Nothing eats away at efficiency like disorganization. The condition of your warehouse directly impacts your bottom line and ability to do business at a high level. Disorganization also breads safety risks that have potential to damage your company severely. Use these four tips to your advantage to keep your warehouse safe and organized.
1. Take Advantage Of Vertical Space
Vertical space is far too often underused in warehouses. Taking advantage of vertical space makes it easier for you to maximize your warehouse space. Your main goal when using vertical space is to increase ease of access and safety.
A pallet rack is a great an example of vertical storage. A pallet rack supported platform is incredibly inexpensive and can be used to store a variety of items. Taking advantage of the vertical space on a pallet rack supported platform is incredibly simple. Pallet racks also make it easy to maintain building code requirements. Try stacking up instead of outwards if you’re running out of space.
2. Upgrade Your Commercial Exhaust Fans
Commercial exhaust fans are necessities in stuffy environments like a warehouse. Start by deciding where you’ll install your commercial exhaust fan. Installing fans strategically throughout your warehouse can help you save on energy costs while maintaining air purity. If you decide to place a commercial exhaust fan on the roof, make sure you include a roof curb for proper installation.
Commercial exhaust fans can also help maintain the integrity of your warehouse. If you have painted walls, humidity and moisture will begin to damage the appearance over time. A commercial exhaust fan is a simple way to remedy this issue by regulating the moisture in the air. Exhaust fans also keep mold and mildew under control which is essential for maintaining a safe work environment.
3. Find Easy Ways To Encourage Recycling
Warehouses are common places for cardboard boxes, papers, bubble wrap and many other miscellaneous items. Keeping these items under control is essential to staying organized. After receiving a large shipment, it’s common for your warehouse to look like a war zone. Make clean up easy on your employees by making sure there are adequate amounts of recycling and garbage bins.
Your warehouse needs to have recycling and garbage bins placed strategically throughout your warehouse. You also need a system to ensure the bins are emptied on a regular basis. Having overflowing bins creates just as much mess as not using any bins at all. If you can keep your bins clear, keeping the warehouse clean becomes much easier.
4. Create A Regular Cleaning Schedule
The only way your warehouse is going to stay clean is if you’re regularly cleaning. Keeping mess under control requires a team effort from all of your departments. Assigning cleaning tasks to your staff will help establish continuity. Rotate the tasks so everyone contributes a fair share.
Basic tasks such as sweeping and emptying the garbage need to be done on a regular basis. Keeping your floor clear of debris makes it easy to spot slick spots which can be possible safety hazards. It’s important to keep shipping doors and work cells well maintained to avoid any interruptions to your workflow. You should also dust your storage racks at least on a monthly basis.
All in all, maintaining a clean warehouse requires a system and discipline. If you’re struggling to get your warehouse organized, start with a giant purge before attempting to reorganize. Starting from a blank slate is often easier than trying to mix a mess. Keep these five tips in mind to help you keep a safe and clean warehouse!