If you use warehouses to store heavy duty materials in your line of work, it is vitally important that you take the time to remember some material handling tips that will keep you safe and protect your materials. Following these guidelines will allow you to promote carefulness throughout your operation, which should become apart of your company culture. To keep people and property safe, be sure to remember these three pieces of advice.
1 - Streamline Your Process with Organization and Technology
An efficient warehouse is a safe warehouse, because you won't have to worry about haphazard actions or carelessness due to frustration or lack of time. To begin with a clean and orderly process, consider investing in a scanning system that allows you to keep track of each and every item. In doing this, you will also be able to prioritize the way that you handle these shipments. This makes it much easier to delegate tasks along the warehouse personnel, which also plays a huge role in safety. When everyone is fully aware of tasks ahead of time, materials will be handled methodically and in smaller chunks, so that all involved are productive and protected.
2 - Understand the Safe and Proper Operation of Forklifts
First and foremost, anyone in your warehouse who operates a forklift should be properly trained and certified to do so. Stay up-to-date with these certifications and make sure all employees renew when it's time. Since a quarter of all forklift deaths happen when the machine turns over, you will avoid serious injuries and fatality when all operators are required to wear their safety belts. You should also enforce speed limits for forklifts driving inside of the warehouse, and make sure that signage is posted in plain sight all over the work site.
3 - Appoint a Safety Manager and Hold Daily Meetings
In order to make sure that the importance of safety comes from the top down, you should appoint a safety manager who reports directly to you regularly. This person should be in charge of enforcing safety, so that you know that guidelines are being kept even when you aren't there. They should also keep your site stocked with warehouse material handling equipment, such as ties, gloves, pallets and vests. You should hold safety meetings every day, to be sure that any hazards are pointed out and to make sure all equipment is properly functioning. If your employees report trouble with forklifts, balers or other equipment, you should immediately make note of it and seek repairs as quickly as possible.
Apply these three warehouse material handling tips throughout your business, so that lives and property are protected. For more information, talk to an equipment specialist like Independent Lift Truck Of Alaska.
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