Warehouse is a place where a wide variety of operations are carried out that can pose a risk – both to the workers, but also to the equipment and to the stored goods. In order to ensure safe work in the warehouse, it is necessary to know the principles of health and safety at work, and to be able to apply them.
An employee is obliged to know the rules and regulations of occupational safety and health, but also to participate in relevant trainings. Every employee must ensure that machines, tools and any materials used in the course of their work are in good working order. Collective protection measures, assigned individual protection measures and protective clothing are also important. If working conditions pose an immediate risk to life or health, this must be reported immediately to the employer. The warehouse worker is the most exposed person to hazards in the warehouse. It is a job that, depending on the type and manner of goods stored, may have different occupational risk factors.
The most common hazards in a warehouse:
- hitting by vehicles
- injuries caused by lifting heavy objects
- injuries caused by falls from heights
- injuries and bruises resulting from slipping or tripping on slippery or uneven surfaces,
- impact from falling objects
- toxic, flammable or explosive materials (if stored in warehouse)
How to ensure safety in the warehouse?
In order to ensure maximum safety in the warehouse during work, it is important to remember to instruct workers in OSH, but also to provide training in the use of machinery and equipment.It is also important to properly prepare the workplace, i.e. eliminate any structural and technical defects that may pose a risk and lead to an accident, but also provide the workplace with protective measures such as flexible barriers. By separating storage areas using barriers, collisions and accidents can be prevented. They also help to store goods safely.
