Keeping Accurate Warehouse Inventory

- Ideals of an organization must start at the top. Make accuracy one of the ideal attributes for the company. Maintaining accurate records is mandatory in order to run a successful warehouse.

- There are many areas in the warehouse to improve efficiency. Establish checklists for integral processes. In addition, have employees and managers work together to double check that procedures are done properly.

- Employee training is extremely important. Even seasoned employees need additional training or refresher courses to keep their minds sharp. New employees should be paired with those with experience for a few months. This will expedite the a new employee's learning of their job and strengthen potential managerial skills of older employees.

- Establish standards for your warehouse. Standards set the pace for production and let employees know what is expected from their performance.

- Each employee needs to be accountable for their work. Many warehouses have checklists that must be signed by employees ensuring that work and proper safety precautions was performed. Documentation makes it easier to track employee progress and to use as a basis for promotions or terminations.

- All decisions and procedures should be reevaluated on a monthly basis. Some theories do not materialize well. It is necessary to examine what systems work best in each particular warehouse.

Sources
Inventory Management Talk
US Small Business Administration

Safety Tips for Warehouse Workers

Your workers are important to you in many ways. During the hustle and bustle of business days, and through the worry of making extra dollars, we sometimes lose sight of important issues such as safety.

OSHA has suggested a number of safety tips for you to make workers aware of in order to keep them in good health. Consider the following tips.

- Be careful and think before acting at all times. If you are under a tight time schedule, then be especially careful. An employee is more prone to carelessness when they are rushing to get a job done.

- Treat your body right. Get plenty of rest, eat well, and drink fluids during working hours. Fatigue is not good for your workers or for your business.

- There is nothing macho about getting hurt. Warehouse workers may sometimes neglect to use equipment and resources that can help them do their job. Hoists, pulleys, dollies, and other helpful items should be readily available.

- Wear hardhats, gloves, belts, steel-tipped boots and other clothing that is relevant to warehouse work.

- Make sure all workers are properly trained in using all equipment. Let workers know that it is okay to ask questions. Training should be mandatory and workers should work with an experienced partner before using equipment alone.

- Hold fire and other emergency evacuation drills. The safety of personnel greatly increases during an accident when drills are regularly performed.

- Make sure workers take precautionary measures when working in extreme temperatures. Hot conditions call for clothing that allows the body to breathe and ingestion of a lot of liquids. Cold temperatures call for proper clothing and stretching of muscles to promote proper circulation.

- Make warehouse workers aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide. Install a detector, and let all personnel know of its odorless and colorless presence.

- Any worker that is working with or around hazardous chemicals needs to be well trained before performing any duties.

Sources

OSHA