Risk Assessment For Warehouses

Warehouses can be dangerous facilities and many hazards are present in these environments that can lead to accidents. This post will look at a few of the key risks in warehouses so that you can mitigate these hazards and create a safe work environment for your team.

Falls From Heights

One of the more common accidents that happen in workhouse environments is falling from height. Staff often have to climb ladders and this can pose a serious safety risk, which is why staff need to be trained properly and wear PPE to protect themselves.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are also common in warehouses. Sometimes, people can get away with a scrape or a small cut but these can also be very serious life-changing accidents. It is important to keep passageways clear, clean up spillages immediately, and put signage in place if there are slippery or uneven surfaces. Cables should also be securely fastened to the floor with cable tie mounts to prevent tripping. 

Storage

Warehouses can be messy and chaotic if you do not have smart storage solutions in place. Shelves that are not stacked correctly can cause items to fall from height and shelves that are overloaded can collapse and cause a serious injury. You need to have high-quality storage solutions for your warehouse and then train staff on how to stack goods safely, such as keeping the heaviest items at the bottom.

Vehicular Movement

There is a lot of movement happening in warehouses with people moving in all directions, forklift trucks navigating the warehouse, and delivery vehicles leaving and arriving at the premises. This creates a dangerous environment and vehicle accidents can be common. You can prevent these by having designated roads for vehicles and one-way traffic systems.

Loading & Unloading

Loading and unloading can be physically demanding and can lead to serious injury. Staff should be trained on proper lifting technique, taking regular breaks, and working in teams.

Noise

Warehouse workers are often working in noisy environments and repeated exposure to this can cause hearing issues that can be hard to fix. According to OSHA, “These limits are based on a worker's time weighted average over an 8-hour day. With noise, OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8-hour day. The OSHA standard uses a 5 dBA exchange rate.” Employers should provide ear protection for workers and ensure that people are not constantly exposed to dangerous levels.

Hopefully, this post will help you to conduct a risk assessment and create a healthier work environment for your team.