Safety Tips for the New Age of Warehouse Automation
Automation is happening in just about every industry. In a warehouse setting, it has streamlined some key processes and increased productivity. At the same time, automation has presented some new safety concerns on the job. Here are a few safety tips for warehouse automation.
Don’t Overwork Your Staff
Overworked staff members are more likely to make mistakes that could potentially lead to injury. Many warehouses are dealing with higher demand due to e-commerce and automation. In some cases, shipping labels are being printed faster than workers can keep up with orders.
However, it is important not to overwork your team. When they are exhausted and at work, they are more likely to ignore some of the smaller safety procedures so they can get the job done faster. Pay attention to how much overtime and extra hours employees are taking on and set a limit.
Recommend Safety Gear
Many warehouse employees are suffering from repetitive stress injuries. This is because they are performing the same task and repetitive motion for eight or more hours a day. These injuries include minor sprains and pulled muscles. You can help your staff avoid these injuries in a few ways.
First, recommend safety gear to help them. Braces for their wrists and lower back support bands can go a long way in a warehouse job. You can also help them by moving them around the warehouse. This will prevent them from doing the same exact task all day long.
Use Automation to Alleviate Risks
While automation has increased the risk of being overworked for some warehouse employees, it can also help alleviate some risks as well. For instance, packaging and shipping automation can take some of the workloads of the warehouse workers. This will decrease their risk of becoming overworked or developing a repetitive stress injury.
Automation can help the company keep up with order fulfillment without putting their employees at risk unnecessarily. They won’t have to work difficult overnight shifts or overexert themselves to meet the demands of their job.
Reposition Your Staff
That being said, even though automation technology can do a lot of what a warehouse employee does, humans are still a key component of the day-to-day work. You simply need to reposition them in the workplace. Many employees will need to shift from fulfilling orders manually to overseeing automation machines and ensuring everything is moving smoothly.
In many cases, you will need to train staff, upskill and reskill them, for them to shift focus in the company. Providing the proper training for working with automation equipment will be key in avoiding any accidents on the job. You want to ensure that each person working with machines in the warehouse is thoroughly educated on the proper procedures.
Having an experienced staff on your side can be a great way to ensure safety in the workplace. In the new age of automation, you may want to find more tech-savvy candidates. Contact the Bradley Group to learn how our team of recruiting professionals can help you find the best employees.
