When it comes to potential environmental impact at a facility, the places where a material is produced usually get most of the attention. But storage areas are typically ground zero for environmental issues, especially chemical or liquid materials that could spill. That means it’s vital to closely monitor how a facility stores materials, whether inside or outside, to limit environmental impact and dangerous exposures to team members.
As a facility or plant manager you’ve got a lot going on at all times. It’s too much to keep track of it all when it comes to compliance and environmental, health and safety issues. But the solution – at least the start – is saying just three magic words…I don’t know. Uttering those three words puts you on the quickest path to finding solutions to your most serious and pressing problems.
Shelves can be a convenient way to store all sorts of materials in your facility. Shelves come in all shapes and sizes. And they are a seemingly simple piece of hardware. However, improper use of shelving can result in injury, even death, and a serious release of hazardous materials. Fortunately, there are some obvious best practices you can adopt to avoid that fate. Follow them to ensure that you are completely “shelf-aware” in your workplace.
Of all the material that OSHA releases, the first one you should take a close look at before anything else is its annual Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Violations List, which comes out every year. It’s a handy guide for examining your facility to see where you might fall short in key areas with regards to the most commonly observed violations of workplace safety. Also, included in that report, are recommendations for dealing with them and getting into compliance.
