Did you know that traffic accidents claim the lives of 90 people in the US every day? A significant number of accidents don’t occur on the highways, but right in the warehouse or a busy factory.
It is not that easy to eliminate accidents. However, you can prevent accidents when you hire traffic control equipment and have the right traffic management plan (TMP) at your disposal. This article gives you five factors you should consider when setting a TMP to minimize accidents at your warehouse.
1. Protecting Employees from Injuries
Employees must put on the right protective gear when working at different sections of your company. You should also apply the same concept when it comes to preventing accidents at the warehouse.
Use bollards and guardrails to keep your employee off the company’s most vulnerable zones and prevent accidents. Use bump rails if you want to reduce tear and wear on the structural features of the warehouse. Having the right protective equipment at your facility reduces the risk of an accident.
2. Keep all Lanes One-way
Vehicle routing is another factor you should consider most when coming up with a TMP. The vehicle routes will always involve vehicles reversing, passing at high speed, making instant brakes, and parking. If you want to deal with this kind of traffic, you should design one-way lanes for traffic.
For larger vehicles, set designated exit and entry points to minimize collisions. Additionally, if you want to prevent slippage, ensure the facility’s roads are tarmac with bitumen or concrete to improve grip.
3. Proper Road Signage
Most motorists already know what they should do when driving but still ignore it. Therefore, the easiest way to keep motorists and operators alert is to erect the right road signs on the routes and lanes. Have reflective markers on the lanes to guide motorists on the right paths and turns.
Always test the readability of road signs before purchasing them. The road signs should be easy to read from far and at high-speed. Use road signs to keep motorists alert when approaching blind spots, pedestrian crossings, steep gradients, and parking zones.
4. Training and Induction
If you want to prevent accidents at your facility, you must hire traffic control equipment and ensure that every employee knows the traffic management plan. Run an induction process to keep your workforce aware of dangerous zones, safe routes, and speed limits for different lanes. You should also assign supervisors to guide visitors at the facility.
Note that if you don’t train your employees on safety, even with the best TMP, you will record more accidents. Training ensures your facility has qualified operators and a workforce that is well-informed on road safety.
Final Thoughts The essential part of a TMP is the implementation of strategies. You must ensure the strategies you come up with are enforced fully, and you monitor the progress. A quality traffic management plan should reduce the risk of accidents while keeping up with staff experience and technology advancement. Follow these tips to come up with a successful TMP for your facility.