Tag: Warehouse Management Tips

Four Most Common Safety Problems for Warehouses

Warehouses Need to Run Smoothly, Safely and Efficiently
Warehouses Need to Run Smoothly, Safely and Efficiently

Your warehouse is a vital part of the supply chain. It is imperative that products move through the process efficiently and safely. Accidents can result in damaged products, costly downtime, and injuries or death for your team members. Take some time to review these four common safety problems and take the necessary steps to prevent them in your warehouse.

Insufficient training

Health and Safety Magazine says in depth operator training on all material handling procedures and proper communication of all rules for workplace safety are the most important things all warehouse managers can do to maintain a safe warehouse.

Warehouse ergonomics

Working in the same environment day after day with ongoing pressure to meet tight schedules, it is easy for employees to take their personal safety and things like proper lifting techniques for granted. That is why we offer a full line of ergonomic electric tuggers, powered carts and pullers for any industrial application.

Trips and falls

These common injuries are often the result of fatigue or insufficient sleep. Train your employees to use proper equipment like powered carts when applicable and be sure supervisors watch for signs that workers may be distracted or impaired on the job.

Harmful substances

Some chemicals are necessary, but can also be serious workplace hazards. Be vigilant about safety training and proper handling of harmful substances.

Knowledge of warehouse ergonomics is essential to prevent injuries due to overexertion. At DJ Products, we specialize in providing you with reliable and easy-to-use methods of moving product and heavy equipment. Visit our website for our full line of cart pullers and other warehouse equipment.

Lower Your Risk of Warehouse Injuries with a Focus on Ergonomics

Prevent Warehouse Injuries and Accidents With Ergonomic Equipment
Prevent Warehouse Injuries and Accidents With Ergonomic Equipment

During the course of a typical working day, there are many modern distractions employees are faced with which can cause physical injury. Arm your employees with the knowledge they need to reduce warehouse injuries and accidents by incorporating warehouse ergonomics into their daily work routine.

Remove Warehouse Obstacles

Keeping areas clear of empty boxes and used containers is imperative to prevent injuries caused by slipping and falling.

Importance of Safety Equipment

The number one type of workplace injury is strains and sprains. A lot of these injuries can be prevented with the proper safety equipment available to the employee, such as a back brace, safety harness or equipment that helps them perform their job. Explaining to employees the reasons it is important to use aids will gain employee buy-in and increase overall morale, an important part of reducing employee turnover.

Ergonomic Education

Encourage your employees to learn about ergonomics. By definition, ergonomics is the applied science of workplace equipment design in order to reduce discomfort and fatigue. Having the right industrial equipment available that can move equipment or machinery is safer than an employee trying to manually move or push heavy equipment and risk straining muscles.

Incorporating Warehouse Ergonomics

In order to begin incorporating ergonomics, review the layout of your warehouse, the number of employees and available equipment and machinery. Specialists trained in ergonomics will be able to assist you in choosing the right equipment for your specific work layout.

DJ Products like this CartCaddy Shorty help to reduce employee injuries and workers comp claims. Check out our complete inventory of cart pullers and waste caddies today.

 

 

Hiring Tips for Hourly Warehouse Employees

Most businesses rely on hourly employees for certain positions. Many workers simply prefer the flexibility and freedom of part-time work. For today’s managers, it’s crucial to get excellent warehouse productivity from hourly employees while operating an effective hiring process.

Here’s how to find the right people for the hourly positions in your warehouse:

Expect turnover when you design jobs. Mostly hourly workers want their job to become a full-time career, but plenty don’t. With turnover rates at around 20% annually, warehouse managers should create some jobs with easy training so the company does not bleed profits by constantly training new workers.

Recruit workers of all ages. You might be surprised at how many older workers are more interested in hourly and part-time work. Aside from following age discrimination laws, employers can get the best results by considering workers of all ages for various positions.

Recruit locally. Hourly workers usually look for employment within 5 miles of their home, so make sure to target local communities. Local workers are less likely to show up late or quit due to frustration with a long commute.

Be competitive with other employers. When applying for hourly jobs, most people submit applications to three or more companies. When you see a good resume, take action and get the interviewing and hiring process done quickly to secure the best talent.

To get the most out of hourly employees, you can also add cart movers to make the work environment more productive and safe. Find out how material handling equipment makes warehouse jobs easier and more efficient for everyone on staff.

Tips for Hiring Extra Summer Warehouse Staff

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Extra Help for Summer

Businesses with a summer rush should take cues from the established practices of holiday staffing. Start early, be as thorough as you would with full-time hiring, and plan on empowering your temp workers to succeed.

Tips for Seasonal Staffing

Industry mag Multichannel Merchant rounds up some warehouse tips for seasonal hiring that mesh well with long-term HR strategies:

  • Start the hiring process at least a month before you need summer workers.
  • Get cozy with your preferred temp agencies. Use them a little bit year-round if possible, to stay top of mind.
  • Do contact previous seasonal workers. Many prefer contract work and will be available again.
  • Offer incentives; promise to make some full-time staffing decisions based on productivity, not seniority.
  • Show applicants the actual job to reduce the risk of hires changing their minds.

Success Tips for Using Summer Staff

Many warehouse tips for better summer staff performance are just common sense: offer a few dollars above minimum wage and commit to quality training. These investments pay off when your temp workers perform like regulars.

Once on board, make sure your seasonal workers have the tools they need to thrive. Automated materials handling equipment helps everybody in the warehouse, especially those who are less accustomed to the physical demands of warehouse work.

Workers using motorized warehouse equipment only need to know what tasks to perform — the battery-powered cart does the heavy lifting, so the workers can stay more focused and energetic over the course of their shifts.

Preparing for summer rush? Visit DJProducts.com for more info about industrial tugs and cart pullers, and browse our blog for more warehouse tips!