Storage Ideas

The Dos and Don’ts of Storage

There are many things to consider when investing in industrial storage: correct equipment, work place safety plus ongoing equipment inspections and maintenance. In this article, we will explore what to do and what to avoid to ensure everything is up to standard.

Equipment

Industrial storage is reliant on the right equipment to suit the purpose. It is important to keep everything well-looked after, and it is vital that faulty equipment be repaired and/or replaced as soon as possible.

Do: Rack Safety

If there is one particular type of equipment that must be taken into consideration, it is pallet racking/ storage racks. Overloaded, unsecure or damaged racks could collapse and seriously injure workers, as well as damage whatever was stored. When visually checking pallet racking, pay close attention to both the racks themselves and their environment. Is there any obvious damage caused by forklift impact? Do the beams appear to be deflecting by the weight of the product stored?
Safety is a shared responsibility, so ensure your pallet racking is inspected annually, arrange for any damage to be repaired promptly, and only load racks to the maximum specified capacity. Safe racks mean safe storage.

Work Place Safety

It is often said that a workplace is only as good as the people who work within it. For these reasons, it is incredibly important to ensure the safety of all employees working in industrial warehouses. When your workers are operating in a safe environment, productivity and engagement increases. There are several ways to ensure the work place is safe.

Do: Train Staff

Not comprehensively training your staff is the equivalent of letting an unlicensed teenager drive a car. They may understand what they are doing at a basic level, but should something happen, they will not be able to respond. This encompasses a variety of issues, from workplace safety, to their own health.
Staff should have clear knowledge on how to work within industrial warehouses. They must understand how to correctly lift boxes, which safety equipment to wear in which area, and which person to call if something goes wrong. Don’t make the mistake of not training staff and thinking that everything will work out. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Do: Use Signage

Is an area being cleaned? Are there pallet racks or storage systems that require repairs? Industrial warehouses can be large and not every worker is aware of possible dangers or issues. To avoid workplace catastrophes, use appropriate signs so workers see and understand potential hazards.

Do: Equipment Safety Inspections

Does all storage equipment and pallet racking comply with Australian safety regulations? The only way to ensure compliance is by regular safety audits and inspections which report any and all issues. An inspection audit report also details the recommended actions needed to ensure ongoing compliance, giving employers, workers and users’ peace of mind.

Don’t: Skip Steps

For the efficiency of your industrial storage space, make sure to take care. If you have any questions about this article, or about any of the services or storage products offered by Storage Ideas, feel free to contact us.