How to keep your warehouse clean and safe?

It is no secret that warehouses typically face a wide variety of traffic every day, which may include trailer rigs, forklifts, pickup trucks or pedestrians. Also, with operating machines or tools that run day and night, receiving and storing new stock, packing and preparing new shipments, and reporting errors or lost items, it is usual for a warehouse to become cluttered quickly.

Hence, if not regularly maintained, a warehouse can become a constant threat for any business owner. That is why, like any business, a company that employs a warehouse should be in the know about maintenance tips to keep it stay clean and safe.

Own a warehouse? - It should sure be kept clean and safe

Even though it is one of the last things that many business owners think of, it is crucial to maintain the safety and cleanliness of any warehouse, no matter whether you take warehouse rental services or own one. Or else a sudden warehouse hazard can lead to delays in product shipment or an increase in project hours, which can cost you revenue, customers and deals.

On the other hand, maintaining a tidy and uncluttered warehouse environment can bring out excellent output as employees already know that management is investing time and resources to keep the workplace safe and clean. So instead of having safety concerns, employees can walk and work around the warehouse with ease. Also, a clean warehouse can preserve your company’s professional image as it reflects a company’s ability to run the business efficiently. Even having a clean warehouse can help you optimise space, minimise clutter and make better use of resources.

10 Steps for keeping your warehouse clean and safe

Now that you know the importance of maintaining a clean warehouse, you’re likely looking for strategies to help keep a warehouse clean and safe. Here, we have compiled a few steps.

1. Create a cleaning schedule

By making a cleaning plan, you can execute the cleaning process smoothly and keep track of what’s been done and how it is going. Depending on the size of your warehouse, you must maintain a cleaning schedule and break down the tasks into daily, weekly, monthly and biannual projects. Also, address the highest traffic areas or most cluttered zones that require cleaning at regular intervals.

2. Empty the trash bins daily

Clear the waste bins regularly before they start to overflow. Because not just an overflowing bin can clutter up the space, but it can pose serious threats. Also, if dustbins are not cleared out regularly, there is a high chance that your employees or visitors might end up dumping waste in places they shouldn’t. So try placing multiple empty garbage cans near popular working areas to encourage everyone.

3. Keep the cleaning supplies available

Always keep a stock of most needed cleaning items like mops, brooms, buckets, scrubbers and trash bags within reach. You should keep the cleaning supplies in areas that are easy for all your employees to access, as your employees will be less likely to clean if they need to cross the whole warehouse just to bring the broom. Even you can consider keeping colour-coordinated racks or containers to keep things orderly and make things easier to find.

4. Use floor marking or labelling

Mark your warehouse and create visual cues for your employees so that it gets easier to navigate the warehouse safely. For example, proper marking or labelling can outline workstations and quickly let employees know where equipment needs to be stored. It can also help in identifying hazards that may be present in your warehouse and prevent any near misses or injuries.

5. Install a high-quality storage system

Ensure well-designed shelving and racking layout to store products in your warehouse. This will help you avoid the need for extra pallets to be stacked on the floor, which causes health and safety hazards. And this will also maximise your warehouse space and enhance the ease of accessibility.

6. Assign responsibilities

Giving each staff member or team the responsibility of looking after some specific areas of the warehouse will help you to manage everyday cleaning needs. This could include sweeping the floors, washing the equipment, picking up garbage, cleaning up spills etc. You can use a rating sheet and inspect the areas to ensure the task is completed before the employees leave work for the day.

7. Use barriers for safety

You can minimise odd slip, fall and the potential of several incidents and achieve a rick-free workplace by using safety barriers in the warehouse. Otherwise, a lack of protection towards your forklifts and trucks can result in expensive damage or physical injury. Therefore, implementing a safety barrier will eventually work as a safeguard while keeping your warehouse clean as well.

8. Put high volume items near the shipping area

In case your warehouse has various types of products, it is wiser to keep the high volume products near the shipping area for faster discharge as it will eliminate travel time. Also, it becomes easier if you place the frequently sold items orderly near one another in the most accessible location.

9. Designate various recycle bins

Things such as cardboard boxes, paper, wood, metal, steel and glasses are some of the recyclable items that are often found in warehouses. So if you want to run a green warehouse and keep your warehouse clutter-free, use multiple recycle bins. You can start by selecting the suitable recycling scheme depending on your industry time and placing the recycle bins in optimal locations.

10. Review regularly

You can review your checklist of cleaning responsibilities to find if there are other improvements and changes to be made. Also, you can evaluate your product line and consider a new design layout if needed. Evaluating your employees and management is also required as you can figure out whether they are capable enough to meet all the ongoing demands or not.

So whether you are just starting out or operating a warehouse for a long time, consider these simple steps when it comes to warehouse cleanliness and safety.

And in case you are searching for companies that offer warehouse rental services in Melbourne, contact Expert Logistics to find the right warehouse as well as the distribution solution for your business.