How to Increase Warehouse Safety Without Blowing Your Budget
Posted September 22nd, 2017
Any warehouse manager understands the importance of safety in the workplace. Not only can it help you avoid costly injuries to your staff, but ensuring your employees are safe is the ethical thing to do. However, when you’re working with a limited budget, the idea of forgoing certain safety measures may be particularly attractive. While having financial restrictions can certainly be a factor, it’s crucial that you never sacrifice safety, especially since it can cost you more over the long-term if you do.
Luckily, there are ways to increase warehouse safety without having to blow your budget. Here are a few options that can be easily implemented even when your finances are tight.
Warehouse Safety Training
No two workplaces are exactly the same. That means even experienced workers need to receive the proper training to make sure they are familiar with your operations, policies, and procedures. Typically, this includes having a suitable safety orientation for new employees to help them get their footing, and additional focused training based on their position. Regular reviews of relevant policies and procedures are also valuable as they ensure everyone stays up to date with changes and is well aware of the company’s expectations.
Policy Enforcement
Safety policies are only effective if they are continuously enforced, and allowing safety concerns to go unaddressed can send employees mixed signals about your priorities. It also increases the likelihood that an accident will eventually occur and raises the risk that someone will be injured at work.
Whenever a policy is violated, it is important to take immediate action. Otherwise, it can seem as though your policies don’t actually matter. Additionally, when an incident occurs, you must act swiftly and decisively based on current policy to demonstrate that failing to comply with protocol isn’t acceptable.
Have the Right Tools and Equipment Available
Part of maintaining a safe workplace involves ensuring everyone has access to the proper tools and equipment to do their job right. While acquiring such items can be costly, it ensures that employees don’t have to improvise or create workarounds that might not be the safest course of action. Further, a lack of safety equipment specifically puts your workers at risk of injury, making it particularly critical to operations.
Hire Wisely
Many warehouses experience seasonal shifts in demand and required production levels, often requiring additional employees to come on staff, even just on a short-term basis. While you may want to fill a vacancy quickly, tossing the first person who applies into the role can be risky, especially if they don’t possess the right kind of skills or experience for the position. Generally, inexperienced workers are more likely to be injured, and their lack of knowledge could put others at risk too.
Taking the time to identify the best candidate for the position can help make your warehouse safer, and doing so doesn’t necessarily cost you anything more than hiring someone who isn’t actually the right fit.
If you’re interested in a cost-effective hiring solution, the professionals at Bayside Solutions can locate top talent for your vacancies quickly and effectively. Contact us to see how our services can help your business succeed.
