Meeting Safety Standards

Whether in a warehouse or manufacturing environment, unfortunately many organizations do not think about earthquake preparedness until it is too late. It is then, that they will prepare for the next quake. Unfortunately, it may be too late if the damage that occurs is severe enough to stop production or employees become injured because of poor planning.

Consider taking some basic precautions and avoid potential hazards that could occur during a natural disaster. Walk around the facility and observe your surroundings carefully. Take a coworker with you to get a second opinion of potential issues. Issues to look for could include things like whether or not shelving is secured to the wall with the appropriate hardware that will hold up to an 8.0 earthquake. Does your facility have chemical tanks, large manufacturing equipment, cylinder storage tanks, or machine tools. What special requirements must be followed to secure your equipment while taking into consideration state and federal regulations as well as OSHA requirement?

If you do not have the time or knowledge to properly inspect your facility, then consider hiring a company or sub-contractor to conduct a safety inspection. Once he or she reviews your facility, they will provide you with documentations and recommendations to meet minimum standards within your industry.

Ultimately, you will help eliminate potential hazards within your warehouse or plant as well as maintain OSHA and security standards. All this adds up to smart business when you think about the potential cost of workers’ compensation or fines incurred because of non-compliance.