Page 76 - OHS, July/August 2022

FACILITY SAFETY
Warehouse Safety: Protecting People,
Equipment, and Productivity
A range of essential industrial safety products can safeguard distribution centers from collision-caused injuries, rack damage, and reduced productivity.
BY JOHN P. CLARK
Warehouse and distribution center efficiency and productivity has risen tremendously in recent decades. However, the gains can be jeopardized by safety breakdowns that lead to personal injury, equipment and product damage. In facilities of any size, thisincludescostlyvehicleimpacttopallet racking, which can undermine necessary storage and product throughput.
More Business, More Risk
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each year in the United States, nearly 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift- related incidents.
Efficiencies have been gained from better floor plans that allow for more efficient processes, from innovative racking solutions, robotics and other
Roman Zaiets/Shutterstock.com
automation. At the same time, distribution facility employees are more productive than ever. Nevertheless, without the proper industrial safety products and approaches, collisions involving personnel with forklifts, tow tractors and other vehicles can be serious, potentially leading to grievous injury, loss of life and litigation. Vehicle impact with facility equipment, structures and controls can also have severe consequences.
Racking, work platforms like mezzanines and modular offices inside distribution warehouses also need to be protected with barriers to forklift traffic, such as guardrails.
Badly damaged racking (from a vehicle collision) loaded with inventory could potentially collapse without warning if not immediately unloaded, inspected and repaired. A forklift could also go right through the wall of an in-
plant modular office inside a distribution warehouse.
Distribution center productivity can also be compromised if important equipment like racking, conveyors, electrical boxes and control panels are not properly protected with barriers from vehicle traffic. In many cases, critical components must be replaced after damage at a substantial cost along with lengthy lead times. With recent parts shortages and logistical delays, replacement could take several months or more, resulting in extended equipment downtime and lower warehouse productivity.
Fortunately, a well-designed and properly installed array of safety products, including guardrails, gates and accessories, can greatly reduce such incidents and protect the facility’s people, equipment and productivity.
In today’s tight labor market, a proactive approach to safety can also pay off in hiring and employee retention. Labor is in high demand now and people want to work in a safe environment. So, a company that shows it prioritizes keeping itswarehouseemployeessafewithvisible barriers like engineered guardrails (to prevent vehicle-pedestrian collisions and rack/equipment damage) has an edge in labor retention.
OptimizingSafety
In warehouses and distribution centers, collisions between forklifts or other vehicles and employees or visitors are a prime concern, so providing adequate protection is essential.
At a minimum, walkways and work areas around racking should be clearly defined. Lines painted on the floor can be helpful in promoting such separation. However, when no physical protection is provided, forklifts and other vehicles can cross over to the pedestrian side for reasons such as operator inattention,
72 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2022
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