Warehouses are known to be one of the most hazardous working environments due to their heavy machinery and moving vehicles, which unfortunately makes warehouse worker injuries very common. There is an endless list of safety and security requirements that workplaces must implement to offer a safe day to day working environment for staff. Failure to handle safety procedures and features correctly can not only place staff safety at risk, but also place the business at risk of hefty fines.
Safety Barriers
Warehouses contain a variety of hazards that can pose significant danger to members of staff. Working days are often long and as staff become fatigued they may be less vigilant of their surroundings, this is where safety barriers are important. These barriers are used to warn staff of potential hazards by highlighting areas that should be avoided, like zones with moving vehicles or dangerous machinery. For this reason, safety barriers come in bright colours, usually yellow, to ensure that they don’t go unnoticed in busy, crowded and chaotic warehouse environments.
Training
Ultimately one of the most important elements of warehouse safety and security comes down to the sufficient and effective training of staff. In the event of an emergency procedure staff must be fully prepared to handle situations correctly and efficiently. It is the job of the employers to perform such training as failure to do so can result in serious harm to staff and potentially expensive fines for the company.
Security doors
Weak doors can provide easy access for intruders and risk the safety of warehouse workers. It is imperative that warehouses are equipped with specialised security doors from a reputable door manufacturer. Steel security doors are the preferred choice as they offer unmatched durability, fire protection, anti-corrosive properties and remain intact under excessive force. Doors must remain within the PAS24 door standard which ensures that they meet the government’s security standards and can protect efficiently against break-ins and burglaries.
The most obvious area of a door to target is the locking mechanism, intruders will usually use force to break the lock and gain entry. As a result, high quality lock systems are an essential component of security doors. In particular, multi point locking systems are recommended or a combination of high-quality locks alongside security tested hardware for added security. Regular checks will need to be completed to ensure the locks are in good condition.
Access Control
An electronic access control system is imperative for maintaining high levels of security within a warehouse. These systems restrict entry by ensuring only those with authorised access can enter the building. This access system can utilise a key card/fob, unique pin or an alternative form of identification restricted to only authorised persons.
Access control systems can be enhanced by using CCTV operations, as an extra layer of security. In particular, warehouses that use physical fobs or key cards may benefit from surveillance cameras, as these modes of entry can be used by any individual with its possession, regardless of whether they have authorised access to the building or not.
