Warehouse and storage facilities are an important hub in the manufacturing and distribution sectors, allowing companies to stockpile inventory, fulfill orders to customers, and facilitate transportation logistics. However, warehouses also pose significant health and safety risks if proper precautions are not taken, especially in regard to materials handling.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-driving-yellow-forklift-carrying-metal-barrels-1267337/
Implementing safe materials handling procedures is critical for protecting workers, optimising productivity, and avoiding costly injuries or equipment damage.
Safe Lifting Protocols to Protect Employees from Injury
One of the biggest hazards in warehouse settings is musculoskeletal disorders – most commonly induced by improper lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling of loads. Forces on the body, awkward postures such as twisting or stooping, repetitive motions, and heavy loads all contribute to risk factors that can lead to strains or tears. For example, heavy items located on high shelves may require unsafe stretching or climbing on shelves or racks to access.
Solutions include using ladders or step stools for high items, breaking down oversized loads into multiple lighter loads, using height-adjustable pallet jacks or lifts, and training workers on safe lifting approaches such as the NIOSH lifting technique.
Forklift Usage
Another consideration is forklift usage. While an indispensable piece of warehouse equipment, forklifts also pose dangers when rules or capacities are ignored. Collisions, unrestrained loads tipping over, or people being struck by or pinned underneath forklifts top the risks.
Operators should be certified in proper forklift usage with policies enforced, such as not driving with elevated loads and limiting operation to authorised operators only. Make sure you have the right forklifts for the job, such as reach trucks for heavy loads within tight spaces.
Additionally, high traffic areas in warehouses should be clearly marked with barriers installed as needed to avoid collisions or pedestrian accidents.
Stack Items Properly
Stacking items properly on shelves or within storage rack systems is also an integral component of safe materials handling. Overloading shelves or rack systems beyond stated load capacities risks items falling. Shelving must be assembled according to manufacturer specifications with affixed load limits. Heavy items should be stored on lower levels when feasible. Lastly, damaged or worn rack systems or shelves must be taken out of service immediately and evaluated before being deemed safe to reuse.
The Importance of Ergonomics
Incorporating ergonomics is another proactive measure for promoting safe materials handling in warehouse settings. Task design and administrative controls such as rotating workers across multiple functions or implementing stretching breaks allow the prevention of repetitive stress injuries. Additionally, anti-fatigue matting, sit/stand workstations for tasks feasible to perform sitting, and other solutions customise the environment to the worker for enhanced comfort and to minimise bodily wear-and-tear.
Keep Equipment Well-Maintained
Lastly, maintaining equipment in good working condition is a fundamental requirement for operational efficacy and employee safety concerning materials handling. Checklists help ensure that repair needs or maintenance requirements are addressed regularly on all warehouse equipment. Developing preventive maintenance schedules for powered equipment and enforcing routine inspections minimises unexpected breakdowns or incidents which could directly endanger staff. Plus, replacement or repair costs will be lower with upkeep versus run-to-failure scenarios.
An ounce of prevention in warehouse environments truly can yield a pound of cure.
