Warehouses are wonderful spaces, helping businesses manage, store, and work with their inventory to complete customer orders. However, warehouses are large, they store products that are heavy and require heavy machinery to move them, they often have storage mezzanines, and a variety of other warehouse equipment. Due to the variety of pieces that make up warehouse storage and the equipment they require, safety is a significant concern for warehouse employees, managers, and business owners.

When a single element of the warehouse isn’t installed correctly, the wrong equipment is used, or certain rules aren’t followed, it can potentially lead to some serious accidents and injuries. At RMH Systems, we provide a range of material handling equipment and we offer warehouse consultation services to ensure that your warehouse is utilizing certain products and design methods that will ensure the highest level of safety and efficiency. We offer our own proprietary line of distribution center equipment, K3 Werks, as well as a variety of pallet racking systems, industrial conveyor systems, warehouse mezzanines, and more. Whatever your warehouse storage needs are, the team at RMH Systems can help. Contact us today for a consultation.

How to Keep Your Warehouse Employees Safe

Wear the Right Gear

Whatever the size of your warehouse or whatever is being stored on the racks, wearing the right gear is a must for all employees. Personal protective gear can include safety goggles, hard hats, fire-resistant clothing, steel-toe boots or slip-resistant footwear, earplugs, work gloves, and reflective vests. This gear can protect employees in the event of a product falling from the pallet rack or when handling certain equipment.

Stick to Your Training

A majority of warehouses need to have forklifts to move around heavier items or pallets of products. A certification is required to operate a forklift and takes a few days of classroom learning and hands-on training. If someone were to operate a forklift who did not have the proper certification, it could put that employee at risk, other employees in the area, and your business could also be at risk. Employees should never perform tasks that they are not trained or authorized to do. Rules for forklift safety could fill up a whole other blog, so we’ll come back to that soon.

Follow Proper Lifting Techniques

When an employee needs to lift an item that doesn’t require the use of a forklift, they should be trained on proper lifting techniques. Heavy lifting can cause serious injury when done incorrectly, especially when lifting items over a long period of time. It doesn’t take long to train employees of lifting techniques and can save your business money in the long run.

Pay Attention to Signs and Markings

Just like driving a car on the street, there are certain signs and rules that need to be followed when walking or operating a vehicle in a warehouse. Certain aisles may have a one-way sign, there may be “Do Not Enter” signs, areas where heavy machinery is not allowed, areas where pedestrians are not allowed, or there may be markings on the floors or at the ends of aisles. Every employee should be made aware of these signs and markings and should be expected to follow the rules.

Proper Material Handling & Storage

The main purpose of a warehouse is to store items, but employees often need to move things around. Whether a forklift is being used or not, there are certain rules that will ensure employees and the products themselves will be safe.

• Stack products straight and even on a shelf.
• Heavier items should be placed on lower shelves.
• Move one item at a time to prevent falling.
• Aisles should be clear of materials and products to prevent trips and falls.
• Only stack items to a certain height.

Install Proper Lighting

When a warehouse is filled with pallet racks, and those racks are filled with large products, a space can quickly become dark and difficult to navigate. A properly lit warehouse will ensure that employees are able to see clearly what they are doing, what product they are moving, and their surroundings. In addition to aisle lighting, all exit doors, emergency exits, and signs should all have proper lighting.

Work With RMH Equipment

In addition to providing high-quality warehouse equipment systems and storage solutions, we strive to ensure that your warehouse and the employees and products in the space are safe. After decades of experience in the warehouse equipment industry, we know what it takes for a distribution center or storage facility to be successful. With our own K3 Werks line of equipment and a team of warehouse consultation experts, you can be confident that your warehouse will be as efficient and productive as possible. Located in Elmhurst, IL, RMH Systems wants to help you design, build, and install the equipment you need to meet your goals. Contact our team today for a consultation.