Distributing Safety - An Usdaw guide to health and safety in warehouses (leaflet 366)

Download: Distributing Safety - An Usdaw guide to health and safety in warehouses (leaflet 366)

Date Posted: 29 June 2009

The HSE has recently revised the basic guidance on health and safety in warehouses, 'HSG76 Warehousing and Storage - A Guide to Health and Safety', which gives detailed advice on the common hazards.

This leaflet distils the guidance from HSG76 with the years of experience of Usdaw Health and Safety Reps. It covers many of the most significant risks in the sector and provides useful checklists for reps to use when inspecting their warehouse.

Sections in this leaflet include:

Slips and trips
Manual handling
Vehicle movements
Lift trucks
Falls from height
Working in chillers and freezers
Storage systems
Welfare

Research has proved that union Health and Safety Reps can make a real difference to health and safety performance in their workplace. But they can only do so if they use their legal functions to inspect the workplace and to represent members. The experience, knowledge and training of union Health and Safety Reps are valuable assets. Many employers now realise how helpful they can be.

But reps also provide another important service. Some of the most important risks remain hidden because workers want to get on with the job and are reluctant to complain. Checklists in this guide stress the importance of reps talking to members. By doing so in an organised way reps can uncover the hidden risks and give a collective voice to workers' concerns. Often these problems can be remedied by simple changes - making work more productive and efficient as well as safer and healthier.

Reps can keep informed about the changes and about emerging risks by signing up to our email alert system and checking out our health and safety web pages.

For further advice and assistance contact the Health and Safety Section at Central Office:

Health and Safety Section
Usdaw
188 Wilmslow Road
Manchester
M14 6LJ

e-mail: healthandsafety@usdaw.org.uk

Distributing Safety - An Usdaw guide to health and safety in warehouses (Leaflet 366) was correct at date of publication June 2009.