Construction National

Six warehouse safety tips from Linde Material Handling

You need to be vigilant when working in a warehouse, with potential hazards lurking behind every corner. Recent stats from the government’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that 142 people lost their lives in work-related accidents from 2014-15, and that’s before you take into account the commonplace and relatively smaller mishaps, like trips and falls - however mundane they may sound, they still have the potential to cause significant injury.

Business owners can face fines and compensation claims that run into six figures, and as a diligent employer you’ll be doing all you can to maintain the safety of your staff.

Linde Aftersales share a few tips for keeping everyone out of harm’s way:

1. Comply

Keep up to date with your health and safety requirements by regularly checking the HSE website, and get up-to-the minute notifications of safety alerts and notices by signing up to the HSE’s bulletin service. It’ll warn you when dangerous procedures, equipment and processes are identified, and tell you what action needs to be taken.

2. Mark it out

Warehouse floor marking identifies safe areas and separates workers from hazards. Use it anywhere where there are two or more types of ‘traffic’, such as on-foot warehouse personnel and forklift operators, creating safe pathways for pedestrians and guiding workers away from other hazards, such as high noise areas and dangerous equipment. Inevitably, junctions between pedestrian pathways and forklift access routes pose a special risk - but one that can be mitigated with early warning equipment. 

Linde BlueSpot (pictured) is one such device that fits to a forklift and casts a bright blue light or directional arrow to the floor, four metres ahead - perfect for warning staff of oncoming traffic in aisles and at blind spots.

3. Risk assess

Your employees are exposed to risks on a daily basis. Without carrying out a risk assessment, you’ll be blind to the hazards faced by your staff, and not only is risk assessing best practice, it’s a legal requirement. Shirking this responsibility could earn you a fine totalling several thousand pounds.

4. Upgrade

Give some thought as to what physical upgrades might improve safety standards. For example, roller tables can help alleviate the burden of manual handling, and better lighting will ensure that workers have sufficient light to identify hazards. 

However, when upgrading, always take care to ensure that all components are both CE-marked and fit for purpose - inadequate modifications can cause serious and even fatal accidents

5. Reduce speed

Driving a forklift in the wide open space of an outdoor yard - with its natural lighting, broad aisles and lack of personnel - is a different proposition to the more confined space of a warehouse. Use speed limit signage indoors, and consider enforcing speed reduction by retro-fitting a limiting device, such as the Linde Speed Assist, to your trucks. It works by detecting the presence of a ceiling, so when forklifts enter a building, speed is restricted to a predefined maximum.

6. Talk

Your shop floor employees may well spot emerging dangers before you do, so provide the opportunity to communicate new hazards through regular team meetings. At the same time, you can relay changes to your procedures, and drill home the message that staying safe is of paramount importance.

For more from this company visit their website www.lindeaftersales.co.uk