How to Create a Safe Jobsite

Warehouses and construction jobsites can be extremely dangerous areas if proper safety precautions are not taken. It’s important to follow OSHA rules, as well as ensure that all employees are trained to follow safety protocols. Accidents on jobsites can be devastating and carry extreme costs for businesses and individuals. Here are some of the products that can help make warehouse and jobsites safer for workers, drivers, patrons and pedestrians.

Use dock boards and dock plates to create smooth truck to dock transitions

For smooth transitions between trucks and loading docks at warehouse locations, utilize dock boards and dock plates. These are great products for bridging the gap between trailers and docks, protecting workers from trips and falls, and preventing machinery, hand carts, pallet jacks, forklifts and more from getting stuck and damaged. While dock boards and dock plates are similar in appearance and function, they are designed for different applications. Dock plates are meant to be used for foot traffic and lighter equipment like hand carts, while dock boards are designed for use with heavy-duty machinery, like forklifts. For additional information about the key differences between them, please read Dock Plates vs. Dock Boards.

Help vehicles and equipment mount curbs with curb ramps

Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and weight capacities, curb ramps are an important addition to any warehouse or jobsite. Designed to help transport hand trucks, dollies, vehicles, industrial equipment and foot traffic over curbs, steps and other low rises, curb ramps decrease the amount of effort needed by workers and equipment to mount small rises. Manufactured with non-slip treads and high-traction surfaces, curb ramps are safe to use even in wet and snowy weather conditions. Curb ramps reduce the back strain that occurs when lifting heavy objects over curbs or steps, making work areas safer and more efficient for everyone.

Prevent cables from crushing or creating trip hazards with cable and hose ramps

Loose cables and hoses are not only a trip hazard on a jobsite, they can be costly to replace if they get damaged by vehicles like trucks or forklifts. To ensure that they are visible and surmountable, we recommend using cable and hose ramps, which come in a variety of sizes as well as high visibility colors. Manufactured from durable materials like rubber or polyurethane, these ramps are designed to be driven on and over, and most can be ganged together to suit the needs of your work site. For jobsites running multiple lines, multi-channel cable ramps can be a cost-effective way of protecting and grouping cables and hoses securely together, with one crossing point for vehicles and equipment.

Protect walls and corners

Designed to absorb, deflect, and minimize the impact from vehicles and equipment, wall and corner protectors serve a number of purposes when it comes to warehouse and jobsite safety. Besides preventing damage to a building’s structure and any equipment that may run into it, they also offer protection to the operator of the vehicle by reducing whiplash or any other injuries that could occur on impact. When placed on sharp corners, or the edges of racking, these protectors will prevent cuts, scrapes, bruises, and head bumps.

Properly chock vehicle and equipment wheels

OSHA safety regulations require power industrial trucks to be chocked with at least two wheel chocks to prevent the vehicle from rolling whenever it is parked. Whether you’re unloading a truck, or performing maintenance on heavy machinery, wheel chocks will prevent the vehicle from rolling, injuring employees, and damaging property. Available in various sizes, materials, and weight capacities, wheel chocks can save time and money, and most importantly save lives, when used properly. To learn more about choosing the correct wheel chock for your vehicle and worksite, read How to Select the Right Wheel Chocks. For information about how to properly chock a vehicle, please read How to Use Wheel Chocks.

Use parking stops, bollards and guards to create clear designated parking areas

While parking stops are mostly used in parking lots, garages, and driveways, they are a valuable resource in warehouses and at jobsites as well. Available in many high visibility colors, parking stops are an excellent way to guide trucks and machinery into designated parking spots without hitting other equipment or running into walls. Brightly colored safety bollards, machine guards, and rack guards are also excellent ways to direct traffic and protect buildings, inventory, and employees. Place bollards at the edges of doorways and loading docks to prevent collisions, and absorb the impact if a collision does occur. Machine and rack guards help to curb vehicles and other traffic in factories, warehouses, and parking lots, acting as a sturdy physical barrier between electrical boxes, fire extinguishers, expensive equipment and machinery or vehicles. Bollards and guards can typically be filled with concrete for added stability.

Reduce vehicle speeds with speed bumps and humps

Make construction areas safer for workers by slowing down nearby traffic with speed bumps and humps. Best placed at entrances to construction zones and industrial areas, speed bumps and humps can save lives by reminding drivers to slow down as they enter the work area. Install speed bumps and humps in commercial parking lots where trucks and other machinery are operating to remind drivers to be alert, follow the speed limit, and be on the lookout for other vehicles. Most bumps and humps can be placed temporarily or permanently installed.

Prevent slipping accidents with non-slip stair treads

Protect workers from dangerous slips and falls by adding permanent traction to slippery stairs, docks, ramps, trailers, forklift and tractor steps, and more with non-slip treads. A more durable and cost-effective alternative to non-skid tape that has to be replaced, these treads will prevent slips and falls that occur when wood and other surfaces get wet from rain, snow, grease, or oil. Stair treads can also be vital in keeping forklift, hand trailer, and pallet jack wheels from slipping, which could cause damage to materials and potentially injure employees.