When opening a warehouse , it is important to know whether you are entering an already existing warehouse or if the warehouse is newly built just for your business / commodity assortment?

What we need from occupational safety – This question is not asked often enough by clients. In practice, we from the industry often get information about this moment when the client has already entered the warehouse, and perhaps due to the condition and incompatibility of the warehouse with his needs, he should not have entered it.

From entering the already existing warehouse, it is important to initially determine whether it is a project response to your business, i.e. the assortment of goods that you think to store inside, especially from the aspect of fire protection, because possible modifications / reconstructions that you will have to undertake to comply with this area.

They may not be financially profitable for you. Believe me, it’s not the same if you store steel pipes, brick or rubber, paints and varnishes.

Three key things that cause accidents – I haven’t seen, I haven’t asked, and I haven’t thought. We are opening a warehouse, what is needed from occupational safety?

Safety at work in storage

We are opening a warehouse, what do we need from occupational safety? “There are three key things that make accidents happen – I didn’t see, I didn’t ask and I didn’t think.”

The facility that is built for your needs, if you will use it according to the intended purpose, will not have special requirements except for the ongoing maintenance of the facility and servicing of protective systems on it.

When buying an existing facility or renting it, pay attention to whether it is a change in the purpose of the space in question in relation to the purpose for which the building or use permit was issued.

If not (rarer case) then it is not necessary to take additional security measures in relation to existing ones.

Otherwise (more often), it is necessary to contact the competent body of construction about the need to obtain appropriate permits, which will be decided in the prescribed procedures in which the sufficiency of the implemented fire protection measures will be evaluated.

In addition, processing warehouses from the aspect of occupational safety is similar to the processing of any other business premises and implies updating the situation in risk assessment, testing electrical installations and the working environment and drawing up an evacuation plan.

Always keep in mind how the warehouse will work

– shelves must have data on the carrying capacity, if pedestrians and forklifts pass through the warehouse, you must provide separate routes of movement, which must be clearly marked on the floor with lines 5 cm wide.

The route of the forklift must be at least 1.8 m wide or 80 cm wider than the forklift, i.e. the cargo normally transported on it. In practice, this means that this road should be at least 2 meters wide, while for employees / pedestrians the road must be a minimum width of 80 cm.

At the entrance to the warehouse, keep clear instructions (who can enter the warehouse and under what conditions – the obligation to carry personal protective equipment, etc.). If you are going to use forklifts, be aware that only people trained to operate a forklift are allowed to handle it.

Working in a warehouse for employees often carries jobs with special working conditions, which means that before deploying people to the position of warehouse worker, you will most likely need to send these people to a medical examination to determine their working capacity and you will have to provide all warehouse employees with personal protective equipment (e.g. work suits, shoes with a cap, gloves, etc.).

Tip of the day

Safety at work in storage

There is one interesting saying; “There are three key things that make accidents happen – I didn’t see, I didn’t ask and I didn’t think.” This is especially true in our industry. So I’ll summarize the most important points from the article:

• Define the purpose of the warehouse and assess your needs and obligations
• ZNR Warehouse processing (risk assessment, tests, evacuation plan)
• Define movement paths for pedestrians and forklifts
• Clear instructions and signalling at the entrance to the warehouse
• Performing medical examinations for jobs with special working conditions
• Supplying warehouse employees with personal protective equipment

So make sure your people see what they need to see and have answers to any questions. And through constant conversation and education (yes, education!) you work on raising their awareness so that the “I didn’t mean” situations are minimized.

We are opening a warehouse, what is needed from occupational safety? Three key things that cause accidents…

– I didn’t see, I didn’t ask and I didn’t mean.

Safety at work in storage