4 Workplace Safety Tips for Warehouse Managers

Workplace safety is one of the biggest concerns cited by warehouse managers and employees. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor in 2019, the average rate of recorded workplace injuries in the warehousing industry was at 4.8 for every 100 full-time workers. 

In this guide we’ll share an OSHAchecklist for warehouse managers, safety tips to prevent incidents, and how the right technology can help.

How can managers ensure workplace safety?

Warehouse managers are responsible for running a safe and efficient operation with working conditions that comply with OSHA regulations. OSHA standards are designed to reduce workplace hazards and improve employee well-being. Building a safe workplace starts with a safety program that implements these policies.

To help reduce occupational injuries in warehouses, OSHA offers a safety resource called Worker Safety Series: Warehousing that reviews the most common warehouse safety hazards and includes Think Safety Checklists. 

Our top four OSHA warehouse safety tips will ensure your warehouse is a safe working environment. 

1. Ensure only certified workers operate forklifts: Forklifts can be deadly if proper safety procedures are not followed. According to the National Safety Council,forklifts were the source of 78 work-related fatalities and 7,290 nonfatal injuries in 2020. Make sure only certified employees who have taken the proper safety training operate forklifts to minimize the risk of safety hazards. Regularly check in and monitor forklift safety and consider an onsite camera system to ensure visibility into workplace safety and help prevent forklift accidents.

2. Confirm workers adhere to OSHA-compliant procedures:  OSHA requires all warehouses follow specific procedures when executing high-risk tasks to ensure safe working conditions. For example, all employees should be trained on proper racking and lifting techniques as injuries are often caused by improper manual lifting and material handling. Failure to follow safety guidelines, such as  proper lifting techniques, can lead to sprains, strains, and torn muscles. On loading docks, safety procedures include preventing safety hazards like wet floors, unsecured dock plates, improper lifting, and carelessness while operating machinery. Managers are responsible for ensuring proper safety procedures are followed at all times. In addition to providing safety programs to train employees, managers must enforce proper protocols. 

3. Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE): OSHA  requires business owners to provide all employees in a warehouse with the appropriate PPE to ensure employee health standards are met. This includes safety equipment like hard hats, durable high-visibility clothing, and safety glasses or goggles, which have been shown to reduce workplace accidents. Furthermore, workers should avoid loose-fitting clothes which can cause safety issues if caught in equipment or machinery. Managers should ensure employees receive necessary PPE along with training on PPE protocols and proper usage.

4. Mark off and monitor hazardous areas:  Hazardous areas and equipment on-site at your warehouse should be clearly labeled with safety signs to help avoid workplace injury and citations. This is especially important for newer or young workers who may not be as familiar with the specific working conditions and operations of the warehouse and run a higher risk of a workplace accident. Managers should enforce proper maintenance of these areas and encourage co-workers to clear liquids, unnecessary cords, and other debris from the warehouse floor.

How can warehouse cameras help improve workplace safety?

Warehouse camera systems can help managers monitor working conditions and verify proper protocols with ease. Samsara Site Visibility transforms onsite security with ntelligent, cloud-connected security cameras. Let’s look at a few examples of how you can use Site Visibility to ensure safety procedures within your operations.

• Monitor proper use of equipment and hazardous areas: Monitor high-risk areas for unsafe activity with Samsara Site Visibility. Managers can remotely view their operations to ensure proper and authorized forklift usage and get real time notifications so they can immediately respond to onsite issues, such as activity in a hazardous area.

• Respond to on-sitesafety issues, quickly: If there is an incident on-site, warehouse managers can easily leverage Site Visibility’s people detection and AI search features to find the right footage quickly, enabling them to investigate and act. For example, in the case of a workplace accident, you can quickly verify if proper safety procedures were followed which can expedite a worker’s comp claim and use the video footage to inform future safety trainings.

• Prevent workplace injuries: Workplace injuries are preventable with an advanced security camera system that helps managers catch and prevent incidents. For example, using Samsara’s Site Visibility solution, Food Express’ Director of IT, Jim Terry, identified a worker not wearing the proper safety gear and immediately called the on-site supervisor to address the issue in real time before anything dangerous occurred. Using Samsara’s Site Visibility solution, Food Express can now review and investigate on-site incidents 83% faster.

Learn how Samsara Site Visibility can improve workplace safety

Samsara Site Visibility is a reliable, AI-video safety solution that allows managers access to footage anytime, from anywhere. Identify and resolve incidents faster and spend less time monitoring footage using intelligent detections and alerting. 

Curious about how Samsara can benefit your warehouse operations? Contact our team today to learn more or get a free trial.