28 May 2019
Traffic management in a modern warehouse is crucial. Traffic management not only enhances safety but improves efficiency and performance in all facets of your warehouse – storing, picking, transport, shipping – if you can think of it, traffic management enhances it. Traffic management measures help declutter warehouses and routes for both vehicle and foot traffic. Disorganised and ad-hoc measures can create bottlenecks and costs the company in lost time. Traffic management is simple to implement and need not cost the Earth. Here are Backsafe Australia’s five must have traffic management measures your warehouse needs.
1. Mobile Storage and Cabinets
One of the major innovations in warehousing is the lean manufacturing/warehousing methodology. This means using as few materials as possible to get the same job done. Using mobile storage and cabinets reduce the amount of distance travelled by your employees to fetch tools and other required materials for the job. Tool cabinets and other mobile storage units can be colour coded for zone-dependent work or to signal what types of tools are in use at a glance.
Pictured: Visual Tool Storage Cabinet
2. Lighting
Bright lighting that ensures all areas are illuminated goes a long way to enhance safety and efficiency. There is nothing worse than new employees floundering around because they cannot see where they are going. LED lighting can be brighter than sunlight in many situations. LEDs are highly efficient compared to fluorescent or halogen equivalents.
3. Floor Labelling and Marking
Marking out routes with reflective tape helps separate vehicular traffic from foot traffic drastically reduces workplace accidents and improves efficiency overall. Other ways to improve safety through traffic management is installing safety bollards or safety barriers around walkways. Reflective floor tape is a cost-effective solution as routes can be changed with a simple reapplication of the tape. Set it down and everyone in the warehouse will know what the new routes are – full-timers and visitors alike.
Pictured: Wall Mounted Retractable Barrier Tape
4. Waste Management
Proper waste management is essential to traffic management. Having clean aisles, uncluttered despatch or receiving areas, and general tidiness helps people get where they are going without the risk of accidents. Loose rubbish and discarded containers not only present a tripping hazard, it can also effect stopping distance or even become a fire hazard. The best warehouses make waste management easy with the use of bins and disposal units throughout high traffic areas. These bins should be emptied on a regular schedule to prevent overflow.
Pictured: Mobile Waste Wheelie Bin
5. Signage and Training
Using signs to demarcate foot and vehicle traffic is a requirement in all warehouses, so all employees, contractors, and visitors know what to do and where to go. You should also train your staff and update your traffic management plans to fit your needs at any given time. Each staff member should know the plan and commit themselves to making it a success.
To make your warehouse is equipped with the best traffic management system, give Backsafe Australia a call on 1300 305 314 today!
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