The Health and Safety Executive offer important guidance when it comes to keeping your employees safe. A failure to follow guidelines has historically seen business owners face large fines and legal damages when their actions, or inactions, have led to employees being injured.
Health and Safety guidelines should cover every aspect of your operations and racking is no exception. The most relevant advice for businesses utilizing racking is often the HSG76 Warehousing and storage: a guide to health and safety. This offers key information for managers and supervisors around health and safety in warehouses and storage facilities to help reduce injuries and improve occupational ill health targets set by the government.
One of the key points raised in the guidelines is the importance of having regular racking inspections carried out by trained experts. Racking needs to be properly maintained once it is installed and used properly. This means that it should never be overloaded or climbed upon (as is stressed in HSG76) and it is important to also guard it from damage by vehicles such as fork-lift trucks that use your warehouse.
Even the smallest amount of damage can have a big impact on your racking safety. Small fractures of hairline cracks can significantly impact the integrity of your racking and could lead to one or more of your employees being struck by falling objects or trapped under a collapsed structure.
With proper maintenance, racking is one of the most formidable types of storage that you can have and can make a huge impact on the productivity of your business. However, if handled badly and not regularly reviewed it can also slow down your operations and the day to day running of your business.
Logical Storage is highly skilled in spotting the often hard-to-find signs of racking degradation. We carry out regular reviews for a number of businesses, helping them to keep their systems in good working order and to maintain their legal obligations under the Health & Safety Act. To find out more please call us on 0845 689 1300.
Every warehouse is different and while there is no one way to do things, there are some common issues that we encounter that if tackled correctly have been proven to help businesses do even better. Here are three ways that you can improve the day-to-day running of your warehouse operations starting today.
1 – Organisation
For a business to thrive, their warehouse needs to be clinical in its operations. This means reducing wastage wherever possible, and a well organised warehouse is the key to doing just that. You should turn a critical eye to every action that takes place in your building on an average day and look for ways to speed things up. This could be something as simple as better managing your available space through storage solutions like shelving and racking, or a large-scale change like installing a mezzanine floor to house state-of-the-art machinery.
2 – Commit yourself to Health and Safety
Many businesses view their Health and Safety responsibilities as a burden. However, good Health & Safety management not only shows your employees that you care, but also helps your bottom line. If you cut down on accidents like slips and trips, then you can drive down the number of sick days your employees take off work to recover. Even the smallest of trips can cause long-term damage to your workers who may then develop recurring health issues. What’s more if there is a serious accident at your site and you are proven to have failed in your duty of care then you could risk heavy fines as well as damage to your reputation. Start now with a racking inspection.
3 – Look after your staff and they will look after you
Following on from getting a firm grip on your Health and Safety duties, another way that you can reduce the amount of sick days your employees take is to ensure that your warehouse is a positive place to work. Investing in your employees by providing them with a place to eat their lunch, toilets, a rest area or even just providing them with extra space to carry out their duties can make a big impact on their morale and make them work even harder for you. Take a look at our office partitions for inspiration.
Here at Logical Storage, we know that no two businesses are the same and you may need a combination of different solutions to help optimise your warehouse. For a tailored proposal designed to meet the specific needs of your business, call us on 0845 689 1300.
The very best businesses, across all industries, are those that are willing to put themselves under a microscope in order to find opportunities to improve. Failing to do this effectively and regularly can stagnate growth and leave your business trailing behind the competition. Through our many years of providing storage solutions we have noticed that mezzanine floors can often play a key role in helping businesses to gain an upper hand and sustain growth. Let’s look at a few reasons why they are so beneficial.
Firstly, mezzanine floors can play an important part in helping businesses to remain adaptable to fluctuating markets. If a business experiences quick growth, but there are question marks over how long that growth will sustain, then it’s important that they don’t overcommit. For example, if they find that they are short on space they might consider moving facilities. However, this can be a fatal mistake should they pay the heavy costs of relocation and then find that demand starts to decline. Instead of enduring the headache of relocation, and all the financial and logistical problems it can entail, a better idea is to look at alternatives such as mezzanine floors which allow you to stay put.
Equally a business might be experiencing year on year growth and find that they are nearing their total capacity. While much can be done in the way of improving efficiency among your operations and processes, one of the major ways to free up space is to consider utilising the room above your head. So much of factory and warehouse space is often left unused, when, with the help of a mezzanine floor, it can be used to create a whole new area to work from, house state-of-the-art machinery, stock, equipment or alternative areas such as offices or break rooms for staff.
A mezzanine floor can be installed, erected and later dismantled if it is no longer needed. While the mezzanine floor is up, it can provide a whole new area of space within your business to suit a variety of purposes all whilst avoiding the costly downtime that comes with moving premises.
To find out more about mezzanine flooring please visit http://www.logicalstorage.co.uk/services/mezzanine-flooring/ or call us today on 0845 689 1300.
No matter how hard you may try, damage to racking is something which it is hard to defend against. While racking is not inherently flawed in any way (unless poorly set-up) it is, like any form of equipment, susceptible to human error and wear and tear over time.
Racking damage can occur in many ways; sometimes it happens during assembly. If a poorly trained or unqualified company installs or reassembles your racking, then they could make costly mistakes. They may overlook important factors such as how your racking will be used and what exactly will be stored. This may in turn then cause your racking to become overloaded and weaken over time, threatening your stock and the safety of your employees. Another way that racking can be damaged is through human error, such as when racking is impacted by vehicles like forklift trucks moving around the warehouse – even with the best training and the most proficient drivers, accidents like this can still happen and even a small chip or crack could cause equipment to fail.
