Believe it or not, safety is a critical issue in the workplace. OSHA even has a separate part of its website dedicated to safety. That being said, if you want to get your warehouse facilities certified by OSHA so that they can be considered complete and up-to-code, there are some things you have to do.
This article will discuss five ways that warehouses can ensure their overall safety with an effective life safety system.
1) Assess the Existing Environment
One of the first things a US warehouse owner or manager should do is assess the facility’s existing safety features. This assessment will go a long way towards helping them determine what needs to be done to become OSHA compliant.
In other words, by determining how safe their existing buildings and structures are, they will know exactly what improvements they should make to be considered a complete facility.
2) Provide Each Worker With Personal Protective Equipment
From helmets to steel-toe boots, providing your workers with the appropriate personal protective gear is just another safety feature that needs to be addressed. For starters, all of these things need to be available free of charge.
In addition, you’re going to want them right there on-site so that workers can get them when they need them – rather than having to go out somewhere else and get them before coming onto the job site.
3) Have Enough Lighting
Without proper lighting at critical areas within your warehouse facility is going to be difficult for people to work there. This is why you have to have enough lighting in all of the correct places so that your workers can see while they’re performing their job duties.
Lighting should be bright and plentiful throughout the entire workspace, especially at night or when it’s dark outside. Also, ensure the quality of the lighting you use.
4) Be Sure to Have Electricity
When you’re working in a warehouse, you must have electricity. And if the power goes out unexpectedly, you need to maintain service for your safety systems. This means having backup generators on-site so that they can supply enough energy to keep things running smoothly whenever there’s an unexpected power outage or other issues (like when equipment breaks down).
5) Establish an Emergency Action Plan
Finally, one of the last steps warehouse owners should take is establishing an emergency action plan. The EAP tells everyone what their roles are if something wrong happens within the facility, like a fire or some other type of structural failure.
It also usually outlines specific evacuation procedures and explains how employees should exit the building safely as part of the life safety system. It’s recommended you take on a practical approach and train the team on their role if an accident occurs. Safety drills and other practical methods are the best way to establish safety procedures in your warehouse.
Final Thoughts
These are just five of the things that you need to consider when you’re trying to become OSHA certified. Many other parts of your facility also need to be addressed to be considered safe and compliant. And if you’re serious about wanting to become OSHA compliant, be sure to hire a good commercial electrician in your area.
