Logistics Health and Safety You Need to Be Aware Of

Everyone knows that the logistics industry is fast-paced and dangerous. The number of accidents in the logistics sector can be high, and it is the responsibility of a business to prioritise health and safety so that employees are safe at work and know that management will support them in decisions relating to their wellbeing. Companies that are registered in England and Wales can look at the HSE guidance online for ways to approach health and safety.

Equipment and Location

In the logistics sector, there is a lot of loading and unloading of road haulage, so it is important that the correct equipment (for example, forklift trucks) and training are provided to ensure safe working.

It is vital that thorough risk assessments are carried out throughout the warehousing and logistics chain to highlight any safety issues and to ensure the most appropriate health and safety training is undertaken. This is particularly the case if you work with hazardous materials at any point, and training should be given in advance. A company specialising in logistics solutions should have the experience to deal with these potential hazards. By carefully analysing potential risks and putting in mitigation measures, you should be able to minimise workplace accidents.

Physical Injury

There is a high risk of physical injury throughout the logistics chain. Again, training is vitally important to try to reduce this. For instance, every employee should be continuously trained on correct manual handling techniques and first aid, even if you have nominated first aiders. In addition, first aid kits and eye washing stations should be placed throughout the work area and regularly maintained.

Haulage and distribution networks will involve storage at some point, and a large risk to employees comes from a falling object. Equipment should be built correctly, anchored to walls or floor, and potential falling hazards dealt with promptly with barriers and signage in place in the meantime to create a safe working environment.

Wellbeing of Employees

Employees who have ill health or mental health needs are not going to be concentrating at the level they need in a hazardous environment.

You can help to keep them well rested and alert by always ensuring access to a toilet and providing welfare facilities that are away from the area of work, even if you need to provide workplace transport to accommodate this. As a result, employees will be able to switch off for their break and come back refreshed and ready to keep working.

It is important to involve everyone in safety audits of the work and environment that they are in. An employee is much more likely to find potential hazards than someone going around once a month with a checklist. It is also vital that employees know there will be no reprisals for reporting a potential hazard. Often an employee is wary of raising an issue due to fear of being demoted or blamed for the problem. An anonymous reporting system may help here.