Performing a safety walk around is an important part of your job as a warehouse supervisor or MRO manager. Safety inspections are necessary to keep your staff safe and your stock where it’s supposed to be. While doing a safety inspection may seem time-consuming, the time and money that they save will be more than worthwhile. By performing a rack safety walk around, you could prevent fines, lawsuits, lost product, injuries, and even fatalities. Moreover, a thorough safety inspection will help reduce your stress – you’ll have peace of mind knowing your warehouse is as safe as it can be.
Here are some tips for making the most of a rack safety walk around and inspection in your warehouse.
Before Rack Safety Walk Around
First, make a warehouse safety checklist so you know what to look for while you complete your safety walk around. Having a concrete plan on what hazards to look for will help the inspect go more smoothly and help you catch – and eliminate – more potential hazards.
Next, talk to any workplace safety representatives, committees, and other managers about any safety concerns they may have. Getting a different perspective will help you ensure that all aspects of safety are covered. In addition, consider taking the same safety training that your warehouse workers take so you know what is expected of your staff.
Finally, you’ll need to determine what equipment you’ll need for the inspection. Personal protective equipment is an absolute must – you’ll set a good example of expected behavior and keep yourself safe during the inspection.
During Safety Walk Around
Take the time to investigate any hazards that have been identified previously. Look through past inspection reports, injury records, near-misses, and incidents as a great place to start your inspection. It’s good if these hazards have been corrected – but if not, make note that further action is needed.
After looking into these hazards, look for anything immediately obvious such as blocked exits, exposed wires, poorly maintained equipment, and tripping hazards. These are hazards that can be dealt with quickly and easily.
It’s vital to inspect your pallet racks carefully during your safety walk around. Over time, damage and incorrect loading of your pallet racks can cause them to collapse, damaging your products, blocking your flue space, and potentially injuring your workers. Check that racks are plumb and level, aren’t rusted, and haven’t been overloaded. Be sure to look for any dents, bending, twisting, and deflection as well. If you see any of these signs of damage, take action quickly to help your warehouse stay safe.
Next, talk to workers at their work stations. They’re the most likely to know about the potential hazards they face every day. You can ask your staff about the most dangerous tasks and any injuries or near misses they have encountered. Encourage an open conversation where everyone feels safe discussing their concerns. After all, knowing the truth will only help you make your workplace safer for them.
Observe workers while they perform their jobs as well. This will give you insight into what they do on a daily basis and see the hazards first hand. Discuss potential solutions for these observed hazards with the workers to find practical solutions that they will be able to use while also showing your commitment to safety.
Post Safety Walk Around
After completing your safety inspection walkthrough, rank your hazards in order of severity. Then, plan how you will address the issues immediately while looking for a permanent solution. Share this plan with your workers to show your commitment to their safety!
Once you make your plan, it’s important to follow through. Keep everyone updated on the timeline of the project. Your workers will appreciate being kept up to date on your plans, and it will help keep you accountable.
Performing these inspections frequently helps you repair and replace damaged racks and other potential hazards before a serious accident occurs. Conducting your own rack safety walk around and inspection shows your commitment to improving safety and health in your warehouse and understand the importance of monitoring and updating these measures.
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