A brief guide to Safety in the Warehouse

Many businesses have storage and warehouse facilities as an integral and important part of their operation.  These may be very busy places at all times (such as in a logistics operation) or they may be pretty quiet for many hours a day, but have periods of intense activity.  Warehouses are dangerous places and people do get hurt in them in several ways.  Many of the injuries suffered can be avoided by taking some simple steps; all derived from simple risk assessments. In this blog, I have asked two basic questions: "What types of accidents are associated with warehouse operations?" and "What can be done to avoid these accidents?" This blog does not seek to provide in depth answers, but to get the reader thinking. Contact me through the website for further information or assistance.

What types of accidents are associated with warehouse operations?

That depends on the operations carried out in the warehouse.  The main types of accidents in warehouses generally include:

• Slips, trips and falls (on the same level)
• Manual handling
• Falls from height
• Accidents involving vehicles moving in and around the warehouse
• Being struck by moving or falling objects

However, other types of accident will occur in warehouses depends on the type of operations being carried out, such as:

• Mechanical accidents involving the use of conveyor systems
• Exposure to chemicals (from poorly stored items)
• etc

What can be done to avoid these accidents?

Slips, trips and falls

• Ensuring good standards of housekeeping – keep walkways clean. Clear and unobstructed
• Ensure that spillages are cleaned up immediately that they occur or when they are noticed
• Ensure that banding tapes, packaging materials and polythene, etc are not allowed to collect on the floors
• Ensure that leaky roofs are repaired
• Ensure that all staff are provided with (and wear) appropriate safety footwear
• Ensure that the floors are maintained in good condition and that defects are repaired

Manual Handling

• Arrange work such that the needs for manual handling are reduced (such as by the use of fork lift trucks, (powered)-pallet trucks, dock lifts, etc)
• Ensure that the risks associated with all manual handling operations are assessed and minimised, giving consideration to:
• the task
• the load
• the working environment
• individual capability, and
• other factors
• Ensure that there are always a sufficient number of employees to deal safely with the loads that need to be handled
• Arrange suitable training in manual handling for all warehouse staff (including temporary and agency workers)

Work at Height

• Avoid the need to work at height were possible
• Avoid climbing on the top of loads where possible
• Provide suitable, practical protection to areas from which people may fall (such as loading bays, etc)
• Provide suitable means of access  for any elevated work area, such as racking locations, etc
• Arrange for all access equipment to be checked regularly by a competent person
• Instruct workers not to use inappropriate or defective access equipment (avoid the use of the forks on a fork lift truck or the use of a pallet on the truck, etc)
• Provide safe working platforms for accessing the back of vehicles (such as tankers or flat bed trucks) if accessed routinely

Vehicles

• Manage the vehicles accessing the site – where possible, provide delivery drivers with relevant health and safety information about your site (times for deliveries, one-way system information, etc) before they arrive
• Display suitable warning signs and notices
• Consider have safety information available in different languages if regularly dealing with drivers from different countries
• Provide clearly designated vehicle and pedestrian routes (where possible)
• Ensure that areas are adequately illuminated
• Provide warehouse staff with high visibility clothing
• Control the reversing of vehicles (consider the use of CCTV systems on your own vehicles)
• Provide workers with suitable and sufficient vehicle movement awareness training, banksman training, etc
• Implement suitable controls for vehicles on site – such as warning signs, site speed limits, mirrors on “blind” corners and bends, etc
• Ensure that all loads are safe before attempting to unload a vehicle
• Ensure that all loads are secure before allowing a vehicle to leave site
• Implement procedure to prevent vehicles from driving off prematurely (such as a key collection system or chocked wheel system).
• Ensure that the use of fork lift trucks is restricted to trained and authorised users
• Restrict access to the warehouse to authorised persons and display suitable notices to this effect

