The result of having a laid back attitude is often accompanied by a lot of unforeseen consequences. The stakes are even higher when one is not paying much attention when in and around an active worksite. If one takes a look at the statistics related to workplace incidents, more than a hundred thousand documented cases are reported each year from developed nations.
Factor that with pedestrian people getting hurt, it would be safe to rest your research on a fat 20 percent of the hundred thousand cases! Most of the workplace-related incidents where pedestrians are getting hurt take place in warehouses and the packaging sections of manufacturing units. The worst part, around 36 per cent of the incidents result in fatalities and most of them are pedestrian people.
Stressing on the matter, Safety and Health Administration made it mandatory for business owners to make sure that their commercial properties are free from potential hazards. Business owners now need to take mandatory steps and install certain safety equipment in their establishments which would result in employment opportunities that are free from fatal hazards.
How safety rails can keep pedestrian traffic safety in a worksite?
Injuries often taking place in commercial places are mostly from forklifts and related heavy machinery. Pedestrian traffic can also get hurt by a huge stack of cargo that was arranged in the wrong way. On top of that, lack of proper infrastructure can also lead to foot injuries which are common when heavy equipment crushes the feet of an employee unknowingly.
Apart from installing pedestrian safety rail, in their facility to keep such instances at bay, one can also follow the steps mentioned below for optimal results:
It is best if your commercial establishment has dedicated ‘pedestrian-only’ pathways
As mentioned in the opening paragraph, it is best if you take the necessary steps and make sure that your place of business and its active worksites are equipped with pedestrian-only pathways. Equip these pathways with safety barriers and make sure that clear signs are put up at every nook and corner of the establishment. In the case of intersections, install convex safety mirrors so that both pedestrian traffic and heavy equipment traffic can steer clear of each other’s way while crossing intersections.
Proper use of safety gear is very important
It is never a bad idea to periodically subject your workforce on the efficient and recommended use of safety gear such as safety vests, hard hats and work boots. If you find a member of your workforce avoiding wearing their safety gear, be sure to find them which is a healthy way to enforce the practice.
Effective supervision goes a long way
It should be the duty of your facility’s supervisor to hold periodic safety refresher courses and workshops within the vicinity of the worksite. They should make it mandatory for both heavy machinery operators and pedestrian people to attend these workshops. On top of that, be sure that your site supervisor is agile and diligent when they are on their rounds and keep their eyes peeled for potential hazards in the worksite.
Be it a warehouse or a packing facility, whether your company uses self-operated equipment or not, you would still need to use the good old, operator driven machinery like the forklift to efficiently run your business. Apart from following steps mentioned above, make sure that the heavy equipment operators and pedestrian traffic in your facility work together to make the same a safe place.
