safe
Golden key and puzzle

By Kara Masterson

Ensuring a safe work environment is good for everyone. For your employees, they will be more productive. For your managers, they will be able to focus on their tasks rather than employee safety. For your company, you will not have to worry about any legal battles over unsafe working conditions. Here are five tips to keeping your factory and warehouse environment safe.

Lock the Doors

This seems so simple, but by making sure the doors have automatic locks you will be keeping individuals that may want to harm our business out. All employees should be given badges and key cards to gain access, and they should have to wear them at all times.

Make Sure Your Fire Extinguishers are Charged

There would be nothing worse than going to put out a fire and finding that the extinguisher was not adequately charged. Fire extinguishers should be checked every month to make sure they are pressurized. All of your employees should know how to use a fire extinguisher as well. Getting everyone certified in this key fire-fighting element on an annual or bi-annual basis is a must.

Train Your Employees

Employee training for safety is one of the easiest way to keep costly and life-threatening accidents from occurring. Right after you hire an employee, you should require that they go through a safety training course and learn all about your business. Educate them on personal protective equipment, pinch points, fires, and any other hazards your workplace may pose. If they are going to be operating a fork lift or clamp truck, make sure they get certified to drive and go through a road course with that machinery as well. All employees should be adequately trained for the jobs they will be performing.

Use Fire Resistant Technologies

One of the easiest ways to protect your employees against fires is to have equipment that prevents them. One way companies are doing this is by purchasing electric rather than diesel or propane powered tool. While sparks can still cause fires, there is much less of a chance of injury due to explosion with these vehicles. It is also a good idea for industrial business to use air mixers for stirring. Laboratories need air mixers as well. If you have a lab or QA department that is constantly mixing, getting an air-powered stirrer is a great way to prevent explosions.

Form a Safety Team

One of the best ways to keep your employees safe is to give them the power to control their own safety. Form a team with employees that have a job of finding unsafe areas of the plant or warehouse and change them. Let them lead their own safety training when incidents occur. You can even have them give other employees report cards and tell them what they are doing well and some of their behaviors that are unsafe.

Safety is huge for employees, managers, and your company. Do everything you can to keep your warehouse and plant safe by keeping your employees informed and equipment up-to-date.

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.