Top Five Ways to Reduce Workers' Compensation Claims in Your Warehouse

Every seven seconds, an employee is injured on the job, leading to nearly 4.7 million workplace injuries a year. Phillip Cook, warehouse manager for Adrian's Safety Solutions, is a leading expert on warehouse safety management and offers his expertise with his list of the top five ways to reduce workers' compensation claims in your warehouse.

1. Create a culture of safety: According to Cook, the most effective way to prevent workplace injuries in the warehouse is by developing and prioritizing a culture of safety in all operations.

"Having a 'mindful awareness' of potential safety hazards and working to combat them by using safety techniques, proper lifting techniques, and training will naturally create a culture that emphasizes safety," said Cook.

2. Training on proper use of equipment is extremely important: Cook explains that training new and current employees is essential to reducing injuries in the warehouse. Additionally, training on the proper use of equipment and technique should be held once a year for all employees, with weekly safety briefings led by line supervisors.

"If you make safety trainings and weekly briefings a priority, it will drastically reduce injuries sustained from poor lifting technique or improper use of powered industrial trucks," he said.

Cook said it's imperative to integrate safety trainings and briefings into warehouse safety improvement plans.

3. Provide employees with proper safety equipment: Equipment such as gloves, sturdy closed-toed shoes, safety glasses, or whatever is appropriate for the operation should be available to all employees, he explained. "In addition to ensuring all employees have the proper safety equipment while working in the warehouse, there should also be a judicious use of proper safety signage," said Cook. "Hazards should be clearly identified, and safety equipment must be readily available throughout any warehouse."

4. Situational awareness: Cook emphasized that being engaged with employees is one of the best ways to ensure safety in the warehouse.

"As a warehouse manager, you need to get out of your office and check on your workers," said Cook. "Your employees need to know that you care about their safety. Providing employees with periodic checks and a safety checklist empowers them to discuss potential hazards and safety concerns they see while on the job, which will lead to a more sustainable safety program."

5. Sustainment: Cook explained that creating a culture of safety is an ongoing process. Warehouse managers should periodically remind employees of safety procedures and ensure frequent training.

"I've found the best way to maintain a priority of safety is to set daily reminders on a calendar to get out of the office and check on the safety procedures in the warehouse," he said.

Phillip Cook has extensive warehouse management experience and has worked as a warehouse supervisor, purchasing manager, logistics manager and transportation operations manager throughout his career. He has a graduate degree in Supply Chain Science and is a certified industrial lift truck operator trainer. Cook currently serves as the warehouse manager for Adrian's Safety Solutions. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Adrian's Safety Solutions is a division of Adrian's, Inc. Its mission is to make the workplace safer by engineering affordable solutions that center on safety and simplicity of use, always with the end-user in mind. For more information about Adrian's Safety Solutions, visit www.adrianssafetysolutions.com.

Posted on Jun 09, 2017