There’s no place more dangerous than the workplace. Employers spend more than $60 billion each year on worker’s compensation claims.

One way to make your workplace safer is through a cleaner workspace. Check out these great tips on improving your stockroom organization.

Stockroom Organization Matters

Stockrooms are easy to neglect. They’re off the beaten path where you typically put things you don’t want to deal with right away.

Depending on your business, you might only access your stockroom once or twice a month.  In more extreme cases, you might not see the inside of your stock room for the better part of a year.

But this doesn’t minimize the need to keep your stockroom in tip-top shape. Unused areas in the workplace are a hotbed for oversight.

These are the rooms where the most common workplace injuries are likely to occur. Here are some safety concerns you’ll likely find in an unorganized stockroom.

Falling Objects/Struck By

You can rest assured that no one wants to spend more time in a stockroom than they need to. When someone goes in to drop off an item, they’re looking for the most convenient place to drop and run.

There are exceptions to this rule such as when you’re buying used pallet rack to store items in bulk. But the single drop-offs, like one box or piece of equipment, can easily be tucked into any available space.

If that space is high up in the air, you’re looking at a potential falling object that could harm someone. Organize your stockroom so that there’s a dedicated space for single items.

Label each area clearly so visitors can quickly see where to go and how to store the item. Avoid putting any heavy or unsteady items up high in a room unless it’s secured.

Trip and Fall

The most common workplace injury is the trip and fall. This is an injury that can happen pretty much anywhere but an unorganized stockroom is, by far, the easiest place for it to take place.

Stockrooms aren’t always the focus area for design in an office setting. This can mean it doesn’t have the best lighting options making it difficult to see around certain corners.

Make sure your stockroom doesn’t have items scattered around the floor. Create aisles for walking with reflective tape on the ground so visitors know where to walk.

If you can, install work lights that automatically turn on when the door is opened. This helps you save money on your energy bill while preventing low visibility in the room.

Caught

Bad shelving is a common reason for a person being pinned between two objects. Make sure to invest in heavy-duty shelves meant to withstand the test of time.

How to Organize Your Stockroom

Stockroom organization starts with design. You need to be aware of the most common workplace injuries to create a layout that’s safe for everyone.

Organization means being able to use your stockroom efficiently and cut back on the high expense of worker’s compensation claims.  For more information and tips, visit our blog for updates.