Electrical Hazards Strategies To Follow To Safeguard Your New Mexico Warehouse
Electrical safety is a crucial component of any warehouse. Although the materials used on site pose serious threats, electrical tools can still cause injury and damage if handled carelessly.
Extension cords are one such tool that should not be taken lightly because they hold potential danger no matter how much experience you have working with them. If injured or caught violating regulations in your workplace – whether as employer or employee – severe penalties await without protection for both reputation AND health insurance premiums.
You must operate within a culture of workplace safety at all times and ensure that everyone adheres to normal safety practices.
There are obviously ways you can safeguard your warehouse from hazards and boost your electrical safety. Let’s look:
Respect the Grounding
The first thing you should do when working with electricity is to make sure that all electronic equipment has been appropriately grounded as this will decrease the risk of electrical shock.
Meet OSHA Standards
It’s important that all practices meet OSHA standards in maintenance and design – anything less can lead to electrocution!
Optimal Condition
Ensure all electrical equipment is in optimal condition. Cords and outlets should be in a good state and there should be no frayed or exposed wires. Inspections should be carried out regularly, together with preliminary checks and appropriate tests.
Also, keep aisles clear so workers – or others – don’t trip over cords.
Avoid water
This may sound like stating the obvious, but you should always ensure that you keep electrical equipment away from any kind of wetness. Make sure that your power down any electrical equipment when performing cleaning or servicing session, or even just when they are not in use.
The areas surrounding electrical equipment and cords carry a high potential for hazards, therefore you should always ensure they are kept clean. For added protection, keep metals or water away from designated electrical areas.
Electrical Equipment Maintenance
The best kind of maintenance is preventative maintenance, so ensure you employ periodic preventative maintenance of all fixed installations and electrical equipment. Inspect and test your equipment and always look out for visible signs of faults of damage. One of the most basic and effective steps to ensure electrical safety is using visual inspection.Training
Your Warehouse Manager has a responsibility to ensure that electrical safety training is available for both the safeguarding of the premises and the safety of the workers.
All employees should be familiar with your comprehensive training programs and their availability. To start with, focus your training on correct equipment operating procedures, and safe handling guidelines for materials.
Warehouse safety is a team effort, and the job is made easier when everyone participates. Safety procedures should be known and recognized by all workers, especially those that relate to electrical safety practices.
Award Safe Behavior
Rewards and recognitions for safe behavior bring the practice to the forefront and will therefore have the capacity to aid in reducing, and possibly even eliminating potential workplace electrical hazards.
Implementing Policies and Procedures
General housekeeping practices, such as keeping clutter minimal, unobstructed access to emergency exits, cleaning up spills immediately can help to reduce the incidence of accidents. Plan for Severe Weather
When convective systems are at threat from severe weather conditions, it’s important to safeguard them. Unplug your electrical equipment and appliances to ensure they are protected from surges caused through lightning strikes. Check a total lightning network to get advanced warning of thunderstorms.
Conduct Safety Audits
Make sure your regular safety audits include fire inspections. Keep on top of modifications in safety practices and remember there is always room for improvement in your safety procedures when it comes to ergonomics.
Other Strategies
Use couplers or the correct cable connectors to join lengths of cables together.
No taped joints
Using several adapters can overload socket outlets. You also need to clearly identify cut-off switches on fixed electrical equipment so they can be identified in case of emergency.
Bright Ideas
Warehouses can hold a multitude of potential risks, especially from fires and falls due to electrical hazards. Management is responsible for creating and enforcing strict electrical safety policies and procedures.
Rightly, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is a major focus area for many manufacturing operations and warehouses. Employee satisfaction is enhanced through safe workplace practices and employing these measures will minimize your costs related to compensation and insurance cover.