Falling Objects

• Ensure that all loads stored at height (such as on racking) are secure
• Avoid working under other people
• Assess the safety of loads before attempting to unload a vehicle
• Ensure that all racking systems are adequate for the loads that will be stored on them
• Display the safe loading limit of all racking systems
• Carryout regular inspections of the racking and of the goods stored on the racking
• Check the condition of wooden pallets and do not reused damaged pallets
• Arrange for loose items to be secured (such as by shrink wrapping) before storage

Mechanical Accidents

• Ensure that all plant and equipment provided for use in the warehouse (such as shrink wrapping equipment, conveyor systems, etc) is suitable for the task and is in good condition
• Arrange for all equipment to be checked and inspected regularly by a competent person to ensure that it remains in good condition, to ensure that all guards are in place and that all emergency stops and other safety features and controls work
• Restrict the use of plant and equipment to authorised persons only

Exposure to chemicals

• Ensure that all chemical packaging is in good condition
• Ensure that appropriate PPE is provided
• Ensure that suitable washing facilities and emergency arrangements are in place for washing and for emergency eye wash
• Ensure that safety data sheet are available for all substances used and/or stored on site
• Ensure that all chemical packaging display suitable warning symbols

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Health and Safety: Access and Egress

Access to, and egress from, the workplace are fundamental aspects to the safe working conditions that should prevail within any workplace.  In shared accommodation, the landlord (or the building or facilities manager) is responsible for the premises as a whole, but also has special responsibility for the common areas of the premises.  These can be thought of the parts of the premises not demised to (or directly under the control of) individual tenants.  With respect to access and egress, these may typically include: car parking areas, external areas (roads, paths, lighting, refuse storage areas, etc), entrance doors, reception areas, corridors, staircases and lifts.

It is a basis requirement of the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 that employers and those in control, of premises provide and maintain a place of work that is safe and without risks to health, and provide and maintain means of access to, and egress from, it that are also safe and without risks to health.  Access and egress means the route through or means of entry to (or exit from) a workplace.  Egress routes also include means of emergency exit from workplaces.  Routes of access and egress can include: corridors, footpaths, pedestrian walkways, doorways, ladders, steps, etc.  The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 do not specifically mention access or egress from workplaces, although many of the provisions relate to the layout, construction and maintenance of the workplace fabric. The safety of access and egress routes is therefore implicit.

All roadways, paths, stairs, steps, etc. must be maintained in good condition and must not subject employees to risks to their health or safety.  They must be free from slipping and tripping hazards and suitable arrangements must be in place to prevent falls.  Further to this, the access and egress routes must be suitable illuminated and adequate arrangements made for emergency lighting.

Poor access/egress may lead to workplace accidents

It should be noted that about a third of all workplace accidents arise from slips, trips and falls.  Many of these accidents are due to poor housekeeping, but others arise from poor conditions, such as defects in the floor, poor lighting and spillages.  The Workplace, (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, require that every floor in a workplace shall be of a construction such that the floor is suitable for the purpose for which it is used.  They must also be of sound construction and should have adequate strength and stability taking account of the loads placed on them and the traffic passing over them. The surfaces of floors routes should be free from any hole, slope or uneven or slippery surface that could cause a person to slip, trip or fall or cause them to drop or lose control of anything being lifted or carried.  It follows then, that any holes, bumps or uneven areas resulting from damage or wear and tear, should be made good.

It is recommended that the condition of all walkways, roadways, staircases, steps, etc. is checked regularly, with suitable records kept.  Such checks should form part of the active monitoring regime of the occupier of the premises.  Checks should include visual examination of the ground for defects, wear and slipping and tripping hazards as well as checks on the operation and adequacy of the lighting and the condition of handrails, warning notices, etc.  All defects must be report and effective repairs undertaken by a competent person.

Main Entrances

The main routes into and out of the premises may take many forms, such as: ordinary swing doors, powered revolving doors, push revolving doors, automatic opening doors, etc. Where revolving or automatic doors are provided, alternatives means of access and egress should also be considered (for use in emergencies and in cases when these doors are out of service. Such doors are often accompanied by (lockable) ordinary doors, often along side the revolving or other door.

