Safety in warehouses and distribution centers is a big concern for many employers. Warehouses are busy places that often include heavy equipment and complex machinery, and loading docks especially involve large vehicles and a lot of activity. Workplace safety in warehouses, factories and other commercials facilities is not only good for protecting the workforce; it also protects facility investments and equipment from damage and reduces both insurance costs and legal liability. Having the right equipment, backed up by safe work procedures and employee training, keeps everyone safe on the job.

Dock Safety Equipment

Docks are a primary point of concern for keeping both employees and equipment safe. Dock bumpers and door protectors guard against damage from heavy trucks or forklifts accidentally running into expensive loading docks or door tracks. Dock impact barriers prevent people and equipment from falling out of a loading dock when the main overhead door is open. These barriers are rated to stop heavy loads moving at up to 4 mph. Dock communication lights, or red-green lights, communicate with drivers to prevent accidents where trucks pull away from the dock while loading or unloading are still in progress. Guide lights and guide strips also assist truck drivers with lining up and backing into a dock without impacting, and thus damaging, the loading dock.

Guardrails and Other Barriers

Keeping people and equipment out of harm’s way is the job of guardrails and other types of barriers. Steel guardrail systems, also called Sentry Rails, provide OSHA compliance with very fast installation times. Safety guardrail is rated to stop forklifts even when carrying heavy loads. Guardrails are also a high-visibility sign for equipment operators to be cautious. Bollards offer a lighter weight of high-visibility protection that can be installed nearly anywhere, either inside warehouse facilities or in the surrounding area, such as parking lots. High-visibility bollard covers provide an upgraded level of visibility to existing bollards. Column protectors provide both protection and visibility for the base of all types of posts and columns. Finally, wire partitions provide safety and security for equipment enclosures, tool bays, or any other areas of a warehouse requiring limited access for security and compliance.

Other Safety Issues

Other types of warehouse safety issues can be solved by a combination of equipment and training. Hazardous substances are one source of workplace accidents. Any hazardous material needs to be clearly marked, and employees must be trained to identify such material and handle it safely. Many accidents happen every year because of a lack of personal protective equipment, such as respirators. This is often not because the facility failed to provide such equipment but because employees failed to use it. Employees need to be fully trained in the use of personal safety equipment, and work procedures need to mandate the use of such equipment when appropriate. Managers and senior workers need to be responsible for making sure employees follow those procedures.

Contact McKinley Equipment today to discuss how you can improve workplace safety at your warehouse, distribution center, factory or other type of industrial or commercial facility.