Terri Ramsey Beavers No matter what kind of business you run, it’s important to make sure safety is one of your top priorities. In fact, we would go far as to say that even if you could become one of the most successful businesses in your field, if you had to theoretically get there by eschewing safety standards and putting your staff at risk, it wouldn’t be worth it. People are irreplaceable.
For this reason, it’s important for sane businesses to take a constant look at their premises and how safety can be properly handled. More than that, auditors and inspectors will come to make sure you’re working to code. This is a good state of affairs, even if it means a little more logistical strain to get things right.
Often, safety is defined by the areas you think about least. For instance, a storage area or loading bay warehouse is essential to get right, as thanks to all the moving parts and heavy materials, this could be considered one of the most dangerous areas of a business in terms of pure statistics. Here’s how to enhance the safety of this area each year:
Anti-Slip Flooring
Anti-slip flooring can provide a fantastic, clean, and non-slip coating to your warehouse storage area, preventing slips, which can become nasty falls, which can become difficult injuries. This is important when freight is being transported, and when you need to clean this environment quite regularly. This can also make your flooring more durable, allowing you to properly store heavy goods on storage units without ever worrying about the space as necessary.
Proper Inventory Cycling
It’s essential to rotate your stock in the best way. This means having tight communication with the front of your business or storefront so that ordering is carefully tracked and managed. It’s also important to make sure stock levels are cared for so that front-of-house staff can easily see what you have ready to be sold, and how much product they can draw from.
When you have a tight management approach like this, especially learning how mobile card readers can help your business provide more sales convenience to your staff, you’re much more likely to avoid over-ordering, under-ordering, or causing logistical errors in your stock room management. This means that the improper storage of goods will never need to take place. It means that you can more adequately use the older stock for sale instead of storing it for too long and potentially degrading its quality. More importantly, the tightly-woven communication between the front and back means staff knows exactly what’s needed from them at all times.
For instance, a store clerk heading into the storage area to see if a certain pair of shoes come in a particular size will also be able to adequately navigate the storage area, despite not having to work there all day. This familiarity will ensure a lack of injuries, accidents, and mismanagement woes. It feels good to empower your staff in this way.
Proper Inventory Tracking
Proper inventory tracking is, of course, an important logistical measure, but could it be a safety measure too? We believe it could be. After all, having the capability of knowing weights, storage necessities, how to rotate stock, the condition of your safety equipment, and exactly who is working on the floor at all times can ensure that your storage area runs like a well-oiled machine, which, at the end of the day, will reduce injuries or mistakes from occurring. We’d also recommend that inventory tracking involves integrating proper reporting systems for mistakes, miscounts, missing equipment, or damage. This way, every issue is tracked and proper measures can be put in place to counteract problems.
Correct Storage & Fire Safety Measures
Of course, fire safety is absolutely essential. It must be considered one of the most crucial elements of structuring a warehouse. This means making sure the space is navigable and trip hazards don’t exist, that fire alarms are accessible, that evacuation procedures are properly trained, and that fire hazards (such as loose wiring), are attended to and resolved can be key. Essential safety protocols such as preventing public access will also prevent issues like arson while storing items properly and in secure containers will prevent flammable objects from being at risk. Strong enforcement of certain smoking areas well away from your storage facilities is also key.
With this advice, we’re certain you’ll continue to enhance the safety of your storage area for good. It’s the least any business can do to protect their staff.