How to avoid accidents in warehouses?

Brazil is ranked 4th in the world in terms of number of work accidents, according to the Ministry of Health. There are seven workers injured per day, which represents R$ 70 billion in spending with health treatment. Since 2012, more than 700 million work days have been lost due to incidents.

 

With this information in mind, it is easy to understand the importance of safety in logistics warehouses. Without it, managers expose employees to risks that can be fatal — not to mention the financial aspect. Ignoring safety in the storage of materials and products has a direct impact and can cause: 

 

● Need for new hires;

● Removal of workers;

● Prohibition of the environment. 

 

This is a scenario that no business wants, right? The positive side is that there are some simple but necessary steps that can help minimize the risk of accidents in the workplace.

 

In this article, we have put together some tips on how to prevent workplace accidents. Check it out!

 

 

The first step to ensuring security in warehouses is prevent accidents from happening. It seems like a no-brainer, but unfortunately many companies ignore this important step until someone gets hurt. 

 

Prevention happens in five steps: 

Identify possible risks to exposed workers;

Assess and prioritize risks; 

Plan the necessary preventive measures;

Adopt such measures;

Monitor and review processes. 

 

Providing your workers with fully safe facilities is required by law and there is a whole set of regulatory standards on occupational health and safety. Failure to comply with the provisions will result in the employer being subject to the penalties provided for in the relevant legislation.

 

 

 

 

 

According to the art. 163 of the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT), every company with more than 50 employees is required to have an Internal Accident Prevention Committee. The body, also known as CIPA, must prevent accidents and illnesses resulting from work, and combine work with the preservation of life and the promotion of employee health.

 

Volunteers are responsible for monitoring working conditions, analyzing risks, and carrying out safety inspections. Basically, everything that is necessary to ensure that prevention work is done correctly.

 

That is, the CIPA is essential for warehouse safety. However, this Committee is often formed just so that the company is not fined. Managers need to encourage employees to participate in the organization, so that it has an active voice within the company. 

 

 

 

 

Know that Suppliers play a strategic role as partners for your business. This includes their responsibility for warehouse security, especially those that provide storage solutions.

 

It is very important that you hire a company that is committed to the well-being of its employees, in addition to providing good storage solutions. The products must have passed rigorous safety tests, as this is one of the ways to prevent workplace accidents.

 

While we cannot deny the need to hire a quality structure, we understand that this is not the only step to ensure safety in warehouses. Managers need to include in their routine a frequency and methodology for evaluating the structure based on damage caused by operations. 

 

Bertolini Sistemas de Armazenagem has been in the market for over 30 years and is now a reference in its segment in South America. This successful trajectory has only been possible thanks to constant investment in training and cutting-edge technology to produce the most effective and safe solutions.

 

Its portfolio also covers safety inspections in order to maintain quality standards. Trained professionals carry out a survey of the measurements and status of the structures, identify defective structural components for replacement, assess the floor conditions and identify possible causes of structural damage. 

 

Therefore, Bertolini's technical inspection is essential to ensure safety in warehouses. It adds value to the entire company and extends the useful life of the chosen instruments. 

 

 

 

 

Many of the accidents that compromise safety in warehouses are related to the lack of organization and cleanliness of the place. To minimize risks, all employees need to be trained to keep items in the correct places, in addition to avoiding the use of flammable materials, oils or other toxic liquids. 

 

Still on the subject of storage solutions, we cannot fail to mention some practices that help prevent workplace accidents. The first of these is that stored materials need to be organized in a way that does not hinder lighting or the movement of people and equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

THE Regulatory Standard 5 (NR 5), concerns signage, another extremely important factor for safety in warehouses. The official document from the Ministry of Labor states that the company must adopt colors to indicate and warn about existing dangers. However, it is necessary to reinforce that compliance with this standard does not exclude the use of other ways to prevent work accidents.

 

Signs using colors and symbols must indicate: 

 

Equipment and piping areas, in addition to warning about risks;

Emergency exits and fire extinguishers;

The use of mandatory equipment for that area of the company; 

Pedestrian crossing in areas where free movement is not safe.