If you are the owner or manager of an inventory warehouse, you likely have hundreds or even thousands of items coming into and going out of your doors every day. Almost all warehouses with lots of items use some type of pallet system to help keep merchandise and inventory organized. Wooden pallets are by far the most common. While a stack of pallets can help you work more efficiently, they can also become a safety hazard if you put a lot of heavy items on them. Here are a few pallet safety tips to help keep your employees safe and your business running smoothly.
Invest in a Stretch Wrap Machine
If you find that many of your wooden pallets are getting stacked higher and higher these days, you are likely holding your breath until the moment comes when one gets accidentally knocked over and merchandise goes flying. One way you could help prevent this situation is by encouraging your employees to shrink wrap the lower levels of the pallets as they begin to stack boxes higher. This can take time and reduce your workplace efficiency though, as wrapping by hand can take some time.
It may be time to invest in a stretch wrapping machine that can quickly and easily secure your pallets so that they can be moved out to their location with no hassle. The investment you make in this machine will pay off down the road thanks to faster workflow and may even help stave off a safety related lawsuit.
Purchase New Safety Gear
If your business only recently started using pallets, you may not have a ton of safety gear that bigger, more established companies use. Consider equipping each employee handing the pallets with gloves to prevent splinters from wood pallets, and encourage them to buy heavy duty boots so that damage is limited if a pallet falls on someone's foot.
Have a Designated Spot for Broken Pallets
If someone accidentally breaks a piece of wood or plastic on a given pallet, take it out of operation immediately. Have a designated spot in the warehouse where old or broken down pallets go to be recycled. The last thing you want is to have someone stack merchandise on a broken pallet and then find out about it the hard way. You could also consider instructing employees to stretch wrap the pallet itself so that any splinters from broken wood stay within the pallet itself.
Pallets are a great way to keep your warehouse organized, but make sure your employees are properly trained on pallet safety. Stretch wrap can go a long way towards keeping your inventory stabilized and prevent a nasty spill. Recycle your old pallets and take broken ones off the floor as soon as they are discovered.
Share8 June 2015
When you own a business, you might be more concerned about your financial bottom line than you are about anything else. Your employees might complain about the condition of the break room or the comfort of their foot mats, but if you don't have the money to replace things, it can be difficult to focus on speeding up your production line. When I was growing up, my dad owned a canning business, and I learned a lot from him. I want to teach you how to simplify the manufacturing process for your business, so that you can make things a little easier for yourself down the road.
