Working in environments with large and potentially dangerous machinery, as well as pallets and racking, safety must be made a priority. As such, the health and safety laws that must be complied with in the UK is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive. Creating a safety culture which prioritises the health and well-being of your team will allow for your business to run more smoothly, and give you that peace of mind that your workers are being taken care of and looked out for.

Did you know that the estimated cost of injuries and poor health from poor working conditions is estimated at around £14 billion? Considering this with the fact that injuries connected with Warehouse Storage are in the top five most common injuries, implementing safety measures within your Warehouse is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure efficient business.

So, let’s consider the all-important steps you can take to improve your Warehouse safety, and avoid any avoidable risks within your storage space:

1. Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, should be worn whenever necessary. This includes steel toe cap boots, that protect the feet from heavy or sharp objects, and hard hats to protect the user from falling objects from a height. In addition to this, when a forklift is being operated within your Warehouse, the driver’s visibility may be compromised, making it hard to see when sitting in a forklift. In this case, reflective jackets or vests are required – specifically in cases where there may be high volumes of warehouse traffic.

2. Considering the Danger of Forklifts and Machinery

Operating potentially dangerous machinery such as Forklifts is the norm within Warehouse settings. Maintaining your machinery correctly and regularly is the key to improving Warehouse safety, and putting a service agreement in place will minimise the risks of machinery breaking or failing while being operated – ultimately reducing the risk of damage or injury.

3. Offering Training to Staff

From the frontline Warehouse staff, all the way through to the leadership team, a culture of safety must be implemented across all levels of your Warehouse. This means that prioritising staff training and accreditations is of pivotal importance. Every worker within your storage space must be fully trained in health and safety – including potential workplace hazards, and proper lifting techniques to minimise the potential of injury. Those who are operating heavy machinery, such as forklifts as aforementioned, must be certified to do so.

Employee inductions are important here: formal inductions, including tours, pointing out any hazards, and informing them on the fire exists and fire alarms, can and will make all the difference when considering safety within the Warehouse. Taking your time in ensuring any questions new, or existing, employees may have will ensure that employees are armed with the correct knowledge of the workings of the Warehouse, and will allow for them to be extra vigilant.

Implementing standard training programmes for new and existing employees, and making sure it is adhered to, will mean that the risk of the repercussions from a lack of training amongst your team will be minimised.

4. Slips, Trips and Falls

To minimise the risks of slips, trips and falls within your storage space, removing potential hazards and implementing measures to maximise safety is important. This includes factors such as ensuring your workplace is properly lit, implementing safety signs, keeping emergency exits clear at all times, and keeping aisles and footpaths free of clutter.

Although these factors may seem straightforward and self-explanatory, the amount of workplace accidents that can be easily avoided due to overlooking the ‘simple’ steps would suggest otherwise. Naturally, working in Warehouses may present more potential hazards and risks than other workplaces, but it is still easy to create a safety culture within your Warehouse by implementing measures such as safety signs which highlight when and where danger could present itself can make all the difference.

The key here is not to give into the temptation of complacency by overlooking the seemingly small steps!

5. Enforcing the Rules

Making safety a priority within your storage space means that the rules, procedures and regulations which aid in the safety of your team must be enforced properly and consistently. This means that managers must ensure that all team members are aware of their individual and group responsibilities, and appropriately skilled staff are the only team members that should operate the equipment. In cases where safety procedures are ignored, repercussions are necessary in order to enforce the value and significance of safe operating within your Warehouse.

Be consistent, not complacent!

And one more for good measure… by choosing us!

At DC Space & Storage, our leading priority is the health and safety of our customers. This means that we’re driven by the goal of achieving optimum Warehouse safety for each and every one of our customers!

Our accreditations speak for themselves, and demonstrate our commitment to your health and safety. Read our accreditation page today to learn more on why we’re the best at what we do!

Contact us today to get a free, no-obligation estimate on the services you require, and rest assured that you will receive the highest levels of service and standards available.