Although choosing high quality equipment and focusing on warehouse design is important for your facility, it’s crucial to prioritize employee safety. Because of the inherent dangers for warehouse employees, preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths should be addressed during regular safety meetings.
SAFETY MEETING TOPICS
When planning a safety meeting, choose topics that are relevant to your employees and their needs. Consider this list of common safety topics for the warehouse industry:
- Forklift training
- Fall protection training
- Ergonomics / Proper lifting
- Hazard awareness
- Slips, trips, falls
- Working around mobile equipment
- OSHA certification
By cycling through these topics frequently and thoroughly, the safety lessons will become second nature to your employees and your warehouse will be well on its way to functioning safely and efficiently.
HOW TO HOST INTERACTIVE SAFETY MEETINGS
Safety trainings don’t have to be boring. One of the best safety training tips is to incorporate interactive elements into the meeting.
TRAINING GAMES
Get creative and develop games for your employees. While there is plenty of inspiration online, some examples include trivia, bingo, and TV-themed games like Jeopardy. Offering a prize or incentive also helps employees stay engaged and motivated.
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
When employees actively participate, they’re more likely to remember what they've learned. Encourage participation by asking questions, sharing stories, and assigning meeting tasks.
TWO-WAY DISCUSSIONS
Don’t forget to encourage two-way discussions. Even if you're an excellent speaker, you're likely to lose at least some of your team members if you give a 30-minute monologue on warehouse safety.
DEMONSTRATIONS
A great way to incorporate learning into your safety meetings: show and tell. If you hold a meeting on the proper use of fall protection, demonstrate it. Instead of showing a PowerPoint or giving a speech, bring fall protection gear and show your employees how to use it.
STORYTELLING
Puts ideas into perspective by sharing stories to make these safety topics more relatable for your team. Share a relevant story or ask employees if they have experienced a specific situation related to that safety meeting topic.
A safe warehouse is a productive warehouse, and these tips can help increase efficiency. Visit one of our full-service dealership locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, or Nevada for top-quality material handling equipment, superior service, rental equipment, and more!