Five stacking tips for warehouse safety
Warehouse safety is important for several reasons. First, the health of employees is important. If they are frequently injured, soon there will be no one to work in the warehouse. The goods themselves are important, too, as they must be stored and moved without being broken or damaged.
Sensible stacking
Sometimes you need to pile items high to fit them all in, but the heaviest items must always go on the bottom of the stack. You don’t want lighter items crushed by heavy loads, nor do you want them toppling over and injuring or killing people. Amazon has received some bad press for its warehouse practices. To learn more, see this report in The Guardian.
When stacking, the height of the stack should be noted. There are usually rules governing stack heights, and these should be observed to avoid accidents and breakages.
The right stack for the job
Different items may need to be stacked in different ways. Pay attention to the goods being stacked, and choose the right method for the safest result. Types of stacking include brick, block, pinwheel and plywood.
Stack materials according to what they are and any hazards they may represent. For example, stack pipes upright so no one can trip over or collide with them. Lumber should be checked for nails that could damage goods or people.
As you stack, pallets should also be checked for damage. Identifying a pallet that is suffering from wear and tear and replacing it is always a better idea than letting a stack collapsing because the pallet has splintered or fallen apart. At the same time, keep an eye on the state of your shelving. It may need to be upgraded to cope with greater loads. If you want to find out more about options for shelving Ireland, you can start by consulting a reputable provider such as rackzone.ie/shelving/industrial-residential-shelving, where you can get advice and all the guidance you need on shelving Ireland.
Warehouse safety must always be viewed as a priority. By being vigilant in your maintenance and choosing materials that are made well and of good quality, many safety issues should be identified and rectified before they cause significant damage. Preventing accidents tends to cost less than clearing up the mess that they cause.