4 Potential Hazards Every Warehouse Owner Needs to Know

Every workplace needs to follow certain health and safety protocols to keep all employees safe. But the need to follow these protocols is even greater when you work at a warehouse. Warehouses can be dangerous places to work because of a higher risk of hazards. And when you're a warehouse owner, you need to be aware of the potential hazards that can occur in your warehouse so that you can avoid them.

1. Industrial Chemicals

It may come as a surprise, but many chemicals that you need in your warehouse may be highly hazardous to your employees. For example, some substances come with a special warning that you should read outside the storage room. But if your employee doesn't bother to read it, they could be putting themselves and the others around them in danger.

If the chemicals are used in a way that could cause a fire or explosion, even the slightest spark could cause a severe explosion.

To prevent hazards caused by industrial chemicals, you need to make sure your employees understand the chemicals they're handling. If a potential hazard is identified, you need to train your employees on how to deal with it.

2. Heavy Machinery

In a warehouse, there are a lot of heavy pieces of machinery that can crush the people around them if they are not taken care of properly. For example, a forklift can be a heavy source of danger and can crush people if it is not operated properly.

Also, a pallet jack can be used by anyone, even if they are not properly trained to use it. If you have a warehouse that is not very large, every employee needs to be aware of the machinery around them. You should also make sure your employees are properly trained to handle the heavy machinery.

3. Falling Objects

This is one of the most common hazards that warehouse employees face. Objects falling from the shelves are the most common cause of this kind of injury. Usually, the falling objects are just a little heavy and do not cause serious harm. But if that heavy object falls on someone, it can cause serious injury.

To ensure that the employees are protected from falling objects, you need to put the proper safety measures in place. For example, you need to install proper machinery so that if a shelf does fall, it will be caught by a safety barrier. You should also make sure employees wear hard hats while working inside your warehouse.

4. Biohazards

These hazards include infectious material like animal feces and blood. If your warehouse receives goods that are contaminated with biological hazards, you need to make sure they're disposed of properly. You can place them in separate containers and label them to let everyone know they're biohazards.

To safely dispose of biohazardous goods, you need to make sure you have the proper safety gear to handle them. Otherwise, the goods can become contaminated. Also, the people who are handling the goods need to take proper measures to prevent the goods from getting on their skin or in their mouths.

Final Thoughts

Warehouses can be dangerous places to work, but if you follow all the safety measures, you can help prevent accidents. Most accidents in a warehouse are preventable if you follow the proper procedures. 

Keep your warehouse safe from biohazards with the help of Anubis Hazmat. We provide biohazard cleanup services in Florida. All of our services come with OSHA-certified cleaning and disinfecting service. Get in touch with us today!