Your Go-to Guide to Warehouse Safety: Guards and Railings Edition

The Benefits of  Safety Are Clear:

 

Warehouse Safety begins with having the right equipment and supplies to protect your employees, facility, and inventory while promoting operational efficiency. But that's not all. We all know warehouse safety is a must, but a safe environment creates trust in your company, plus a happier, more fulfilling work experience for employees (you got my back, I got yours). And last but not least, it ultimately positively affects your bottom line. So, you can say "hello" to fewer days of injuries, fewer hours of equipment being down and in repair, and a more positive attitude. It's a win-win.

 

In this series on Warehouse Safety, we'll take on one topic at a time and break down how you can improve safety and productivity. Here we explore warehouse guards and railings, how they're crucial to warehouse safety, and how they offer a durable and customizable barrier to protect your employees and property from potential hazards and business delays.

 

All Global Industrial guards and railings are:

  • OSHA-compliant
  • Easy to install
  • Cost efficient
  • Customizable
  • Ready to withstand light to heavy impacts
  • Long-lasting
  • Available in bright colors to warn of potential dangers
  • Designed to direct traffic
  • Practical and cost-effective

 

Protect Your Employees Right

 

Employee protections on the warehouse floor are just as crucial as PPE. Warehouses are busy and, at times, cramped fast-moving intersections where workers face blind corners while moving upwards of 10,000 lbs. forklifts over uneven walking surfaces and around damaged or unreliable ladders and falling objects. Ensure you have a handle on warehouse safety with:

 

Bollards

Protects machinery, equipment, and other personnel from vehicular traffic, such as forklifts and pallet trucks. Bollards can be permanently installed or removable and come in vertical and horizontal protection based on the facility's needs. You can use bollards inside your facility, parking lots, and along sidewalks.

Column Protectors

Protect columns in your facility from vehicles transporting materials for storage or distribution. Column protectors minimize any impact on facility structures by surrounding a column with impact-absorbing protectors.

Machine Shields

Any potential hazardous mechanical motion at or near machinery components can severely harm employees. Machine shields are available for various machines needing protection, including drills, lathes, presses, and grinders.

Safety Railings

It’s crucial to provide fall protection for mezzanines, platforms, and other elevated areas in industrial areas. Safety railings should be OSHA-compliant to ensure your facility is compliant with current safety standards. Posts and rail sections can be customized to fit any space.

Safety Swing Gates

Protect personnel in warehouses, office walkways, conveyors, or equipment with swing gates. Safety swing gates will keep personnel from hazards and can be self-closing, which prevents unauthorized entry to specific parts of your facility.

 

 

Ensure Your Facility is Protected

 

Your warehouse facility must also protect and rack itself from damage from vehicles moving around it. Many warehouses have damaged racking and shelving that should be replaced. Old and faulty systems are at risk of collapse. Protecting your facility with up-to-date systems will protect you from a catastrophic accident that could result in the loss of racking, products, and maybe even a life. These protections include:

 

Guard Rails

Guard rails systems are the most critical components of any warehouse protection system. They offer a sturdy barrier protecting people and property from potential hazards and are designed to withstand heavy impacts from facility vehicles.

Dock Bumpers

Protect warehouse docks from vehicle impact with dock bumpers that absorb impact. Dock bumpers are usually made of rubber and are easy to install. They are also available as fender bumpers, protecting walls, buildings, and other structures.

Door Guards

Protect critical equipment and allow products to easily move in and out of your facility with door guards.

Clearance Bars

Reduce maintenance repair costs and alert drivers of low clearance structures with clearance bars. Clearance bars can be set at different heights depending on a facility's needs and are available with various graphics. Reflective tape options are also a great way to increase visibility and enhance protections within your facility.

Rack Protectors

Help prevent damage to rack uprights, shelving uprights, partitions, and many other factory and warehouse structures with rack protectors. Floor-mounted pallet rack protectors protect the pallet rack uprights from forklift damage. Pallet Rack protectors are also crucial at busy intersections within facilities and along high-traffic routes.

Wall & Corner Bumper Guards

Protect walls from damage and employees from hazardous edges with wall and corner bumper guards. Strong tape backs will adhere to any surface within a facility.

 

 

Key Questions to Ask Yourself

 

Warehouse safety is vital to your bottom line. No company can afford unplanned and extensive workers' compensation claims, costs, and OSHA citations in the current economic environment. Warehouses should be thoroughly inspected for potentially dangerous areas that can put the warehouse and your employees at risk.

 

Key questions:

  • Are your workers adequately protected from potential dangers and hazards?
  • Is your facility OSHA-compliant?
  • Is your facility safeguarded from heavy impacts? 

 

Global Industrial Is Your Warehouse Safety Partner

 

Global Industrial has a number of your solutions to help keep your warehouse employees and facilities safe. Connect with one of our Global Industrial sales representatives at 888.978.7759 or contact us here for and we’ll help you find the right guards and railings to protect your workers, facility, and your inventory.

 

The information contained in this article is for informational, educational, and promotional purposes only and is based on information available as of the initial date of publication. It is the reader’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations. If there is any question or doubt in regard to any element contained in this article, please consult a licensed professional.  Under no circumstances will Global Industrial® be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on this article.