Safety improvements do not have to be expensive and complicated. Today I am detailing a few of my favorite safety products that are effective and budget-friendly.
Pallet Racking - Safety Pins and Safety Bars/Wire Mesh Decking
Do you use pallet-racking? Check to see that safety pins and safety bars/wire mesh decking are installed on your pallet racking.
When a pallet is loaded / unloaded from pallet racking it causes a dynamic shift in weight that can result in movement in the beam.If the beam moves too far it can lose its connection to the frame, causing the beam to collapse. This sequence of events can lead to injury, death, loss of time, damage to product and equipment.
Each beam of pallet racking should have four safety pins installed. Because safety pins vary from manufacturer to manufacturer it is important to check that you have the correct safety pins for your brand and model of pallet racking. If you are missing safety pins I can supply them for you. These pins are inexpensive yet super effective at making your workplace safer.
Pallet racking beam levels should also be equipped with safety bars or wire mesh decking - typically two safety bars or one wire mesh deck per pallet position (standard pallet size: 48” x 40”). The use of safety bars or wire mesh decking reduces the risk of an accident occurring when loading/unloading product to and from pallet racking.
Be aware that safety bars and wire mesh decking are not universally sized. The components must be measured correctly to fit existing pallet racking beams and wire mesh decking must be designed based on required capacity. Note also that some minor installation work may be required as the majority of safety bars should be screwed into the beam to prevent movement.
Cogan Heavy-Duty Guardrail Systems
Pedestrian guardrail is a simple application that directs pedestrian traffic, ensuring the safety of your employees and the protection of your expensive equipment, products and infrastructure. Pedestrian guardrail is constructed of heavy-duty steel and is modular in design to fit with many applications. Pedestrian guardrail can be customized at single (18”) or double (44”) heights, with centered or off-centered columns and with safety gates to connect pedestrian walkways.
Loading Dock Wheel Chock Kits
Wheel chocks are wedges that prevent transport trucks from accidentally moving when in a stationary position. The loading/unloading of a transport truck results in a dynamic distribution of weight which can cause the truck to move unexpectedly and dangerously. Wheel chock kits provide piece of mind, are easy to use and are very economical.
The drawback of wheel chock kits is that they have to be physically moved as trucks come and go - if warehouse employees and truck drivers are not diligent about moving and using the wheel chocks with each loading and unloading of every truck, this solution will not be effective for you. In that case, a vehicle truck restraint may be your better option. A vehicle truck restraint is an electric or hydraulic hook/arm that connects to a truck and is controlled by your employee from inside the dock.
If you would like to learn more about these and other products designed to increase warehouse safety please give me a call or send me an email. I offer free on-site consulting services.
Darren Madden
Principal | Optimized Industrial Solutions
m: 902-809-7865
