A warehouse is one of the world’s most dangerous working environments. With so much heavy equipment and machinery in one place, accidents and injuries are all too common.
Warehouse managers and other logistics professionals must conduct their risk and vulnerability assessments thoroughly and meticulously.
Internal risks
The most logical place to start is to identify the warehouse’s known internal risks. Here are the most common risks that warehouse managers should be sure to document:
- Unstable surfaces: Warehouse floors can become slippery due to a build-up of grease or residue. Workers can also trip over tools, vehicles, wires and other objects on the warehouse floor.
- Vehicle accidents: Employees can become entangled in forklifts, hand trucks and other warehouse vehicles. They can also misuse the vehicles and cause damage to other employees or parts of the warehouse.
- Chemical Exposure: Warehouses that store hazardous chemicals are vulnerable to accidental spills and leaks.
- Electric shock: Workers can be exposed to electrical hazards while operating machinery or touching line-to-ground faults.
- Falls from height: Workers can fall from great heights when working on the highest shelves in the warehouse and using the largest equipment.
- Falling Objects: Items can also fall off shelves due to human error and injure employees standing underneath.
- Stressful work environment: Long hours of manual work can lead to all sorts of aches and pains, from minor muscle sprains to more serious injuries such as fractures and hernias. Work performance can also decrease and create an unsafe environment.
Detecting and recording these risks is extremely important as they are often the result of human error. Warehouse managers must be careful with their risk documentation to raise employee awareness and avoid man-made risks.
External risks
In addition to avoidable internal risks, there are also some external risks that are largely beyond the control of warehouse personnel. Fires, floods and other natural disasters are the most obvious external risks. No one can prevent them, but warehouse professionals still need to take steps to keep their employees safe.
To show how important it is to be prepared for emergencies, it’s worth recalling a recent story that made national news. An Amazon warehouse in Illinois had poor evacuation procedures and took no action when a tornado hit in 2021, killing six employees. Having detailed emergency procedures saves lives.
Illness is another unpredictable risk that managers must consider. Warehouses are unsanitary compared to other work environments, with many employees working in cramped spaces and sharing the same equipment. In this environment, infectious diseases can spread easily.
Workplace violence is also a greater risk than most warehouse workers realize. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates 2 million people are affected by workplace violence every year. Verbal or physical abuse, cyber-attacks, data breaches and other similar events contribute to these numbers.
Employee training, protective equipment and compliance with industrial safety protocols are the four essential strategies for preventing internal and external risks.
Employee training
Well-trained personnel are the most important ingredient of a safe warehouse. Employees must be aware of all risks – and their consequences – when entering the workplace. Managers must train them to properly handle equipment and navigate the warehouse without interfering with other employees.
A warehouse can quickly become cluttered and chaotic, so employees need to take cleanliness seriously. Managers should train them to keep their workplace clean and organized. There should be no loose wires, unattended equipment, or disordered shelves. Each item must be accounted for.
Employees must also have the knowledge and awareness to report risks as they arise. This responsibility calls for execution by managers effective communication strategies. Warehouse managers should encourage an open dialogue and reward employees for making a report. Bad news is not pleasant to hear, but it makes the workplace safer in the long run.
When everyone in the building can identify and discuss potential hazards, warehouses gain a more detailed and accurate picture of the hazards in their unique environment. Thorough employee training enables management personnel to make more informed adjustments to their safety rules and procedures.
To avoid complacency, warehouse managers should conduct unannounced emergency drills periodically. The drills keep employees engaged and give them much-needed practice in case a real emergency arises.
Protective equipment
Warehouse professionals should also use protective equipment for employees and the workspace itself.
Loose-fitting clothing is a safety hazard as it can get caught in a machine and cause injury. Workers should wear tight, breathable clothing to stay comfortable and hard hats, gloves, vests and goggles to protect themselves.
The air quality in warehouses can also become hazardous, so industrial masks may even be necessary when handling certain products.
Some companies have started using wearable technology to track employee activity and monitor their physical well-being. This technology can measure activity levels, heart rate, local air quality and other important information. It is also a reliable hands-free communication tool that can help employees report safety issues to each other.
Certain areas of the workplace require protective labels. All hazardous objects and areas must have clear, legible signs to warn employees. Signage should also be placed in break rooms and other common areas to serve as a constant reminder.
Industry safety standards
Aside from warehouse-specific safety measures, OSHA has universal guidelines to prevent slips and falls, protect workers from hazardous materials, and prevent them from becoming entangled in equipment.
For example, OSHA requires workers to wear hard hats to prevent injury from items falling from warehouse racks. There should be enough first aid kits, resuscitation kits and fire extinguishers on the floor. Each room must display written evacuation procedures for chemical spills, gas leaks, electrical faults and other such emergencies.
OSHA’s optimum warehouse temperature is between 68°F and 72°F. Managers must ensure proper ventilation by ventilating the building and adding strong exhaust fans. In some cases an upgraded HVAC system may be required.
OSHA also pays close attention to employees’ work habits. It expects shelves to remain organized and employees to handle equipment responsibly. Warehouse workers must adhere to these standards for their personal safety and the integrity of the company.
Risk assessment is a continuous process
Conducting a thorough risk and vulnerability analysis is extremely important, but it is not the ultimate solution. In reality, risk assessment is a continuous process. New dangers pop up when you least expect them. Human errors also make certain risks impossible to predict. Therefore, managers must prepare for every possibility when assessing the safety of their warehouse.