Material handling is a part of most businesses, especially in manufacturing and shipping. The handling and movement of goods can be dangerous, and if employees are regularly injured, it will cost your business a lot. You may find yourself dealing with lawsuits and the cost of hiring replacements to fill in for injured staff members. You have a responsibility to keep your team safe, especially when handling goods. Here are some very simple ways you can reduce the chances of material handling injuries in your business.
Let Machines Do The Hard Work
If you can avoid picking up and moving heavy items in the first place, the chance of injuries is drastically reduced. The good news is, though, there is a lot of great equipment that can do the hard work for you. Invest in trolleys for employees to use and go to a reliable Doosan forklift dealer to get some forklifts to shift things around the warehouse. You can even install a conveyor system to move items around the warehouse for you. Not only does this make things safer, but it also speeds things up a lot and boosts efficiency.
Let your team know they should be using this equipment wherever possible and only lifting things themselves if absolutely necessary. This is the easiest way to make sure that nobody gets hurt.
Provide Regular Training
Most material handling injuries happen because people are not using the correct technique when lifting things. Sometimes, when items are not stored safely, accidents can happen too. Regular training is the best way to eliminate those issues. Don’t assume that everybody knows the correct way to lift things, even if they have experience with material handling. Provide detailed training to new employees and have regular refresher sessions for existing team members. People get into bad habits over time, and they let things slip, so it’s good to give them a reminder about how to stay safe.
Supply The Right Protective Equipment
Protective equipment prevents injuries, but people will only use it if you supply it. Helmets, gloves, eye protection, and steel toe cap boots all stop injuries, so make sure that you supply this equipment for all of your employees. Be prepared to spend a bit more on quality protective gear that will last a long time. Trying to save money by buying the cheap option will only cause more injuries, and you will spend more money constantly replacing things.
Manage Working Hours
When people are tired and worn out, they’re more likely to make mistakes and injure themselves or others. Managing working hours and improving schedules is crucial if you want to reduce injuries. Limit the length of shifts so that people are not overworked, and if you find that you are more stretched than normal, you may need to hire more employees.
Material handling leads to a lot of potential hazards in the workplace, and injuries can cause serious problems for your business. However, if you follow these very simple steps, you can make things much safer for your employees.
