Fatal injuries in the United States were at an all-time high in 2022 at 3.7 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers, which highlights how much of a problem it can be in this country. There are many industries where injuries are far more common and warehouse work is one of them.
According to the most recent data, there are over 20,000 warehousing enterprises in the U.S., with each employing many people to fulfil orders and satisfy customers. Many of these facilities have heavy-duty machinery, which can be a common cause of injuries in this sector. This makes heavy machinery safety imperative, so you can keep injuries to a minimum and boost productivity.
If you’re a warehouse site manager looking to make this area of the business more safe but aren’t sure how to do that. We can help. Our guide will take a look at the reasons why heavy machinery safety is so important and how it can be achieved. Read on to find out more and create a safer working environment today.
Why is warehouse heavy machinery safety so important?
While keeping your workers free from danger is the obvious motive for machinery safety, there are several other reasons you should consider it. This includes:
- Reduced downtime due to broken machinery or injured staff members being unable to work
- Increased productivity
- Greater employee satisfaction
- Reduced chance of lawsuits off the back of employees getting injured
If you want to enjoy these benefits, the following examples are ways you can improve the heavy machinery safety in your warehouse facility:
Regular maintenance and checkups
Defective machinery has a chance of breaking or malfunctioning even when it’s being operated properly, which may put your workers at risk. That’s why routine checkups and maintenance by external professionals should be done.
You may find that you have to replace specific parts like magnetic pickups to restore the machinery to proper working condition.
Avoid blind spots
Try to avoid areas where your view is limited as you could hit a fellow employee by accident. Ensure you have someone directing you through small spaces and have adequate lighting at all times to give you good visibility.
Training
Before any member of your team uses a piece of equipment, they should be trained on how to use it properly. Using heavy-duty equipment without training puts their own and others’ lives at risk. Take time to train them on the proper uses and potential risks, so they know what to do and what to avoid.
Once you’ve made these changes to your heavy machinery processes, you can be confident that you and your staff will be in a much better position to use them safely. This should mean you see a reduction in the number of injuries, helping your business become a better place to work for employees.