For factory workers, health and safety is, of course, a top priority. It’s essential to be adequately prepared for all of the potential risks involved. Whether you’ve worked in a factory for weeks or years, it’s a good idea to always revisit the top health and safety measures.
Proper training
It’s impossible to uphold health and safety standards without the proper training. Your employer will be responsible for providing training, yet you are responsible for putting your training into practice. Training is an ongoing process, and you should refresh your knowledge regularly; especially when undertaking new tasks. You’ll need to remember the correct equipment, like Hardhats and PPE (provided from places like Unigloves) for each occasion. You will need to be continually assessing your environment for potential new hazards to protect both your assets and workforce, so having expandable safety barriers to screen off dangerous areas will be helpful too.
Vehicle safety
If you are required to operate a forklift or a truck, it’s vital to prioritise health and safety. Ensure that you always follow the speed limits set by your employer. It’s best to avoid reversing as much as possible. It’s safer to follow a one-way system within a factory. When it comes to the safety of forklift driving, it’s all about visibility. It’s important to use mirrors around the factory to guide manoeuvers. Keep your working areas free from obstructions at all times.
Correct flooring
One of the critical health and safety measures is the simple task of ensuring the correct flooring. It’s a good idea to have anti-slip floors and make certain that the floor perfectly matches the factory processes. If your employer chooses the correct flooring and maintains it well, health and safety levels will improve. The most common workplace injuries are slips and falls; maintaining a safe flooring system can prevent such accidents. Impactfloors.com offer a wide range of floors which can provide safe solutions for any factory. Anti-slip paint can be useful for safety and also for the protection of the flooring. If you notice that the floors are uneven, report this hazard immediately.
Lifting risks
Make sure that you know what your safe working load is so that you do not exceed it. Wherever possible, it’s best that manual handling is avoided. If manual handling is the only option, weights of around 20-25kg should be followed. Always follow your training carefully when you are lifting objects in the workplace. You should be using your chains properly and checking them over for wear and tear issues.
Racking & Pallets
It’s vital that the pallets and racks in your factory remain safe. Make sure that you adhere to the weight and height rules when it comes to stacking and racking. It’s important to put the heaviest pallets at the bottom and stack everything evenly. Check over pallets for things like cracks, splinters or loose nails which could cause hazards. Use a ladder to reach the higher shelves as opposed to the pallets.
Remember to wear your PPE at all times, from high visibility jackets to hardhats and safety shoes; your protective gear is essential to reduce the impact of an accident. Approach each task that you undertake with caution and do not operate machinery when you are over-tired or unwell.