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Thousands of warehouse employees suffer injuries yearly, with slips and falls making up about 25% of all injury claims in warehouses.

And as if that’s not enough, warehouse injuries contribute to about 95 million lost work days each year. As an employer or warehouse operator, you must keep your warehouse safe at all times to protect your workers and avoid costly injuries and legal processes. If you’re wondering how or where to start, here are some important warehouse safety tips you can use to keep your employees safe.

1. Properly train employees

Employees should be trained to use warehouse equipment and general warehouse safety procedures. Statistics from OSHA show that forklift accidents alone contribute to about 95,000 injuries in warehouses every year. And that is why proper equipment training is necessary. Such training may include safer and more effective ways to lift and move heavy items, use forklifts and other equipment, and best store and stack items. Additionally, employers must have various safety programs in place, including regular safety meetings, training, and drills.

2. Keep the warehouse clean and organized

A clean and organized warehouse is a safer warehouse. And achieving high organizational and cleanliness standards means regularly cleaning up spills, keeping aisles and walkways clear of obstructions, and properly storing and labeling items. You can also use line markings to reduce the chances of accidents or equipment damage and help employees work quickly. Warehouse operators can always find expert line marking services that ensure quality warehouse safety. Another important tip is to have proper lighting throughout the warehouse. Adequate lighting is important for safety, as it helps employees to see potential hazards and navigate the warehouse safely.

3. Use proper personal protective equipment

Employees should be provided with and required to wear the correct PPE (personal protective equipment), such as hard hats, safety glasses, and steel-toed boots, for the job that they are working on. Doing this will help protect them from potential hazards in the warehouse. The right PPE can make all the difference and prevent a more serious injury from occurring.

While it may feel sensible to cut corners by investing in cheap PPE, it is imperative to buy quality products, such as gloves from unigloves.com to ensure that workers are as protected as possible.

Beyond providing PPEs, employers must ensure that workers wear their protective equipment at all times. Unfortunately, for some employees, the damage will already have been done (perhaps before working with you). However, you can still show them support. By offering hearing exams for work Cypress Texas, or a similar exam wherever it is that you are located, for example, you can help to make sure your employees are best supported with any potential hearing loss. You can also suggest physiotherapy for those suffering from back or muscle pain from heavy lifting.

4. Properly maintain equipment

All equipment should be regularly inspected, maintained, and repaired to ensure they are properly working. That includes forklifts, conveyor belts, and other machinery like air compressors that are regularly used. If you haven’t had your compression unit serviced recently you can look for a Leicester air compressor servicing business (or another local to you). It’s best to conduct regular safety inspections to identify and correct potential hazards. For example, you can inspect the equipment, storage areas, and walkways for potential hazards and take corrective action when necessary.

5. Implement a lockout or tagout procedure and prepare for emergencies

A lockout or tagout procedure is a safety procedure that ensures equipment is properly shut off and de-energized before maintenance or repairs are performed. That helps prevent accidents and injuries caused by equipment unexpectedly starting up. You should also be prepared for natural disasters or other emergencies that could happen, such as earthquakes, floods, or power outages. You should also train your employees to respond to these types of emergencies and have plans to keep them safe.

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