Warehouse safety is not just a set of regulations and training for your employees. To promote a safe and efficient work environment, the right tools and equipment such as warning lights and sound alarm systems also play a critical role.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the rate of injuries and illnesses in the warehouse sector is 4.8 per 100 workers. In light of this data, Amazon has been under scrutiny recently after a 2020 report showed that their rate of injuries was 80% higher than the industry average.
The Importance of Lighting in Warehouse Safety
The use of appropriate lighting creates a more pleasant working environment that boosts workers’ well-being and productivity. In addition, it plays a vital role in workplace safety. The idea is to use light fixtures that produce no shadow and glare to prevent headache, eye fatigue, and accidents caused by moving machinery and vehicles.
Aside from highlighting moving machinery and providing overall illumination, lights are also used as warning devices. For example, beacons and lightbars like ECCO’s Hide-A-LED emit intense bright light to make workers fully aware of a moving vehicle.
With many warning lights available in the market today, it might be tricky to find the best products for your warehouse facility. However, the general rule of thumb is to choose lightbars and beacons that use LED lights.
Benefits of LED warning lights:
- They last 50 times longer than incandescent lights and 25 times than halogens.
- LED lights use 90% less energy than incandescent light bulbs.
- They do not emit heat unlike other light bulbs, minimizing the risk of fire accidents. Because they don’t produce infrared radiation, they are even cool to the touch.
Visit Wholesale Industrial Parts to search for warning lights specifically designed for warehouse safety.
Intelligent Alarm Sound Systems
One of the most common and most dangerous mistakes of warehouse facilities is using the same alarm sound to signal the end of shift and a catastrophic situation like fire and chemical spill. There have been multiple cases of workers who got injured and died because they ignored a warning sound, thinking that it’s just signaling their lunch or dismissal time.
To create a safe working environment, it is important to use alarm sounds that are different from other sound signals. Also, make sure that you provide your workers with safety training and guidelines that will help them identify hazards and deal with these.
Another way to create a safe warehouse facility is to use intelligent alarm sound systems. To help you decide which features you have to pay close attention to, we list some of the most notable products available in the market today:
- ECCO’s Smart Alarm. Unlike traditional alarm systems that use fixed sounds, this device produces 5 decibels above the ambient sound, ideal for construction sites and other noisy environments.
And because this smart alarm adjusts its sounds depending on the level of noise in the surrounding area, this is also commonly used in commercial and emergency vehicles that usually pass through or operate in residential areas.
- ECCO’s Reverse Motion Sensor. Another smart alarm system, this vehicle accessory can detect backward motion, whether the vehicle is running or not.
Visit Wholesale Industrial Parts or call us at (844) 588-8455 to learn more about safety equipment and devices. We also carry forklift parts and warehouse vehicles accessories from reputable manufacturers in the US and abroad.