According to the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association (ISSA), the number of work-related injuries per year in the United States runs into the many thousands. Of these injuries, a disproportionate number happen at warehouses and materials handling facilities. Whether that figure is due more to the negligence of workers or of management is a moot point. The essential thing is that these sorts of statistics – year after year – are simply unacceptable since they are mostly preventable; or if not entirely preventable, then at least are able to be mitigated. To that effort, ISSA and OSHA combined to release a comprehensive series of guidelines on how best to implement – and follow through with – warehouse safety. Every major warehouse-related activity that involves significant risk – forklift safety, manual lifting and materials handling, loading docks, conveyors, and workplace trips and falls – is covered clearly and effectively.
Let’s face it, accidents can and will happen. But in an accident-prone workplace, if you see where the problems are occurring, you can use these guidelines to begin making changes. Some of those changes necessarily involve getting the right gear. Safety glasses, hard hats, first aid kits, ear plug dispensers, lifting gloves, and fall protection harnesses are all essential items in any warehouse operation that keep the bad from becoming worse. All these things are items we stock here at Stamar. Since is safe workplace is always a more productive one, it makes strategic sense to place a long-term importance on building an inventory of safety protection equipment. We’re glad to help spread the word, and glad to do our part in keeping our nation’s workers healthy and well-protected.
