Is safety on the warehouse floor expensive? Not according to the Safest Warehouses in the Netherlands. BMWT has collected for you five practical tips that cost little or nothing, from participants in the annual election of the Safest Warehouse. Looking for more free inspiration? Then sign up to visit the award winners.
Tip 1: Don't let pallets block the view
Most warehouses are full of unclear crossings. They are often warehouse racks that block the view of forklifts or pedestrians from the left or right. In places where there are no warehouse racks, it is sometimes pallets that block the view. This was also the case at DHL Supply Chain's distribution centre in Bergen op Zoom. Much of the products here are in block storage at ground locations.
To prevent accidents, DHL has come up with a simple solution: red crosses on the corners at crossings. These red crosses make it clear to employees that no pallets should be placed at these ground locations. Forklift drivers therefore see other traffic coming earlier and can brake sooner.
Tip 2: Increase visibility with convex mirrors
If warehouse racking blocks visibility, red crosses on the floor do not offer a solution. A relatively cheap and effective measure is to hang convex mirrors above all blind junctions. All road users from any direction then have full visibility of traffic from left or right, even if pallet racks make direct eye contact impossible.
Pay close attention to the height of globe mirrors above intersections. The higher they are mounted, the higher the threshold for warehouse workers to look in when approaching the intersection. Those who mount them too low risk collisions with the masts of forklifts. And don't forget to move the sphere mirrors when part of the warehouse is rearranged.
Tip 3: Give truck drivers their own space
Truck drivers have the right to see how their truck is loaded. However, they also pose a risk, especially if they can move freely through a warehouse that is unfamiliar to them. DHL Supply Chain has therefore installed a blue dot on the floor next to each dock door at its distribution centre in Bergen op Zoom.
Truck drivers should not leave the blue dot while loading or unloading their trucks. This prevents them from wandering around the warehouse. It also allows DHL's loading and unloading staff to know where the driver is at all times. This reduces the risk of collisions in the warehouse. Among other things, a pictogram on the safety instruction board alerts drivers to the measure.
Tip 4: Watch for changes in brightness
The human eye has great difficulty with rapid changes in brightness. Forklift drivers notice this every time they drive from inside to outside. It takes a few moments for their eyes to get used to the bright sunlight. In those few seconds, they are distracted, vision decreases and coordination and reaction speed decreases. At the AkzoNobel site in Groot-Ammers, this sometimes led to risky situations when pedestrians wanted to cross at the outside doors on the outside area.
AkzoNobel therefore installed fences on both sides of the doors. As a result, forklift drivers can no longer turn immediately after leaving the hall. The few seconds they have to drive straight ahead are enough to get used to the bright sunlight. Moreover, pedestrians have also been forced to cross a little further from the doors.
Tip 5: Run regular safety rounds
Work often keeps logistics managers glued to their desks. A pity, because bottlenecks in the operation are only really visible on the shop floor. Those who set aside time for a tour of the warehouse and do so in a structured way, increase the safety and commitment of their employees.
The 'gemba walk' is a proven tool of Valeo Services, named the Safest Warehouse in the Netherlands in 2014. The management of this warehouse regularly makes a safety walk with two or three warehouse employees who are scheduled free for this purpose. Over the years, this approach has resulted in a list of as many as 150 safety bottlenecks.
Advice: actually tackle the bottlenecks identified and make that known. After all, employees like to think along, but that soon stops if nothing happens with their ideas.
Visit the safest warehouses
Curious? The Safest Warehouses in the Netherlands have many more tips and are happy to share them with you. BMWT is therefore organising four company visits in the coming period:
22 March: Janssen Biologic
5 April: Abbott Biologicals
11 May: DHL Supply Chain
14 June: Schneider Electric
Register forthese company visits for free here. Respond quickly, because full = full.
