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Safety equipment is the first consideration of any successful warehouse owner or manager. It keeps people safe and prevents unnecessary repair costs. Time is saved, and organization is streamlined.
There are many products out there that offer great warehouse safety. We will be discussing three different safety products that all warehouses could benefit from implementing into their operation.
Safety Guard Rails
Safety guard rails are a vital part of any warehouse. They make operations go smoothly and much more quickly than they would otherwise. Even more importantly, they make a strong statement that warehouse safety is a priority.
A strong safety program shows employees that management takes safety seriously. When this is the culture of a warehouse, employees step it up when considering safety obligations.
Keep Costs Down
Costs are kept down when equipment and goods are kept out of harm’s way. Since pedestrian traffic often occurs in the same areas as forklift activity, separating goods from employees is also necessary for warehouse safety.
Keeping pedestrian traffic away from goods and materials with a guard rail barrier is a smart and cost-effective idea. Keep workers safe by creating clear lines separating walkways and storage areas. Prevent spills on goods and avoid costly employee accidents.
Quality Is Everything
Safety guard rails must meet OSHA standards to be considered effective. They need to be manufactured using the highest quality materials for specific purposes.
Our high-quality guard rails are durable and well-made. They are highly visible, require simple installation and are competitively priced.
OSHA and many building codes use the term “guard rail” for raised platforms and stairways to protect people from falls. Sometimes the terms “guard rails” and “hand rails” can be confused.
The industrial safety industry refers to heavy duty beams of formed steel when referencing guard rails. They are thicker than hand rails, as well as bold in color.
Improve Forklift Maneuverability
Forklifts and other machinery move quickly in a warehouse environment. Often foot traffic is thrown into the mix. Even with safety procedures and safety training firmly in place, accidents can happen.
Safety guard rails provide a visual barrier, improving forklift maneuvers and ensuring material safety. Huge expenses can be incurred if a forklift knocks over, or runs into, a section of goods or equipment. Damage to goods, not to mention to the forklift itself, is a very real possibility.
Expenses like these can be prevented with aptly placed safety guard rails.
Operational speed is increased, and productivity is optimized. Not only do they provide a visual barrier, assisting forklift drivers to visually assess a situation, but they provide a solid barrier, just in case.
Besides being a visual guideline, their special design absorbs impact from machinery or forklifts. It is not uncommon for forklifts to work with more than 10,000 pounds close to pedestrian traffic.
Designated areas can be marked as off-limits with guard rails. They can improve warehouse safety by shielding electrical panels or other areas which could pose a safety hazard to your crew or equipment.
Steel Bollards
A similar safety product to guard rails, but used in slightly different situations, is the steel bollard. Steel bollards are part of many urban environments, most notably the modern, well-equipped warehouse. The short, sturdy, vertical metal posts are simple, yet hugely effective in warehouse safety.
According to OSHA surveys, 80% of forklift accidents involve a pedestrian who gets injured along with whatever other damage occurs. They say 70% of those accidents could have been avoided with the right forethought and preventative equipment.
No manager wants employees to get hurt or equipment to become damaged. Aside from the human element, accidents are costly for your bottom line. Insurance, medical costs, employee turnover and leave, not to mention equipment and material losses can be huge.
A Crucial Investment
Proper safety equipment is a crucial investment for your organization. Not only that, when it’s designed to last for years, it can frequently be a one-time investment. Bollards are designed to need practically no up keep whatsoever.
Bollards can be used in a variety of situations to suit your individual needs. Often, where guard or hand rails aren’t appropriate, they can be used as a blockade that is easy for pedestrians to move around when they need to.
They come in a variety of materials, sizes, and shapes (square and round) to suit the function you need them for. Functional and sturdy indoors and out, they are a cost-effective way to keep your operation running smoothly and accident-free.
They can:
- Direct traffic flow
- Keep pedestrian traffic safe from forklifts. For example, they can be used in front of bathrooms where forklifts may be operational.
- Prevent and absorb collisions from forklifts and other machinery.
- Prevent loading dock accidents.
- Keep forklifts in designated areas.
- Protect critical areas, such as support beams or power supplies from forklifts and other machinery.
- Signal where to use caution
Despite safety training, accidents happen. These yellow metal posts catch the attention of drivers to prevent crashes. They are a reminder that an area is designated for a certain purpose.
Workers getting tired at the end of the day will be visually reminded they are walking into a forklift or other specified zone. Protect critical areas and protect employees from split-second errors which result in heavy costs to health and revenue.
Pallet Rack Guards
Some consider pallet rack guards to be an optional accessory for a warehouse. This is only the case if you are 100% sure an accident will never happen. Since that is a tough claim to make, safety experts highly recommend pallet rack guards to reinforce and protect your warehouse pallet racking systems.
Pallet rack guards completely surround rack legs with brightly colored steel. They are designed to keep racks free from damage and prevent replacement costs, should an accident occur.
As far as safety equipment goes, they are among the most reasonably priced, considering the long-term benefits they provide.
There are a variety of shapes and sizes available to suit whatever type of rack you’ve currently got. They stack to the height you need them and have quick-snap on installation.
Since not all pallet rack guards are designed to do the same job, find the type that suits your warehouse needs. Feel free to give us a call if you’ve got questions.
Steel-welded, they can provide end-of-aisle protection and work as a visual barrier for forklift drivers.
Even if a seemingly small accident occurs, you can prevent damage to the racks with pallet rack guards.
In case of a scenario where a forklift taps a rack, reduce the likelihood of needing to use employee hours to remove goods and dismantle a rack to ensure it’s still intact and in good working order.
Keep goods and materials safely where they belong-on a stable pallet rack system. You won’t need to replace an entire rack of goods that may fall to the ground if there is no safety precaution in place.
Pallet rack failure is something no warehouse manager wants to think about. The result could be damaged goods, pallet racking and equipment, not to mention the possibility of pedestrians becoming badly injured.
Safety Equals Profitability
A safe warehouse is a profitable one. In addition to providing appropriate equipment to maintain work areas, regular safety training is in order.
It can be a good move to schedule regular pallet rack inspections to make sure your goods and structures are safe and sound. Make sure employees are placing loads squarely on the racking system and following appropriate procedures.
Even when everybody is on board with warehouse safety, be ready for human or equipment error with smart safety investments. Warehouse guard rails, bollards and rack guards are the structural base on which your business, employees and bottom-line will flourish.
We offer a variety of warehouse safety products and other items you may find useful in your operation. Contact us for any questions you may have and see how we can help your operations!
