Looking for a safety product checklist for your business? This article will highlight the most important industrial safety products (also known as control equipment) that you need in a warehouse environment.
Industrial safety products help to ensure the wellbeing of your employees by providing protection from potential work hazards and preventing accidents. Whether that’s traffic safety & management, or protecting staff and visitors from hazardous chemicals.
The most common industrial hazards are caused by; manual handling, chemicals, machinery, working at heights and driving movable machinery. Use the checklist below to ensure you are taking every precaution necessary to keep your workplace a safe environment.
The top industrial safety products
Control equipment, (or industrial safety products,) are an essential part of employee safety and wellbeing in a warehouse environment. When implemented properly, it should be used in conjunction with controlling procedures, (such as supervision and maintenance,) and correct worker behaviours (ensuring workers follow the procedures).
Proper control equipment takes on many forms and is dependent on what types of health hazards exist in your working environment. It can include improving pedestrian safety or providing racking protection.
Here are our recommendations of the most important industrial safety products, depending on the scenario:
Manual handling
Manual handling accidents often happen when a worker is attempting to manoeuvre a heavier or larger object than they can realistically manage. Providing equipment to assist manual handling can prevent workers from attempting to move an object in an unsafe way.
Manual handling aids like sack trucks, trollies and dollies are good examples of equipment that may prevent employee strain. It’s important to train any manual handling workers on good handling techniques for lifting and carrying, such as good posture and maintaining a good hold on the load.
It is also important to protect the equipment being used within manual handling roles. Warehouse racking protection is an effective solution to limiting bumps and scuffs from trucks and trolleys. For example, Rack Armour is proven to reduce racking damage by up to 80%.
We recommend using a highly visible and impact-resistant product to ensure the safest environment possible.
Chemicals
The most common way for chemicals to cause accidents in a workplace is through inhalation of contaminated air.
However, some chemicals can also permeate the skin and can enter the body through the eyes. PPE is essential to protect against contact with hazardous chemicals. This can include anything from eye protection to gloves.
Safe storage of chemicals is also essential; you have up to date storage equipment with good ventilation, placed strategically in the workplace. Bollards & delineators, (such as these Pedestrian Safety Barriers) strategically placed around hazardous chemical storage stations are recommended, to keep the public, or untrained workers, away from danger.
Machinery
PPE is also frequently used when operating machinery. For example, we suggest wearing earmuffs or earplugs when operating loud machinery and wearing the correct clothing to prevent clothes from becoming caught in the machines.
Wearing the appropriate clothing can also reduce the risk of serious harm in the event of impact from forklifts or lorries, and installing Guardrail Systems can prevent any danger of impact to pedestrians.
To ensure the protection of warehouse equipment, specialist safety guards can be put in place. For example, electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and are a significant investment; but EV charging point protection can be a cost-effective way of protecting valuable hanging stations.
Working at heights
Guardrail Systems are also useful for working at heights, to prevent workers from slipping or falling. We recommend training employees for working at heights on the possible risks and the correct precautions to take to prevent accidents.
Wearing the correct PPE, such as non-slip footwear, is also essential.
Driving movable machinery
When driving moveable machinery it is important to protect surrounding pedestrians, as well as other equipment that the machinery may come into contact with.
Sharp edges on the machinery can cause cuts or abrasions, and there is a risk of being struck or injured by moving parts. Pedestrian Safety Barriers can be useful here too, in addition to the use of Column & Post Protection to prevent damage to your machinery.
These preventative measures are both effective and essential when working in a potentially hazardous environment.
Providing a safe environment for your workers is not only a legal duty but can also contribute to the success of your business; especially when considering the impact of a bad reputation or bad public relations.
