OneSource News

June is National Safety Month and it’s a great time to step back and evaluate your safety policies and performance. Doing so can ensure there aren’t any new hazards you’re not aware of. It can also give your employees the opportunity to voice any concerns or safety-related challenges they’ve been experiencing. This can lead to fewer accidents and injuries on the job and a safer work environment.

Some areas to focus on include:

6 Tips to Improve Safety in the Warehouse

#1: Looking for new hazards.

Talk to your team about any new hazards they’ve noticed. Even a slippery rug or a staircase with a loose railing can lead to disastrous results. In addition, anything like new cracks or pits in the floor, stray cords, or clutter that’s accumulating can all be trip, slip or fall hazards.

#2: Labeling or marking safety zones.

If there’s a hazard that can’t be fixed, make sure it’s marked or labeled clearly. This alerts everyone that there is a safety issue, so they are especially cautious. Signs or stickers are the most cost-friendly way to do this. These keep your workplace operating smoothly, while also calling out safety issues.

#3: Training your employees.

Safety training should not be a one-time event. Instead, it should be an ongoing and regular conversation you have with all employees, especially new ones. So make sure your training efforts are routine, comprehensive and always evolving, so they are relevant.

#4: Checking that employees wear protective clothing.

Another step is to ensure your employees are wearing protective clothing, like gloves, vests, eye-wear, and hard hats, when they are supposed to. If they don’t have what they need, it’s up to you to provide it. To avoid a back injury, make sure they’re also using a lift, instead of trying to perform the task on their own.

#5: Promoting safety awareness.

Make safety a part of your company culture. It’s something that should be discussed regularly in many different ways, not an issue to talk about once a year. Having a safety-focused culture can reduce the number of incidents and accidents on the job, keeping your people and place of business safer.

#6: Conducting safety drills.

In case of an emergency, you want your employees to be able to remain unharmed. So conduct unannounced fire and emergency drills. These gives you a chance to check that your alarms are working properly and that your people are correctly following the evacuation plan. It also helps you verify that emergency exits are marked.

Looking to hire safety-conscious employees?

At One Source Staffing Solutions, we can source and screen skilled candidates for a wide range of warehousing positions. We’ll ensure they are focused on safety and committed to a safe work environment, so you get the dependable people you need for your openings. Contact us today to learn more.