Doors

Doors and gates must be suitably constructed, and where necessary fitted with appropriate safety devices. In particular, sliding doors and gates must be fitted with devices to prevent them from leaving their tracks, upward opening doors and gates must be fitted with devices to prevent them from falling back, powered doors and gates must have suitable and effective means to prevent trapping type injuries and must be able to be operated manually unless they open automatically during a power failure, and doors and gates which are capable of being opened from either direction (swing doors, etc) must provide a clear view of both sides when closed.

Staircases, landings and corridors

Staircases should be in good condition, ideally with handrails on both sides of the staircase. The staircases, landings and corridors should be well lit, free from obstructions and slipping and tripping hazards. These areas should be checked regularly to ensure that they remain in good condition.

Where there are holes in the floor, suitable arrangements must be made taken against accidents (to prevent people from being injured as a consequence of the holes) until such time as they can be made good.  This may require the use of suitable barriers or of conspicuous markings and warning signs, or may be satisfied by the use of a temporary flooring, such as checker plate, laid over the defective section of flooring and adequately secured into position. 

Ramped pedestrian access

Ramped pedestrian access (especially when provided for disabled persons) should provide safe and secure access and egress. The ramp should not be too steep and consideration should be given to the provision of a handrail and to edge protection to stop users from falling off.

Lifts and lift motor rooms

Passenger lifts should be tested and inspected by a competent person at least once every six months although this frequency may be reduced to once in every twelve months for goods lifts that are not used to transport people (i.e. if their use is restricted to goods only), as required under the Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).

Suitable arrangements should be made for the servicing and maintenance of lifts and for the rescue of people trapped due to lift failure.  Lifts should be fitted with a suitable means of raising the alarm in the event of somebody being trapped. The alarm system should be tested regularly. Lift motor rooms should be clearly identified and should be kept locked and should only be accessed by competent persons (such as lift engineers). Hydraulic lifts should be bunded to contain any leakages of hydraulic oil and all lift motor equipment must be suitably guarded.

Spillages and leaks

Where a leak or spillage is likely to be a slipping hazard, immediate steps must be taken to fence it off, mop it up, or cover it with absorbent granules.  Warning signs should be displayed while the work is in progress and should be left in place until the floor area has dried and is no longer slippery.  In cases where spillages are foreseeable in the workplace, suitable arrangements must be made for clearing them up.  In most cases, this will involve some form of spillage response kit (stocked with suitable absorbent materials, appropriate PPE – such as gloves – warning signs, etc.)

Fixed vertical ladders, etc

Fixed vertical ladders are not usually acceptable as a means of access to a work area, although there are several obvious exceptions, including vertical ladders to elevated work platforms such as to tops of silos and access into vehicle inspection pits, etc.  In most cases, access is not required on a regular basis.

Fixed ladders should not be provided as a means of access in circumstances where it would be practical to install a staircase.  Access between floors should not normally be by way of ladders (or steep stairs), although these may be used where a conventional staircase cannot be accommodated, provided: they are only used by people who are capable of using them safely and any loads to be carried can be safely carried.  It should be noted that stairs are much safer than ladders; especially when loads are to be carried.

Where work areas are accessed via a fixed vertical ladder, it is recommended that a suitable self-closing gate is fitted at the top of the ladder to prevent people from accidentally falling down it. Fixed vertical ladders should also be subject to regular inspection and checks by a competent person.

Segregation of pedestrians from moving vehicles

All reasonably practicable steps should be taken to prevent pedestrians being injured by moving vehicles.  All access routes that are used by both pedestrians and vehicles should be wide enough to enable any vehicle likely to use the route to pass pedestrians safely.   Within buildings, lines should be drawn on the floor to indicate routes followed by vehicles (such as lift trucks).  In areas where routes naturally become narrower and/or more congested (such as doorways, gates, tunnels, bridges and other enclosed routes) the vehicles should be separated from the pedestrians by a suitable kerb or barrier. In factory and warehouse situations, it I recommended that separate routes through should be provided and that pedestrians should be guided to use the correct route by clear marking (and encouraged by active management). Such pedestrian routes should be kept unobstructed.

