The chances are that most of us have been in a warehouse at some stage in our lives
. If you spend enough time wandering around you will more than likely find a few wooden pallets lying around on the ground or stacked up against the wall which could potentially cause a hazard to one or more of the individuals working there.
Having spent a period of my life working in a warehouse, I'm only too aware of the everyday hazards that are out there. It's easy to stub your toe on a box or pallets that has been carelessly left out, just as easy as it is for people to be struck by objects incorrectly stacked on shelves.
Safety should always be the first priority in the workplace and especially in a warehouse. Something quite miniscule can quickly become a full blown accident when careless mistakes are made around the warehouse. Misplaced pallets could trip someone and send them crashing into a wall, a box or another person causing injury to them.
With the whole where there is blame there is a claim nature of the insurance companies these days there is every reason why health and safety officials at companies should take extra care when assessing potential hazards around the workplace.
I'm sure we have all been on an industrial estate either shopping or visiting and have seen a stack of discarded pallets outside the back doors strewn over the car park. Clearly these would be visible in the plain light of day, but with the winter nights pulling in, five minutes of time spent clearing up could save months of hassle.
Also make sure that anyone handling pallets has the correct safety equipment. They are often constructed from very strong but also very rough wood, so handling these without protective gloves could cause the individual to contract a splinter in their hand.
There are thousands of potential hazards just waiting out there for warehouse employees and it is only thanks to the wonderful work done by the health and safety officials at the sites that there are fewer accidents than there could potentially be.
Next time you see a potential hazard around the warehouse or office, bring it to the attention of the selected health and safety official, although it is there job to spot these potential hazards, you can make it simpler for them by being part of the team and helping others to avoid disaster.