Between 2003 and 2016, 3,414 workers died in Australian workplaces.

As of November 26, 115 people have died at work in 2018 alone.

This is an unacceptable amount of workplace deaths – incidents that could have been avoided with the proper safety precautions set in place.

Half of all workplace injuries and deaths occur in warehouse environments. At Verge, it’s our goal to reduce unsafe conditions in warehouses and manufacturing workplaces – it’s our goal to eliminate injuries and deaths in the workplace, through safety barriers, signage, and more.

In this blog post, we’re going to share the top three best strategies to stop workplace deaths and injuries, so workers, visitors and pedestrians can feel safe in your workplace.

#1. Ensure you have the correct safety signage displayed in your workplace 

Image: Safety Signs Australia

Sometimes workers just need reminding about potential dangers in the workplace. The simplest solution?

OHS approved safety signage.

Ask yourself:

1. Does your workplace have life-threatening incidents and environments? You might need danger signs to remind workers about flammable substances, high traffic areas and more
2. Does your workplace have restricted or private areas where visitors cannot enter? Does this restriction relate to dangerous conditions? You might need “do not enter” or “restricted signs” to avoid unnecessary injury
3. Does your workplace have a range of hazards like toxic waste and potential for crushing? You may need “hazard” signs

Having bright, visible signage around the warehouse can help remind workers about the potential dangers around them in the workplace. Don’t forget to install emergency information signs, too, so visitors and workers alike know what to do in the event of an emergency – think fire safety, escape routes and first aid kits.

#2. Increase the safety of workers and pedestrians with traffic barriers 

According to Safe Work Australia, 39% of workplace deaths between 2003 – 2016 involved vehicle collisions.

Warehouses are a hub of vehicular activity, from heavy machinery moving stock and boxes to large truck deliveries, buggies, and more. Safety precautions need to be put in place to protect workers from collisions.

At Verge Barriers, we have various vehicle barriers designed to stop pedestrians and workers getting hit with vehicles. We offer bollards and gates that will stop out of control vehicles, plus expandable barriers to guide pedestrians away from the most dangerous, high-activity areas.

Barriers, gates, bollards and safety signs seem like simple solutions – and they are. Sometimes, the smallest workplace improvements can make a positive difference.

#3. Complete an audit of the site and identify hazards, dangers & risks 

Image: Ground Stabilisation Systems

Sometimes dangers can be as small as a trip hazard.

Completing a safety audit of your workplace is an essential step towards winning the war on workplace injuries. Enlist the help of a professional auditor and have them use their outsider’s perspective to find issues that were missed in-house.

Having a professional complete the audit will highlight areas that might not have been so obvious before – meaning more dangers will be identified and cleared out before injuries can happen.

Plus, make sure to provide regular, updated training courses for workers so they can manage their own safety in the workplace. There’s only so much you can do as an employer – your employees need to be aware of hazards in their own day-to-day tasks.

 Keen to reduce workplace injuries in your warehouse? Get in touch with Verge Safety Barriers – we can help come up with a professional safety plan. 

Feature Image: Pexels