all staff need to be aware of, whether they’re working in the warehouse full time or have a one-off visit. These include:
For further warehouse health and safety advice, alongside laws for employers, explore warehousing at HSE. Or, to find the clothing you or your workers need for the job, look no further than the men’s workwear and women’s workwear collections at MI Supplies.
As with any area of the workplace, health and safety in the warehouse are of the utmost importance, to ensure everyone working in and around the area is protected at all times. There are a number of hazards that all staff need to be aware of, whether they’re working in the warehouse full time or have a one-off visit. These include:
Slips and trips in the warehouse
Warehouses by their very nature are often packed with objects and products, so it is important to make sure everything is stored correctly to minimise the chance of accidental slips or trips. Fallen objects create an obvious hazard, so ensure items are securely packed away and, if needed, fastened securely in place. Passageways and aisles should be fully cleared of any clutter that may present a trip hazard. Spills from fallen liquid products also create slip hazards. These should always be cleaned up straight away, with appropriate warning notices put in place on any still wet surfaces. Workers should also be equipped with the correct footwear, offering them additional grip and protection in the workplace. Finally, lighting in your warehouse is of the utmost importance. Visibility should always be excellent, with sufficient lighting in all areas.Storage, shelving and racking in the warehouse
Any storage shelving or racking should be held securely in place, bolted to the wall or floor or the warehouse so there is absolutely no risk of them tipping or falling over. The shelving used should be heavy-duty and fully capable of easily withstanding the weight of the items you’re planning to store. Maintenance is vital - any damage to shelves should be reported, logged and fixed immediately, with items removed from damaged shelving as soon as the damage is noticed. Care should also be taken when stacking the shelves in a warehouse. Take a sensible approach, with the heaviest and most accessed items stored towards the bottom, and never overstack the shelves beyond their regular capacity.
Warehouse falls from a height
Even in the smallest warehouses, it is likely that some time will be spent working above floor level. High shelving is usually present, so workers will need either ladders, stools or even mechanical pickers in order to retrieve goods. All workers with warehouse access should be given the appropriate training for working from a height, even if they are not working full time in the warehouse. Equipment such as ladders should be provided and should be regularly checked to ensure they consistently meet health and safety standards. PPE, including protective headwear, should also be provided for those regularly working from a height within the warehouse.Moving vehicles in the warehouse
Particularly in larger warehouses, you may also be equipped with vehicles or heavy-duty machinery, such as forklift trucks. Forklift trucks are ideal for quickly and easily moving heavy products, eliminating the need for as much potentially dangerous manual handling. However, they are large vehicles and as such have the potential to cause injury, so care must be taken when operating them.- Workers under the age of 18 should not operate heavy machinery such as forklift trucks.
- Speeds of vehicles in the warehouse should never exceed 5mph.
- There should be a clear route or one-way system in place when operating multiple vehicles in a warehouse.
- Every worker should receive adequate machinery training, and machines should be regularly checked to ensure they meet health and safety standards.
For further warehouse health and safety advice, alongside laws for employers, explore warehousing at HSE. Or, to find the clothing you or your workers need for the job, look no further than the men’s workwear and women’s workwear collections at MI Supplies.