Much like your physical store, business office, and equipment, your warehouse also needs proper care and maintenance. You need to ensure that your warehouse is clean and well-maintained at all times because, after all, it holds most of your stocks as well as staff. Having regular maintenance can help your business to run smoothly and promote productivity.
Moreover, regular maintenance also ensures the safety of your employees working inside the premises and avoid possible serious accidents. Below we have listed some practical ways to help keep your warehouse well-maintained.
Preventive Maintenance
Having a regular schedule of preventive maintenance should be on the top of the list because otherwise, you are more likely to spend more on tasks that are reactive instead of proactive. And as we have mentioned earlier, poorly maintained warehouses pose accident risks, especially to your employees. Work accidents could cost you not only on expensive repairs but also legal fines for violations and non-compliance.
Furthermore, you should also ensure that all your staff or operators are well educated about all the types of machinery that were being operated inside your warehouse. The scissor lift, for instance, operators should not just know how to operate the equipment but also know how to take good care of it properly. Regular preventive maintenance on all your types of equipment, such as your scissor lift, will prolong their lifespan as well as keeping the safeness of your operators. To keep your operators updated with the latest trends about scissor lift safety usage, guidelines, and other maintenance tips, you can visit the Scissor Lift Academy of Nevada for more information.
Cleanliness
As part of your preventive maintenance measure, one of the primary things your warehouse needs is cleanliness. Dirty floors, for instance, can pose numerous warehouse hazards like debris that can potentially put both your equipment and employees at risk. Moreover, not cleaning your floors could also contaminate your products, making them look dusty and dirty, and this is not good for your business when they reach your customers.
Pest control
Pests and small animals can enter warehouses quickly, especially if you don’t have the proper equipment or tools to prevent them from getting inside your warehouse. If ignored, they could cause damage to your stocks or products and can even spread disease, especially for consumable products.
Warehouse monitoring
It is also essential whether a warehouse management software or a supervisor can keep an eye to all four corners of your warehouse and be able to identify potential issues early on. Furthermore, it is important to ask in house employees for feedback when it comes to basic maintenance such as lighting replacements, fire extinguisher replacement, etc.
Invest in high-quality types of equipment
While investing in high-quality types of equipment would be costly at first, you’ll soon find that they are cost-effective in the long run. For example, advisers from Scissor Lift Academy of Nevada highly recommend only using quality parts when repairing or replacing some parts on the scissor lift since they are more durable and have a longer lifespan. Also not to mention that quality equipment comes with a more extended warranty too from its manufacturer.
Emergency Maintenance
Aside from having a robust warehouse maintenance strategy, it is vital that you also have a maintenance plan when emergency strikes. For example, hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes are unavoidable and could wreak havoc on your warehouse, so your warehouse must be prepared for those types of crises.
Create a custom plan that is highly personalized for each situation. However, before you take your stocks or products into account, you should be prioritizing the welfare of your employees, especially during a fire or an earthquake crisis. Make sure that all emergency exits are cleared of any obstacles at all times. Fire drills should be done at least once every three months to keep your staff aware of emergency procedures.
Moreover, keep updating all your emergency maintenance training materials and make your that they are easy to access. Make sure that all of your staff are always prepared for the worst-case scenario since it will not only help reduce damages but can also save lives as well.
Conclusion
Keeping your warehouse well-maintained is essential for your business. Besides, it always pays off to take preventive measures, so make plans now and consider these simple preventive maintenance tips above.
