Best Workplace Safety Tips for Warehouse Workers
Warehouses are the settings for some of the highest rates of occupational hazards in the country. Every warehouse must abide by strict standards to remain in business.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) monitors workplace conditions for all sorts of industries, including warehouses. Keeping warehouse workers safe is a concern for managers nationwide. These are the best workplace safety tips for warehouse workers.
Make Sure You Wear Personal Protective Gear
Keeping yourself safe in a warehouse means you need access to the right tools. Whenever you’re on the job, you should wear goggles, hard hats, fire-resistant clothing, and steel-toed boots if they’re necessary for your safety. Make sure that your employer provides these tools if you don’t own them yourself.
Having a sanitized workspace is important, too. With contractors and shipping employees coming in and out of the warehouse, ask your employer to set up a portable handwashing station in the warehouse if there isn’t one already.
Always Use Proper Techniques While You’re on The Job
OSHA standards require workers to follow training practices when lifting heavy objects. Contractors and other independent staffers may be exempt from this, but cases can vary.
No matter what job you perform in the warehouse, make sure you only perform the functions of that role. OSHA doesn’t allow workers to complete tasks for which they aren’t trained or licensed. If your manager wants you to do someone else’s job without a license or training, report it to OSHA immediately.
Report Injuries and Unsafe Behavior Immediately
Whenever an accident occurs or someone gets hurt, you should report it to a manager or supervisor. Even if it seems inconsequential, you still need to report it. For example, if a machine is causing minor injuries, the equipment could be dysfunctional or broken.
Reporting injuries when they occur prevents more from happening in the future. Also, be sure to report any coworkers who fail to follow safety protocols for your own sake. Their negligence puts everyone at risk.
Stay Knowledgeable of All Emergency Procedures
To prevent accidents from occurring in your warehouse, always look both ways when traveling around. Aisles have many hazardous obstacles, such as vehicles and heavy machinery, so be sure to follow visual cues such as floor marks, lights, and signs to remain aware of the flow of the warehouse.
If an accident occurs on the job, being knowledgeable of all emergency procedures is the best workplace safety tip for warehouse workers. Your training features an overview of all procedures to follow, so don’t forget what you learned when you got the job.
Overall, you should feel safe in your warehouse. Knowing all of the proper guidelines is a critical component of feeling safe daily.