Electrical Equipment Presents Various Risks in The Warehouse

Most warehouses are packed full of goods ordered from the manufacturer. Warehouses stock all kinds of goods until there is a need for them. The warehouses have to be waterproof, theft-proof and safe from fires too.

Look at the Beirut warehouse explosion - large quantities of explosive material stored without any safety measures in place. A warehouse that ignores electrical- or any kind of safety for that matter is an accident waiting to happen.

Adequate training eliminates electrical hazards

Working around electricity doesn’t automatically spell danger. Those whose job it is to work around wires and plugs need adequate training, as failure to be aware of potential electrical hazards can result in terrible burn injuries and even death.

The construction industry is unfortunately known for electrical fatalities, caused by workers coming into contact with machines and overhead power lines. Not only do workers need to be thoroughly educated on electrical hazards but they need to regularly go through an electrical safety checklist to remind them of the electrical dangers on the worksite.

A Lockout/Tagout or LOTO program has to be in all warehouses to ensure that all energized equipment is properly shut off to prevent employees from being electrocuted.

Steer clear of damaged equipment

Exposure to any kind of damaged electrical equipment can be deadly. In a huge warehouse, failure with the electrical components can spark an electrical fire in circuit breakers, cables and electrical components. Of course, poor maintenance is the leading cause of electrical fires.

If you are working in a warehouse and you are not qualified to be fixing electrical wiring and equipment, you should steer well away from it. Electrician St Louis experts are the ones to tackle faulty cables and cords. Apart from checking all the warehouse’s electrical components, they can perform regular fire risk assessments.

The size and complexity of certain warehouses always require a skilled electrician with specific training. The electricians from Bates Electric are superbly trained with all the right equipment to understand all the complexities of large commercial warehouses.

Best Practices

If you’re looking to improve your warehouse, the best move is to look at industry best practices. These are techniques that are proven and have been found to be effective by many other facilities and warehouses. For starters, electrical systems should meet OSHA design and maintenance standards.

Any warehouse can benefit from learning from the experience of others. Surely the best way to start is to look at identifying and implementing electrical safety best practices. There are best practices for running cable wire, using wire makers and even using personal protective equipment (PPE).

In your warehouse, you’ll be able to evaluate electrical best practices and see whether they will work in your warehouse. If they don’t suit it and aren’t required by law, you can adapt and adjust until you find something that works for your unique warehouse needs.

Charging stations

Maybe your warehouse has a forklift charging station, and because of environmental factors, you have electric forklifts instead of forklifts powered by combustion engines. Apart from these charging stations being away from open flames, the warehouse also needs adequate ventilation systems to disperse harmful gases.

Charging points have to be fitted and mounted correctly. For safety, the chargers need to be fitted with emergency stop breakers to make sure that electricity-flow can be stopped in an emergency. Also, hanging wire presents a tripping hazard for operators.

An important factor to look at when thinking of the location for a charging station is its distance to the main electricity feed. Quick, easy access can make a difference with safety issues as multiple extension cords to reach an area is a fire hazard.