Mezzanine floors are an efficient way to maximise floor space without relocating or undergoing heavy construction. Warehouses may often need extra storage on short notice. Therefore, instead of renting out additional spaces, increasing their workload, and spending extra money on transferring goods to and from the central warehouse, they install mezzanine floors as a solution to all their problems.
However, as much as mezzanine floors Sydney are an effective solution for businesses with warehouses that have limited space, they require strict safety precautions. If you have a business that involves the usage of a warehouse mezzanine floor, you must ensure the following mezzanine floor safety standards to utilise the space safely:
Fall Protection
Most workplace injuries are caused by falls. Employees carrying goods and equipment can slip or lose their balance and suffer injuries from falling on the ground, machinery, or goods. Moreover, employees can also hurt themselves while trying to balance the goods they are carrying or placing on or taking goods from the shelves. Therefore, as an employer, you can potentially reduce the majority of injuries your employees may benefit from by ensuring fall safety.
Fall safety can be ensured in two ways: active and passive. Active fall safety equipment includes a lanyard and full body harness so that employees stay in the safety zone. On the other hand, passive fall safety equipment includes gates, guardrails, and netting around the mezzanine floor.
Guardrails and gates must not be restricted to mezzanines. All elevated surfaces in warehouses or any other work must have strong, well-maintained, and supportive safety equipment to ensure maximum safety for the employees. Moreover, employees working near machines must always be supported with full-body harnesses and lanyards.
Ground Level Risks
Working on a warehouse mezzanine floor can be dangerous even if one stays on the ground, as, besides the employees on mezzanine floors, those under them can also get hurt. Employees can also get injured from goods, machinery, or people falling onto them from above. Ground-level risks for workers also include using equipment such as forklifts and docking goods.
As an employer, you can ensure employee safety simply by providing proper employee training. Employees must be informed of the dangers of various equipment and machinery and their safety protocols whether they use it or not. The employees who use heavy equipment must wear safety gear while operating it. However, mandatory safety gear for all employees can effectively ensure ground-level risks for mezzanine floors Sydney. Moreover, you must also get the equipment inspected and serviced frequently to avoid accidents due to faulty machines.
Accessibility Issues
While warehouse mezzanine floors allow businesses to make the most of the available space and save money, companies must not become greedy and risk their employees’ lives. Therefore, the shelves on both ground and mezzanine floors must be easily accessible for all employees.
Employees shouldn’t have to use moveable ladders, chairs, or other equipment to reach shelves as it can prove risky for their lives. You must also have enough workers to not force employees to work at a pace that makes them uncomfortable or nervous, as it can cause them to make mistakes. Long working hours and lack of breaks can also tire the workers and result in errors that can be easily avoided.
Forklifts, other equipment, and machinery must also be used according to the load they can carry. It can be dangerous for employees and the machinery to lift or carry a load beyond the maximum limit.
Clutter and Spills
Clutter and spills on the warehouse mezzanine floor or ground level can cause severe damage. Employees carrying goods are usually unable to watch their steps. Hence, they can get injured if they trip or slip due to floor-level obstruction.
As an employer, you must always have a cleaning or assisting staff on the ground floor and mezzanine floor. This staff must be trained in cleaning requirements, safety protocols, and communicating obstructions before they lead to consequences. They won’t prove very useful if they silently clean up the clutter and cause workers to trip over themselves. On the other hand, the communication skills of these staff members will allow them to ensure workers know when to stop and when to take an alternate route to their destination.
Outsiders or Untrained Staff
If your business requires visits from clients or third-party vendors, you must have a separate office within the warehouse for them to carry out their business. This office must be accessible directly from the street and not require visitors to enter the storage area.
This is an essential safety protocol, as you cannot expect visitors to be trained in warehouse safety. The visitors may try to handle equipment or access goods, injuring themselves and your employees. Therefore, if you ever require visitors in the warehouse, lend them safety gear and announce their visit to the employees so they can be more careful.
You can also risk your employees’ lives by substituting them in each other’s place when they aren’t trained for each other’s jobs. Staff under training must always shadow an experienced employee throughout the training period. They must not be assigned tasks to perform independently and must receive assistance until they feel ready. Safety protocols must also make a significant part of employee training. You can also train those clients and vendors who visit frequently for added safety.
Finally, you must also go through the safety checklist Safe Work Australia and or local authority provides to ensure maximum safety for your employees on mezzanine floors Sydney. Warehouse jobs have many potential dangers to one’s physical health and life, but they don’t have to. As an employer, you can provide the safety your employees deserve even if you have a business with a warehouse mezzanine floor.
If you find the warehouse mezzanine floor safety protocols overwhelming, remember that it is easier to ensure safety than to deal with employee injuries and resulting lawsuits. Ensuring employee health and safety can allow you to focus on business development more efficiently.