Developing and Implementing a Warehouse Maintenance Plan

 Safe warehouse operations and compliance with OSHA guidelines require an ongoing warehouse maintenance plan. Regular maintenance is essential for a safe workplace.

Creating a maintenance plan should include realistic measures and expectations that regularly apply to critical items such as your vehicles, systems, and operations. The plan should also include the monitoring, cleaning and maintenance of each operational area on a regular schedule.

By following careful management and maintenance, you can ensure that faulty or inefficient equipment does not seriously compromise the safety of your personnel and/or your productivity.

What should your warehouse maintenance plan cover?

1. Vehicles - OSHA guidelines require daily vehicle inspection before use. However, a daily inspection is different from regular maintenance, but both are important to keep forklifts and warehouse vehicles running at peak capacity. To facilitate maintenance inspections, users need a multi-point inspection sheet that covers major safety features to ensure that the truck, forklift, etc. are in excellent condition. Then check every part, from the forks to the tires, and fix any issues right away.

2. Batteries and chargers – regular maintenance of batteries and chargers will prolong the life of your equipment. Train your employees on the steps to safely remove and recharge forklift batteries and what issues to look out for during regular inspections. Best practice is to charge most electric forklift batteries when the remaining capacity is below 40%. As a guideline, follow the 8-8-8 rule: 8 hours of use, 8 hours of charging, and 8 hours of cooling.

3. Pallet Racking - It is important to have thorough inspections of pallet racking performed by trained professionals at least once a year to meet OSHA requirements. They will give you a report on the standard and safety of your shelving system and explain the necessary repairs. However, regular inspection and, most importantly, immediate attention to the shelving if the vehicle has been bumped or otherwise damaged is essential to maintaining storage area safety. Be vigilant and look for bent, broken or loose uprights. Another concern is a crooked or poorly stacked pallet load. Ensure operators confirm payload before loading the rack and ensure aisles are clear of debris that could cause injury. Learn more about Bowen Storage's certified and professional rack inspection and repair services.

4. Dock and door safety – the storage dock is one of the most dangerous areas in your facility. Vehicles circulate there and the risk of falling from the platform is high for both people and vehicles. This is why OSHA requires safety nets, handrails and fall protection in areas with a minimum fall of 1.2 meters. Installing visual barriers and guards ensures safe operation throughout the area with a cost effective solution.

5. Corridors and pedestrian areas are dangerous areas when the installation has obstructed passages and blind spots. It is important to solve these problems by creating clear routes for pedestrians and vehicles. The group should be constantly reminded to keep these areas clean, which is best achieved by inspecting these areas regularly. It also guarantees proper operation. Installing safety barriers, floor signs and markings, guardrails and lighting is the best way to improve workplace safety. Ensure that employees always have easy access to suitable personal protective equipment.
Prevent danger before it strikes
Developing and implementing a warehouse security plan keeps your team safe. It's good practice to encourage your team to be part of the solution and to keep security in mind. Show that you care about their safety by holding workplace safety meetings and training them in the maintenance of machinery and equipment essential to the performance of their work. Many teams respond well to security rewards for meeting security goals. The money and time you spend protecting your team pays off in productivity.