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How to make sure a warehouse is properly protected

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warehouse business
(© Ken Pilon – istockphoto)

The safety and security of products and personnel are crucial factors in warehouses. Keeping both of these in the forefront of considerations helps to ensure that your business is successful. Without them, your business will struggle. In this article, we will take a closer look at how safety and security can be implemented to protect your products and personnel.

  1. Have A Sound Security System In Place

There are several reasons to invest in a good quality security system for your business. With continued technology advancements, video surveillance is now a wise and affordable investment. Video does not lie; it gives you visual evidence that can be used by both police and in the court of law. That is the best reason to equip your business with a security system. However, here are some other good reasons:

Safety for Employees

If your employees are subjected to an encounter at the workplace by an angry customer, a video of the incident will show how they acted during the event. A video security system provides you with proof of all that was said or done, eliminating hearsay and misunderstandings.

Proof of Theft

Although your employees are your first line of defense, should a robbery of any kind take place at your business, a video security system will capture all the details. It will also provide additional “eyes” in places where employees cannot always be. Consider security cameras as a backup system for your business.

Watch Customer Movement

As a marketing tool, security cameras can teach you much about the habits of your customers. From the moment they enter your business to when they leave, you will see where they go and what they do. This data can assist you in improving the layout of your store to take advantage of the traffic flow.

Reduce Insurance Rates

Probably one of the greatest incentives for a business to install a sound security system is the savings that can be realized through insurance. Businesses that utilize security systems receive a reduction in their insurance premiums. Often that discount is well worth the expense because it can be a significant saving.

  1. Invest in Training Your Personnel

A trained employee is a smart employee. Training is an essential part of doing business in today’s world.  You would be wise to invest in ways to provide your staff with training and development programs. The more you teach your employees, the more valuable they become to your business and the workforce in general. Here are a few reasons why personnel training should be part of your business strategy.

It Improves Performance

An employee who receives training to enhance skills and increase education will be better able to perform their job. With ongoing training programs, employees will increase their confidence as they gain a better understanding of the industry they work in and what is their specific role within your business.

It Reduces Staff Turnover

One of the costliest aspects of being in business is the training and retraining of new staff. Employee turnover harms your business but when you offer ongoing training programs to help your staff improve themselves, they will likely become happier in their job situation and stay with your organization longer.

It Develops Your Business

With regular training, your team has an edge keeping them ahead of the curve. If you are in a highly competitive industry, training your staff regularly keeps them sharp and able to provide the best possible customer service. These factors help keep your business moving forward and setting the pace rather than following others.

It Will Improve the Bottom Line

Because your regularly trained employees keep getting better at their job, the skills they build will also be good for your business. This can range from attracting new customers to encouraging current customers to keep coming back. A staff that engages well with customers will help your business lift the bottom line.

  1. Control and Monitor Your Warehouse Environment

The final part of the puzzle is monitoring your warehouse environment and keeping it within the range that encourages effective conditions. Environmental monitoring in the manufacturing sector normally involves temperature mapping. This method is a good first step to creating a permanent monitoring solution. Here are the reasons why:

The Plan and Strategy

Several risk factors should be considered when developing a temperature mapping plan. They include what kinds of goods are stored near a docking bay that may be exposed to drafts; solar heat damage to goods stored near a north-facing wall and windows; heat created by lights; the movement of products within the warehouse and tall rack storage which may see temperature variations from top to bottom.

The Mapping Process

Following the identification of risks, and the design of strategies that could mitigate them, mapping equipment is set up and tests are performed. Outside companies such as Dickson are frequently brought in to assist with mapping, allowing for a complete picture of the factors influencing temperature and other conditions within the warehouse.

Review Results and Make Recommendations

Once the mapping process is complete, review the data. It should reveal critical locations where products are stored that could be exposed to temperature and humidity levels that can damage compliance. Recommendations are suggested at that time to prevent any goods from being damaged as a result.

Review Again in The Future

You cannot assume that performing a single temperature mapping process is going to solve the issue of keeping products safe and secure in your warehouse. Seasonal changes, internal layout, and types of products stored all require an updated strategy. Annual reviews are a good habit to develop unless changes within the warehouse are more frequent.

In Conclusion

Highly sensitive materials require proper storage conditions. Employees also require working conditions that promote productivity. To ensure the safety and security of your products, best practices point to temperature and humidity monitoring to identify potential risks combined with a solid security system, and temperature mapping. Add a well-trained staff to help with ongoing monitoring and you will have all that is needed to keep your warehouse safe and secure.

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Contributors

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