The Workplace Regulations 1992 dictate that all employees must ensure that employers can work safely and not become under any increased risk of harm during their working day. Employers need to be taking correct steps to minimise risks and damage to persons by following the guidelines set out within the above legislation.

Regarding health and safety in warehouse environments, 123 workers lost their lives in incidents in this sector in 2021/22, and the vast majority of accidents are due to slips and falls or forklift accidents.

So, how can you ensure that your workers are safe at all times and you are adhering to the recommended guidelines?

Training

Training is vital. Whether you bring an external party in to assess your risks, then work with a training company to ensure all staff are aware of how to work safely and their personal responsibilities regarding health and safety at work, or you do it yourself, you need to have some type of training program in place.

And this shouldn't be a one-time thing either; training needs to be ongoing and refresher courses completed periodically, even more frequently when upgrading technology and equipment or changing how you work.

Repairs and Maintenance

You need an effective on-site repair team to help you manage your equipment and fix any issues immediately. The longer something is used when damaged, the higher the risk of harm to the operator and those within the vicinity. From forklift engineers to fixing broken stacking and equipment, you need to monitor all breakdowns and repairs logged and rectify them quickly.

Warning Labels and Markings

To maintain order and ensure things run smoothly, you need to ensure your warehouse has designed zones and workers know what happens and where. For example, using warehouse floor paint can help you to create safe walkways for moving around the warehouse or outline loading bays and parking spots for machinery and lorries. Labelling for maximum weights can help you to reduce overloading, while safety signs on lifting equipment can alert people to the danger of using it to deter incorrect usage. Don't forget to make sure you have illuminated entrance and exit signs, fire escape routes, clear markings and signs alerting people to the location of fire extinguishers and other emergency apparatus, too.

PPE

Every single person who enters your warehouse needs to be wearing appropriate PPE. It will be a loud, busy and potentially dangerous place for those who are new to the environment or operating machinery. Giving employees and visitors safety equipment such as hard hats, ear defenders, hi-vis jackets, gloves, steel-capped boots, etc., can help you to provide them with safety gear that can help to reduce injury from any accidents or having their health affected, ie hearing loss from working in excessively loud environments.

Making sure everyone who works in or visits your warehouse is safe should be a number one priority at all times. Putting these measures in place can help you to improve safety within your workhouse and eliminate as many potential risks as possible.

Image credit