“__ Days Since Last Accident”
We’ve seen these signs in a warehouse setting often enough to know that if it’s been a very long time between accidents on the job, having a solid warehouse safety training program might’ve had a lot to do with it.
In an emergency such as sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), this lack of knowledge on how to respond quickly could be catastrophic. There’s just no room for error when every minute counts – and in this particular example of SCA, a worker who has just collapsed due to a malfunction of the heart’s electrical system may have no more than 10 minutes to survive.
Mistake #1: Lapsed Warehouse Safety Training
Unfortunately, the top mistake we regularly see is the inconsistency of warehouse safety training for all hazards that could occur on-site. When a team of workers turns over with new employees, several new faces won’t have the level of emergency preparedness in a warehouse that other team members do. Safety awareness falls through the cracks and those newer employees aren’t sure how to react or act incorrectly when a sudden cardiac arrest event presents itself.
How To Avoid It: Regular training across your team on recognizing signs of sudden cardiac arrest, operating an automated external defibrillator (AED) and performing CPR. A well-trained team across the board can become a culture of safety that can quite possibly save a life.
High-Risk Zone: Heavy Material Handling
A worker who has to continually lift heavy objects, carry them and place them on a shelf faces a great deal of overexertion. Combine this state with a warehouse where the temperature isn’t well regulated. This type of activity could place higher stress on the heart and other areas of the body, ultimately causing the worker to collapse.
Mistake #2: Poor Organization and Clutter
It’s bad enough that disorganized areas with clutter encourage more slip-and-fall accidents on the warehouse floor. But you could also be impeding a clear path to aid the victim, delaying the start of CPR and obtaining a life-saving AED nearby.
How To Avoid It: Clear the common areas in the warehouse and put non-essential items into organized storage. If excess material accumulates regularly, enact a cleaning schedule to remove it from harm’s way.
High-Risk Zone: Pathways and Workspaces
We’re not merely talking about a messy group of workstations. If your workspace is filled with obstacles and clutter, it quickly becomes a high-risk zone during a medical emergency that requires resuscitation. For example, if you or someone nearby has to retrieve an AED but doesn’t know where it is, it could severely and tragically delay the critical process of saving a life. You could also inadvertently create another slip-and-fall accident on top of a slip-and-fall accident.
Mistake #3: Inconsistent Machinery Maintenance
Where do warehouse accidents involving machinery come from? We can usually trace it back to a lack of best practices in keeping up with maintenance. In addition, some equipment operators are well versed in some machines, but not all, so if they have to step in for a regular operator of that equipment, the safety risk can escalate substantially.
How To Avoid It: Thorough warehouse safety training for all equipment operators on every core piece of machinery used daily. A regular maintenance schedule for all machinery should also be implemented and followed. To echo Mistake #2, machines must continuously operate along clear pathways. Finally, best practices should be communicated and demonstrated on an ongoing basis, such as lockout/tagout procedures.
High Risk Zone: Forklifts, Conveyor Belts and Other Machinery
Many potential accidents can occur in these areas daily. Equipment operators require extensive warehouse safety training to minimize accidents. Still, a worker who loses consciousness due to entanglements or crushing from machinery will need other team members to act fast. This can call for using an AED, administering CPR and typically both.
Mistake #4: Minimizing Regular Breaks And Stretching
It’s too easy to get so deep into your work that you are sitting at a workstation for hours on end with poor posture for your back and neck. An individual’s physical condition can deteriorate over time without regularly getting up and walking around. Musculoskeletal disorders and strain injuries can be the result, as well as internal trauma.
How To Avoid It: Don’t trust yourself alone to remember your next break. Otherwise, before you know it, a few hours will pass and you’ll have spent too much time in the wrong kind of position. Instead, set a timer on your watch, desktop or phone to sound an alarm so you can be mindful and intentional about walking and stretching.
High-Risk Zone: Your Chair
This may seem like the least likely spot for high-risk in a warehouse, but it’s an authentic one that flies under the radar. There’s a reason why they say, “Sitting is the new smoking.” Extended sitting and poor ergonomics can contribute to cardiovascular issues, such as heart disease. Blend obesity with higher stress on the heart and you’re talking about a potentially deadly scenario. Warehouse safety training in CPR and AED operation couldn’t be more critical.
Every warehouse inherently brings an element of safety risk with the number of people and machines together in a set space. However, when warehouse managers significantly improve warehouse safety training, they can be better prepared to handle life-threatening emergencies like sudden cardiac arrest.
One of those ways? Ensuring every one of your workers knows your AED locations in the warehouse. AED.US can help you identify how many AEDs you may need for your workplace environment and educate your staff on operating the device. From ZOLL to Physio-Control, AED.US has the best brands you can trust, the batteries to power them and the pads to apply.
Contact us today at 888-652-1882 so you can keep the last major safety incident in the warehouse far away in the distance.