Safety training in the warehouse environment isn’t just a good idea, it’s mandatory. There are rules and regulations that you need to provide safety training to your team in order to ensure your warehouse is a safe place for them to work. If you neglect to do this training, it can result in injuries, accidents, and potentially leave you vulnerable to a negligence lawsuit or workman’s compensation claim.

The truth is, though, that most warehouses are good about doing the necessary training. It’s the training itself that might leave something to be desired. If you are simply getting up and reading through a set of rules, that might be adequate enough to get you out of trouble with the law and federal regulations but it’s probably not doing a lot to help your team actually learn. So what can you do to improve your warehouse’s safety training? Our warehouse consultants have some tips.

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Make Your Safety Training Better

Training should be relatable.

It’s tough to care about the safety training that’s happening in front of you if you don’t think it actually relates to your job. That’s why some of your team appears disengaged during forklift safety training; they might assume that because they don’t drive the forklift, they don’t have to care about the safety training it involves. In reality, forklift safety relates to everyone’s job simply because they work around the equipment. Let them know that even if they don’t drive the forklift, they can help make the drivers safer and keep themselves safe from injuries due to forklift injuries. When they know why the training matters to them, they are more likely to pay attention and retain the information.

Training should be engaging.

You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian or a professional speaker to do safety training, but it wouldn’t hurt. The thing that those two people have in common is that they are good at engaging their audience. Engagement is a matter of keeping and holding your team’s attention so they focus on the information being delivered and retain it for later recall. You can increase engagement by providing visuals, interacting with your team, and asking them questions.

Training should be consistent.

There probably isn’t such a thing as too much safety training. Training should happen on a consistent basis. Even if your team has been through it before, it’s good to go over the material again so it’s fresh in their minds. Annual training should be mandatory for every member of your team, but you can do training more often if you see mistakes happening or if there is an accident or injury.

Retention should be rewarded.

Reward people on your team for paying attention to the safety training and putting it into action. This can involve monetary bonuses for completing safety inspections or even a pizza lunch for going a certain number of days without an accident. The perks are up to your and your budget, but rewarding safety can promote safe behavior on the warehouse floor. Even a pat on the back and letting them know you appreciate their safety measures can go a long way.

Management should take the lead.

The team won’t care about safety if you don’t care about safety. If a warehouse worker sees their manager unsafely using a ladder, chances are good that they’ll decide to make an unsafe move as well. Lead by example and always follow your own safety rules and regulations to promote a safe working environment.

Need help with your warehouse? Talk to our warehouse consultants today. We can help with your warehouse layout optimization, operations, planning, design, and so much more. Get in touch with us today!