If you run a medical supply business, a medical logistics company or you manufacture any items used in medical capacities, then you’re likely to have a warehouse. If that’s the case, then you need to be aware that these workspaces have a much higher likelihood of workplace accidents and injuries than the average. Here, we’re going to look at some of the ways you can mitigate those risks with careful planning, investment, and vigilance.

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Vehicle safety

Most warehouses aside from the smallest of them, have vehicles that come to and from the building, as well as smaller vehicles that go through them, carrying stock. This can include forklifts, vans, carts, and lorries. Warehouse driving safety training is vital for anyone getting behind the wheel of a vehicle and you should ensure that speed limits are set and adhered to. Effective floor marking can help other workers be aware of pathways that vehicles can come down, making them more vigilant about their presence, too.

Working at height

If you stack your shelves high, then this means that your workers are going to have to go high to get them. Falls from height are amongst the biggest causes of fatal injuries in warehouses and across the working world. If you can avoid it, do so, but otherwise, you should make sure that you have access to equipment that can make it safer, like a mobile elevating work platform.

Carrying loads

Naturally, your workers are going to be lifting and carrying items. Even if they only have to do it for a short time, they might have to do it repeatedly, which means you have to make it as safe as possible. Training in the appropriate lifting form is vital for preventing manual handling accidents. You can also look at providing equipment to help them better manage heavy loads, be they vehicles like pallet trucks or wearable devices like lifting braces.

Effective lighting 

Never underestimate the importance of good lighting in your warehouse. It’s important for security, it ensures a higher quality of work, and it can reduce the likelihood of accidents by a very high margin. With the right led industrial lights, people are better able to see obstacles, vehicles, and other potential hazards before they become an immediate risk. You have to make sure that you have the right scale and type of lighting for each space your team works in for the best effect.

Warehouse maintenance

The less time you put into caring for and maintaining the warehouse space, the more likely it is to cause some sort of accident. Spills and items left lying where they shouldn’t be are one of the biggest causes of slips, trips, and falls. Have your entire team trained in warehouse maintenance and teach them to clean up messes as soon as they’re made to keep these risks as low as possible.

You don’t have to accept the inevitability of accidents and injuries occurring on your watch. You have a responsibility to keep your team and workplace safe, and the tips above can help you do that.