At points where pedestrian and vehicle routes cross, appropriate crossing points should be provided and should be used by the pedestrians.  Barriers or rails should be provided to prevent pedestrians crossing at particularly dangerous points and to guide them to designated safe crossing places.  At particularly dangerous crossing places, or where the volumes of traffic are particularly heavy, consideration should be given to the provision of suitable bridges or subways.

External areas and building façade

The external areas of the premises should be inspected regularly, including checks on the condition of the building façade and all structure attached to the building, such as lights, aerials, CCTV cameras, flagpoles, etc. Similarly, checks should be carried out for all external areas, including car parking areas, roads and footpaths, fencing, lighting, etc. Any defects should be addressed and made safe.

Fire escape routes

Fire escape routes must be kept clear and in a good state of repair. In some instances, these may include external metal staircases and even over the roof escape routes that pass into or through other premises. Such routes should be physically inspected on a regular basis to ensure that they have not been compromised.

Active monitoring of premises

It is recommended that the premises are monitored regularly to ensure that all access routes and equipment are in good condition and are free from obstructions and tripping hazards. This is best achieved by a physical tour of the premises addressing issues at the time (where possible) and feeding requesting and information back to tenants and other occupiers as appropriate. Appropriate steps must be taken to resolve issues that could not be put right during the inspection of the premises. 

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Slips, trips and falls

Slip, trip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere and are the most common cause of injuries in the workplace.  According to the HSE, such injuries cost employers well over £500 million each year in lost production and other costs.  They also cost owners and occupiers of premises substantial amounts of money each year when the injured party is a visitor, contractor or tenant moving through a common area of the premises.  Legal action can be taken under existing workplace health and safety legislation as well s under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1956 and under the tort of Negligence.  When legal actions are brought as a result of an injury, they can be extremely damaging to the business involved, particularly in injuries involving members of the public.  Although businesses are insured, it should be noted that insurance only covers a small proportion of the costs.  Insurance does not cover, for example: time (spent in accident investigation, treating the injuries, attending court, etc.), fines, legal fees, etc. 

There are many reasons why people slip, trip or fall.  The most common reasons are associated with: the floor, contamination on the floor (or footwear), obstacles on the floor, cleaning of the floors, damaged flooring, missing handrails, environmental factors, poor lighting, inappropriate footwear, etc.

Many of these reasons are avoidable by taking simple steps, such as: ensuring that housekeeping arrangements are satisfactory; ensuring that the maintenance regime is operating effectively; checking the premises regularly by walking around; etc.

Preventative actions

There are many actions employers and occupiers of premises can take to try to prevent injuries to employees, visitors, contractors, etc. arising from slips trips and falls.  The actions relevant to a particular property should be determined by risk assessment.  

Floors

Design

The floor should be suitable for its intended use and environment and for the type of work activity that may take place on it. Walkways should be wide enough to allow safe passage of the type and volume of foot (and other) traffic that is expected.  If a floor is situated in places where it cannot be kept dry, then people should still be able to walk on it without fear of a slip.  This is an important design feature in place such as leisure centres, swimming pools, cold storage areas, kitchens, etc.  The floor must be fitted correctly to ensure that there are no trip hazards.

Cleaning 

Floor cleaning can make the floor slippery during cleaning and as a result of the materials used in cleaning.  The floor must be cleaned correctly to ensure that it does not become slippery or keeps its slip resistance properties (if a non slip floor).  Although it is often not possible, normal cleaning activities should be carried out when the premises are unoccupied (or last thing at night).  Appropriate barriers (such as Yellow “A” Frames) should be provided to warn people that the floor is still wet.  Appropriate cleaning techniques should be introduced, such as: using a dry mop/squeegee to reduce floor drying time.  In some cases, it would be appropriate to arrange alternative bypass routes. Consideration should be given to the tripping risks created by trailing vacuum cleaner cables, etc.

