Accident prevention is no coincidence - avoiding accidents at work in the warehouse

A large number of processes often take place simultaneously in production halls and warehouses: the storage and retrieval of goods and products, the transportation of goods within the hall or quality controls and stock checks. In such a dynamic and complex working environment, accidents happen quickly. The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), for example, reports that around 228,000 accidents occurred on transport routes in or around companies in 2019. 89,000 of these occurred during storage processes. "These figures clearly show the importance of safety precautions in companies," emphasizes Jürgen Effner, Managing Director of TOPREGAL GmbH, and adds: "However, accident risks can be significantly reduced with effective means, such as floor markings or collision protection."

Safety precautions for shelving systems

Load-bearing capacity and stability are decisive factors for the safety of shelving systems. To ensure this, the maximum permissible shelf or bay loads must be observed. An even distribution of goods also helps to minimize the risk of accidents. "If the existing racking capacity is almost exhausted, it is advisable to expand the racking system," advises Jürgen Effner. "By regularly checking the shelf stocks, capacity utilization can be identified at an early stage and you can react accordingly." The integration of height limits also helps to reduce the potential accident rate. For example, they prevent vehicles with excessive height or raised loads from driving into narrow racking areas and damaging them. The same applies to attaching collision protection to the base frame of the racking. According to the current safety standard DGUV Information 208-061 (formerly DGUV 108-007), the external attachment of a collision guard at corner areas and passages is even required by law. This must have a minimum height of 400 mm. This prevents avoidable accidents and protects racking systems from damage to the outer uprights.

Markings and impact protection to reduce accidents

Fourteen percent of all in-house transportation accidents in 2020 were caused by industrial trucks, such as forklifts and pallet trucks. This underlines the importance of floor markings and signs. Excessive speeds and careless turning can sometimes cause collisions. Signs and markings that both prescribe speed limits and indicate narrow aisles reduce these. To ensure maximum safety, it is advisable to install additional edge protection on the edges of elevations. Such protection in the form of railings or hoops cushions collisions on contact and prevents vehicles from falling off. In addition, the placement of safety railings offers an opportunity to create safe walking routes in the warehouse for employees. This makes it possible to cordon off areas where there is regular forklift traffic. This can significantly reduce the risk of accidents between people and vehicles.

Traffic control through (electric) barriers in the company

The installation of (electric) barriers not only increases traffic safety, but also ensures that only authorized persons enter the company premises. Especially for companies with a high volume of traffic from suppliers, service providers or visitors, the integration supports orderly entrances and exits. In addition, barriers secure dangerous crossings between pedestrian and vehicle traffic. This significantly reduces the risk of a collision. In combination with sensors or safety light barriers, people or vehicles can also be detected before the barrier opens or lowers. "Thanks to the stepless telescopic mechanism, the ES3500-A electric barrier from TecMaschin can be used to flexibly close off driveways, roads or even entrances up to 3,500 millimetres wide," reports Jürgen Effner. "In addition, an overall system simplifies the central control of all barriers and access points via app." The automatic electric barrier from TecMaschin is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. Floor stop parking bollard also increase safety when loading and unloading goods. The poles mark the end position for the driver and thus protect buildings and vehicles from damage. At the same time, loading aids protect employees by clearly demarcating the loading zones.

Warehouse Security Protection