At The Shelving Centre, we’ve had a lot to say in the past when it comes to utilising our used shelving in a hazard-free manner, and there’s certainly plenty of good reasons for that. However, you rarely use shelves in isolation, and there are many other pieces of equipment that are required around the warehouse as well. One of the most common tools is certainly the ubiquitous ladder, and, although it might seem pretty straightforward, there is plenty that can go wrong here. Read on for our advice:

Checks

You’ll be using ladders or steps in warehouses pretty much whenever you have a need to reach a top shelf, but before you do so you must always make sure that you give them a thorough checking over.

• Look for weaknesses or defects, especially around the feet of a ladder. Even relatively insignificant looking issues could actually compromise its stability in a very big way.
• Look for slippery substances on the rungs, but also on the feet. A huge number of accidents occur due to falls from a ladder, and you really don’t want to add to that number.
• Look for dirt. If you’ve previously worked in a dirty area and then moved your ladder to a clean floor, then dirt can easily be trapped under the feet, which means they’re not in contact with the floor.
• Look before you climb to see whether the locks on your ladder are in place. If they’re not then your ladder could easily collapse.

Overloading

If you’re carrying something up to the top levels of a shelving unit on a ladder, then you need to be really careful about overloading. Making multiple trips may seem like a chore, but it’s far better than taking a tumble and then seeing your load coming down on top of you. Remember your own weight and the weight of what you’re carrying; it may sound obvious, but it’s easy to forget.

Overreaching

Similar to the above point, if you have to get down and move your ladder to reach along the length of a shelf, then do so. Never risk overreaching just for the sake of convenience; it’s just not worth the potential damage you could do to yourself.

A Good Base

Always ground your ladder on a flat surface, so ensure that the floor of your warehouse is clear at all times. Similarly, don’t rest a ladder against an unstable shelving unit if there’s no weight in the said unit. The last thing you want is for you and the entire set of shelves to all come crashing down.

Here at the Shelving Centre, we know that warehouse safety depends upon a multitude of things coming together, and that’s exactly why our used shelving is of such a high quality. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you to kit out your premises, contact us now by calling 020 8998 9247 or send an email to david.cornish@theshelvingcentre.co.uk.