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A warehouse hall is a place where the dynamics of work can resemble a busy city intersection or a maze of obstacles. Managing such an area requires a special approach to minimize the risk of accidents and collisions.
A warehouse hall is a peculiar working environment that sometimes resembles a busy intersection in the center of a city, and at other times a tight maze with obstacles. Not surprisingly, there are often collisions between workers and accidents involving cargo, machinery and equipment. What risks should be considered when managing a warehouse hall?
The interior of a warehouse hall should be designed so that workers can move freely between loads and perform their duties. Thus, it must not lack:
Unfortunately, it happens that traffic routes are not designed in accordance with the regulations (the issue of safety in warehouses is regulated by EN15512 and EN15620 standards) or are obstructed, for example, due to backlogged goods. In this situation, frequent collisions between two vehicles or pedestrian workers and vehicles can occur. Collisions especially occur at intersections between racks when workers do not see people coming/coming from their right and left thrones.
What's too much is unhealthy - this well-known adage also holds true in warehouse logistics. Overloaded shelves threaten to collapse, posing a direct threat to the health and lives of workers. Shelves that are filled "to the top of the cork" also make it more difficult to remove and stack goods, so that a load can slide off and crush an employee during work. In addition, overcrowded shelves reduce visibility in work aisles, increasing the risk of collisions between workers moving along intersecting traffic routes. This can be prevented by installing a special warning system on the shelves.
Lack of good visibility is by far the most common cause of collisions involving forklifts. The operator of such a vehicle has a daunting task - as he has to control the load and at the same time keep a close eye on the surroundings, so as not to collide with a wall, a rack or another employee. Unfortunately, the "blind spot" phenomenon, as well as human error, can contribute to the forklift invading a pedestrian employee. To prevent this, companies use various types of protection - from the simplest solutions (e.g. reflective clothing), through cameras mounted on carts to advanced anti-collision systems with sensors and transponders.
Warehousemen can't complain about a static work mode. They have to take delivery, sort and place goods in the right places, release cargo - all this requires maintaining a fairly brisk work pace. Unfortunately, haste is a bad advisor in this case as well. A forklift operator working under time pressure, for example, may make a maneuver that is too sudden, leading to a rollover. Being in a hurry can also prompt the driver to over-speed, which can result in a collision with a wall, a rack, another vehicle or a worker on foot. The fast pace of work also encourages mistakes in operating machinery and vehicles (such as improperly loading a forklift), which in turn can expose a worker to painful injury or even permanent disability.
A warehouse should function like a well-oiled mechanism - efficiently, effectively and without any downtime in operation. Unfortunately, it happens that logistics fail and chaos reigns in the warehouse. There are too many or too few employees per shift, goods are backlogged in inappropriate places, and work takes place in not very favorable conditions (clutter, noise, too low/high temperatures, no breaks). Under such circumstances, it's not difficult to make a mistake that can result in cargo damage, damage to warehouse equipment, or expose a worker to health risks.
Many accidents could be avoided if proper safeguards were in place in warehouse logistics. Even the simplest methods - such as marking out passageways with tape or using warning signs - increase worker safety and comfort. Every warehouseman should also have protective clothing that reduces the risk of collisions with vehicles while mitigating accidents. With the help of metal wheel guards, foot injuries can be prevented for hand truck (pallet truck) operators, while speed locks inhibit the urges of brash forklift drivers. In large warehouses, modern anti-collision systems and forklift cameras can additionally be used to eliminate accidents related to limited visibility once and for all.