Safe Warehouse Management: What to Avoid in Storing Hazardous Chemicals

Accidents can happen anytime in a warehouse, especially when you are storing hazardous chemicals. If you are managing a warehouse full of flammable chemical substances, it is significant that you should follow the correct material handling to prevent accidents from happening.

A warehouse which is not careful in handling heavy materials and does not practice correct hazardous rules is prone to accidents. Warehouses in this condition usually do not have a good storage system such as neglect in using alphabetical storage system and utilization of industrial warehouse devices.

Both new and old entrepreneurs dealing with warehouse business make mistakes in handling dangerous chemical substances. Thus, to avoid your business from risks, here are the most common practices which you should not do in your warehouse.

  1. Storing chemicals in passageways. There are situations wherein a warehouse runs out of space to store containers. As a result, they tend to place the remaining containers on passageways just to accommodate all the containers. Placing the containers in inappropriate locations is dangerous. It can affect the operation of the warehouse and most of all it may lead to accidents.
  1. No traffic management plan. It is important that you employ vehicle and pedestrian management plan in and out of the warehouse. If your warehouse does not follow strict traffic rules, it will result in traffic of huge heavy material 
  1. Absence and lack of emergency exits. Emergency exit points are one of the most important sections of a warehouse. Moreover, if your warehouse has emergency exist to make sure that is free from obstruction such as stacks of chemical containers.
  1. Chemical storing at damaged racks or pallets. When you store hazardous chemicals, it should be in a protected, dry and safe area. Remember that these substances are too dangerous. If you put it on a damaged rack, it may cause the tons of chemicals to spill and result in chemical reactions which will lead to contamination, poisoning or fire. Thus, guarantee that the rack where you put these containers is secured and stable.
  1. Inadequate training of heavy equipment drivers. Managing a forklift or even a55 gallon drum clamp is difficult. It is important that your driver must have enough training and an expert in handling this equipment. If you employ a driver with no skill or experience, he/she will only cause problem and accidents to other workers in the warehouse.
  1. Lack of space. Some warehouses do not have the appropriate size and space to occupy all containers. It necessary that your warehouse must have extra space to accommodate every container delivered to you. With this, you do not need to worry about the lack of space, and it will prevent you to overstock.

In operating a warehouse, having the best equipment to move heavy materials is significant. You will need a high-quality forklift, drum lifter or shop tilters to make things easier in your warehouse.

You can get the best industrial warehouse equipment at Optimal Handling Solutions.

Learn more about Optimal Handling Solutions and their products through their official website.