Maintenance

The floors and floor coverings (carpets, tiles, etc.) must be maintained in good condition in order to ensure that trip hazards are not present and that they do not develop.  Holes in the floor should be filled in and carpets and other floor coverings should be secured into place.  It should be ensured that mats do not slip and slide on the floor surface.  It may be appropriate to use a lay of materials to adhere the mat to the floor in normal use.  It should be ensured that mats and carpets do not turn up and the edges to create tripping hazards.

Changes in elevation

Where reasonably practicable, ramps, raised platforms and other changes of level should be avoided.  Where they cannot be avoided, they should be highlighted, such as by suitable warning notices, signs, use of colour or other highlighting techniques. 

General

It is useful to provide a sufficient number of suitable bins to prevent litter, etc.

Steps and Stairs

Design

Steps and stairs should be designed so as to be suitable for their intended use and environment.  They should be well lit and provided with robust handrails, ideally on each side.  Consideration should be given to the height and width steps.  The risers should be consistent and the nosings on the steps and stairs should be clearly marked in colours that contrast with the rest of the steps.

Housekeeping and Active Monitoring

Even if walkways are suitable and satisfactory, they need to be maintained in this condition.  Further to this, good standards of housekeeping need to be maintained.  Regular, active monitoring of walkways is essential to prevent issues from developing.  Regular walk rounds of the premises can identify issues such as:

• inappropriately routed or protected trailing wires (such as may be associated with short term building maintenance activities)
• water or other fluids from leaking roofs or pipework
• spillages
• general accumulation of detritus and other obstructions

Lighting

Ensure that lighting levels are suitable for the area and should avoid casting shadows across the walkway or staircase.  Ensure that defective lighting is addressed as soon as it is reported.

Spillages

Suitable arrangements should be in place to deal with (wet and dry) spillages.  These should be reported and dealt with as soon as they happen or as soon as they are noticed.  The nature of any spillage response provision or spillage cleaning kit will depend on the nature of any expected spillages.  

Trailing cables 

Trailing cables should be avoided whenever possible.  Equipment should be positioned to avoid cables crossing pedestrian routes and proprietary cable covers should be securely fixed into place if cables need to be trailed.  Consideration should be given to the use of cordless portable tools. 

Known slippery surfaces or conditions

Where certain floors are known to be slippery or are known to be slippery when wet, then these areas should be assessed and the cause of the slipperiness should be treated accordingly.  By way of example:

• it may be appropriate to weather mats at the entrances to premises to prevent water from being brought in on peoples shoes and making a polished marble floor extremely slippery
• it may be necessary to have a floor chemically treated  and to introduce the use of appropriate cleaning methods and materials
• gritting materials may need to be provided to make external paths and walkways safe in cold weather

Drinks machines and dispensers

The floors around drinks machines and dispensers may become slippery due to spillages of water, tea, coffee, etc.  It may be appropriate to:

• resite such machines to be away from main walkways and through routes
• to fit absorbent carpets around the machines

Footwear

Instruct workers to wear suitable footwear, particularly with the correct type of sole. If the type of work requires protective footwear to be provided, then the employer is required by law to provide it free of charge.  Occupiers of premises have virtually no control on the type of footwear worn by visitors.

Contractors

Contractors need to be made aware of your site rules and working conditions and they need to be managed.

Summary

Although slips, trips and falls may be the most common cause of accidents, they can be controlled and managed by appropriate work practices and (generally) with very little expenditure.  If an organisation is to be effective in defending legal accidents for injuries arising from slips, trips and falls then they will need to be able to demonstrate that they are taking all reasonable actions to prevent such injuries.  This involves creating and maintaining the right environment and monitoring the workplace and the control measures.

Michael Ellerby

LLB BSc CMIOSH MIIRSM CChem MRSC CSci

Director

LRB Consulting Limited

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