Top 9 Warehouse Safety Violations

Working in a warehouse can be a deadly job if you do not follow all the safety guidelines that are set out for you. There are at least 9 warehouse safety violations that are the most common. Knowing what this violations are and what you can do to prevent them will help keep everyone safe. While working in a warehouse you need to be aware of all the dangers that are around you. There are so many things that can and will go wrong if everyone is not working safely. Below is a list of the top warehouse safety violation. Use this list as a guide for what not to do in the warehouse.

 Workplace Safety Violations In A Warehouse.

• The most common safety violations in a warehouse occur while operating the forklift. The only people that use the forklift must be trained and certified to do so. You cannot operate any heavy machinery such as a forklift without being certified. An inexperienced driver can cause all sirts of problems. They will not know how to properly work the forklift and also may get into an accident. Many injuries occur from forklifts in a warehouse. Whether it was loaded incorrectly and the materials fell off or the person driving was not paying attention and hit someone or something. If you run into a shelf you run the risk of bring down the entire thing and everything on it.
• Loading dock violations can be anything from minor injuries to death in some cases. Volations on the loading dock include lifting incorrectly. When you are loading or unloading a truck you must be sure to use proper lifting safety techniques to reduce your chances of injury. All employees should be taught the correct way to lift objects before they even begin woking. Another violation is clutter on the floors. Dirty floors with papers, trash or wet spots are a sure way to insure an accident will happen. You have to keep to loading dock floors swept ans dry at all times.
• Personal Protective equipment is often the least used safety product in the workplace. Many people think that personal protection is unnecessary since they have never been hurt on the job before. This is simple not true. Accidents can happen at anytime for any reason which is why they are called accidents. If you are not prepared for one than you could be risking your health or life. When working in a warehouse you should always wear sturdy slip proof work boots. If they have steel toes that is even better. The leather and steel will help keep your feet safe. You should also wear a back brace anytime you are going to be lifting. A brace will help relieve some of the pressure on your back muscles. Other safety gear that may be used in a wasrehouse are gloves, goggles and hard hats. Depending on the task you have been assigned that day.
• Storage violations are another major problem in warehouses. If you do not properly stack and store the boxes a number of accidents could occur. First the boxes could fall and possible land on a person working below. Second too much weight in one area of the storage racks and little or none in the others couls stress out the metals and cause a break. Finally if the storage racks are not properly installed they could collapse when pushed or even on their own under the stress.
• Emergency exit volations usually include fire exits that have been blocked and can not be accessed if needed in an emergency. It is important to make sure that all fire exits are clearly marked with lit exit signs. They must also be easily accessible to everyone. If there is somthing blocking the exit you must remove it immediately. Keep all exit hallways and stairwells clean and free of clutter at all times.
• Lockout/tagout violations can be deadly. The lockout tagout system is in place to make sure no one is injuried during general maintenance of machinery. It requires that two or more different people with separate keys lock a machine before it can be fixed or cleaned. This is to prevent the machine from accidentally being turned back on while it is being worked on. Often times people think the cleaning or repair will be quick and easy so there is no reason to go through the long process of locking the machine. That is not the case, you must lock the machine to prevent any injuries from occuring.
• Communication violations are when there are no signs warning employees of the dangers that are present in the area. If there is a chance of hearing loss due to loud noises you must post a sign that states earplugs are required in the area. You should post signs any place in the warehouse were a danger may be present. If there are chemicals used in the warehouse they must also be correctly labeled and stored in a clearly marked storage area. All companies are required by OSHA to have a material data safety sheet that is hung in an area where all employees have access to read it.
• The handling of Hazardous materials is a huge problem. If they are handled incorrectly at anytime it can cause devesating effect to everyone in the warehouse. All employees are required to be trained in handling hazardous materials. They should know how to properly dispose of them once they are finished with them. Incorrectly disposing of hazmats can be dangers to the health and well being of all employees. Hazardous materials are classified as flammable, toxic, corrosive or biohazardous.
• fire safety violations include not having or none operational fire extinguishers in the warehouse. Each area of the warehouse should have at least on extinguisher in case of an emergency. All employees should be trained how to properly use them if needed. You should also have a fire exit plan. This will be helpful if an emergency should ever occur. It will give everyone in the building a guide for what to do during any emergency where you are required to leave the warehouse.

 
Source: http://workplacesafetyexperts.com/workplace-safety-tips/top-9-warehouse-safety-violations/