Warehouse safety is in the news nowadays as we move closer to an eCommerce world and become more conscious of the people making up the supply chain we depend upon. Warehouse employees are needed, valuable, and deserving of respect and protection. Accidents can happen in warehouses, and employee safety should be a top priority: safety matters.
AMS Fulfillment is proud of our safety record, as it’s one of the best in the industry. A great deal of thought and care, and attention have gone into safety over the years. Back in early 2020 we began a covid safety blog as something of a guide as to precautions that a fulfillment company can take. Today the covid safety measures continue at AMS, including on-campus free vaccine clinics.
But as we know, warehouse safety goes well beyond covid. In our last blog we spoke about OSHA training. This training is essential as it involves employees in understanding safety procedures, spotting hazards, and reporting issues. We have begun doing our OSHA training in both English and Spanish, and that has been a very rewarding effort.
In this month’s blog Eric Wiseman, Safety and Security Director and Matthew Warholy, Security and Safety Manager have penned an outline of actions to take in an emergency situation.
Emergency Preparedness
When we think of Emergency Preparedness, we should always think of the Before, During and After to keep us safe. These include Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Fires and Earthquakes at our East Coast and West Coast facilities.
These rules can and should be applied at our homes and while we’re out in public as well to keep our families safe and protected.
*The before should include thinking ahead of what to do in case of a natural disaster or fire. What would I do in case there’s an emergency?
*The during should include taking cover and protecting ourselves until the emergency has passed. Waiting until the shaking stops in an earthquake or the tornado has passed.
*The after should be the evacuation. Get out of the building at ANY exit. Don’t walk across the warehouse to the employee entrance. Just get out at any door.
*Each exit should have a list of emergency phone numbers and a map with evacuation meeting points. These maps are also for emergency personnel coming into our buildings to see how the floor plan is laid out.
*Can’t remember your evacuation point? That’s OK. Just walk around the perimeter of the building until you see a crowd forming. It’s natural to want to leave and check on our loved ones. Kids at daycare, grandma, a loved one at home. Just remember to check in and make sure someone gets your name. If we don’t know that you’ve left, we will be searching for you in the warehouse. That could put someone else’s life at risk.
*Remember to take a breath and don’t panic. Think clearly and stay alive!
