Unsafe storage container handling accounts for one-third of all injuries sustained by workers at facilities that use stillage containers.
There are a lot of potential hazards and mishaps when using storage cages, containers, trolleys, or nestainer storage racks. These can range from small wounds from fingers or hands being stuck between cages to more serious situations like cages falling over because someone isn’t good at stacking them.
What steps can facilities and organizations take to reduce the hazards faced by employees who regularly operate with storage containers?
Tips To Use the Storage Container Safely And Efficiently In Warehouses And Facilities
Constant Loading/Unloading
The most prevalent type of injury that can occur when using storage containers is the repetitive motion of loading and unloading goods from the rack. Because of time constraints, employees of a large company may have to put in lengthy hours managing inventory, which can involve the continuous movement of goods from storage shelves or containers into a warehouse or distribution center via containers.
Employees need training on proper lifting techniques to avoid strain on their backs and shoulders, such as nesting and kneeling. Companies should prioritize their employees’ sleep, even if it means sacrificing profits, so they can reduce the likelihood of pain and stiffness by relaxing and resting their bodies.
Safe and Practical Movement
The facility’s stillage containers and wire decking for pallet racking must be operated by staff who have received adequate training. The worker is subject to high levels of impact stress when pushing containers to their destination, which can cause injuries or even death.
To prevent it from building up too much momentum and making it difficult to stop rapidly in an emergency, it should only be moved around the jobsite at normal speed.
In order to save time, especially when transporting large quantities of relatively light cargo, personnel should move one cage at a time for safety reasons. Lines of cages can be constructed. But that’s not a good idea since then the operator can only control the cage that’s directly touching the animal, which makes it impossible to intervene in the other cages on the line if something goes wrong.
Navigating Hilly and Otherwise Uneven Terrain
There is a risk of injury when moving containers up and down hills or across uneven terrain. Employees should be prompted to exercise extreme caution in such situations. Instead of trying to predict how far a container full of stuff can go down a little slope, it might be more efficient to move heavy objects step by step and carry them downhill.
It is advised that two or three persons help move the cage to prevent it from falling over or becoming uncontrolled when transporting containers over such surfaces.
Wheels – The Point of Contact
Containers requiring wheels or casters to roll easily across the floor of a warehouse, office, or store must be continuously watched to prevent accidents. Due to their frequent use, these parts are prone to breaking or experiencing worn joints. As a result, a cage may only have one wheel, which might hinder the vehicle’s overall mobility.
Serious safety issues might arise when storage containers do not move correctly. For that reason, routine maintenance is a must for commercial enterprises. You need to check the cages’ wheels for damage and repair the ones that aren’t working right away.
Appropriate Storage for Your Needs
Storage cages come in a wide range of materials and styles, from sturdy steel construction to lightweight stillage containers with foldable features.
Getting the correct storage container to fit your needs is the surest method to keep your warehouse or facilities center’s storage cages in good working order.