In order for you to protect yourself, you need to work with highly competent suppliers and installers to deliver your racking. You also need to ensure that your employees know how best to access the racking and that they are careful to avoid collisions when in transit around your warehouse.
That said, no matter how hard you do prepare, mistakes can still be made, and they may even occur without your knowledge. For instance, if you overload your racking beyond its capacity then over time it may create pressure cracks or hairline cracks. These cracks aren’t immediately obvious to you or your staff, but they could be reducing your load bearing capacity by around 40% which may hamper your productivity. This is one of the key reasons why it is vitally important to have regular reviews of your racking.
Continuing to use broken racking can reduce your productivity, yes, but there are even graver dangers too. Should an employee be injured by racking collapsing on them or should they be otherwise injured in any shape or form then you could be liable, as their employer, under the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act (2007).
Logical Storage has a team of experienced specialists who can inspect racking, make recommendations on how to prevent damage as well as performing remedial works such as racking repair to damaged equipment.
So don’t delay, book yourself in for a racking inspection at the beginning of the year and sleep soundly knowing that your warehouse is operating at maximum efficiency and in the safest way possible. Contact us on 0845 689 1300 to find out more or to speak to one of our team.
When it comes to supporting growth and expansion, mezzanine flooring has quickly become one of the top go-to solutions for businesses across the UK.
With the rising price of property, it can be harder and harder to find a suitable site to relocate to. Not to mention the pressures and strains of uprooting your company and spreading the news that you have moved – this is why increasingly many businesses are turning to mezzanine flooring as a more favourable option.
One of the most popular environments for a mezzanine floor is that of retail and leisure. No matter whether a business is selling stationary, carpets or clothes right through to high-end vehicles, mezzanine flooring helps them to expand their stock, create departmental divides and provide dedicated areas for employee breaks. In fact, the creation of dedicated employee break areas, offices and meeting rooms is a key reason that businesses install mezzanine flooring. An example of this is in warehouses, which tend to be busy and not particularly corporate facing. Mezzanine flooring can be installed to house a quiet and professional looking space to meet important clients away from the shop floor.
However, creating suitable areas for employees and customers are not the only driver behind installing a mezzanine floor. In the production, manufacturing and distribution industries, mezzanine flooring can serve a very practical purpose. It can house heavy production lines, shelving and racking, assembly lines, and more. It can also create an isolated space away from the shop floor for highly specialized tasks that require a deeper level of concentration.
In most facilities there is an alarming amount of space that goes unused overhead. This is why building a mezzanine floor is a smart solution, helping you to house equipment, stock, or employee facilities and give your business the space it needs to grow.
Here at Logical Storage we have plenty of experience with helping businesses to move up rather than move out. We offer a no obligation consultation where we can assess your individual needs and offer cost effective and practical solutions. Click here to find out more or alternatively call us on 0845 689 1300.
Pallet racking is one of the most popular forms of racking that we provide here at Logical Storage. Many businesses find it a beneficial aid in the storing and distribution of heavy amounts of stock.
When it comes to choosing racking there is no such thing as ‘one size fits all’ and every business has its own way of doing things and particular challenges that it might face. This is why it is important to take expert advice when implementing new storage solutions. For example, if your business needs access to individual pallets on a regular basis then choosing a push back system that stores away lots of pallets at a time may make it difficult to access pallets individually and in a quick fashion.
When looking for the best solution you should consider how much floor space you have, how much ceiling space you have, how regularly you require access to pallets and how big a quantity of pallets you need to store.
Wide aisle pallet racking is often a good option for businesses that require easy access to individual pallets. It contains vertical and horizontal beams which are easily adjustable in 50mm increments and means that every pallet is within reach at any time it is required, meaning pallets can be easily offloaded. Wide aisle pallet racking is regularly chosen by warehouse owners looking for ways to bring down dispatch times and sustain growth when demand is high.
The process of installing wide aisle pallet racking should be straight forward and quick. Logical Storage possesses many years of experience in installation and all of our racking is designed to meet all European & British standards of quality. Contact us on 0845 689 1300 to discuss your needs in further detail.
Even when a business is doing well it can still be a gamble to move premises. The costs involved and the difficulty in finding the perfect location elsewhere often leaves many business owners scratching their heads as to what the best solution is. However, the best answer often lies not right under the noses, but right above their heads.
Whether seasonal pressures build for your business during the lead up to Christmas, Black Friday, Cyber Monday or other industry related times of the year, it can be a challenge to keep up. If your warehouse is bursting at the seams then one of the best things you can do is conduct a thorough assessment of your premises. Walk around your warehouse and take note of any space that is currently unused – you might find that you are surprised by the results. Often room that you wouldn’t have even thought about using could be put to use and space elsewhere could be better organised.
One of our most popular solutions for businesses that are struggling for space is that of a mezzanine floor. Mezzanine floors make use of space that would otherwise be wasted. As warehouses tend to be quite tall there is often a lot of overhead space that can be taken advantage of, creating a new platform for a variety of tasks. Whether that new space is used for picking and packing, storage or even office space is entirely your decision, but either way it will increase the amount of room you have available and help you better meet the demands of a busy period for your business.
Another option to free up space is to utilise shelving or racking. From pallet racking to long span shelving and more there are lots of different options available that can help you to better manage your inventory and in turn reduce the amount of time it takes you or your employees to perform a task – reducing distribution times and improving the bottom line for your business.
Logical Storage specialise in both industrial and commercial storage equipment and offer a wide range of innovative products to increase your available storage and also improve productivity. We know that no two businesses are the same which is why we prepare quotes fully tailored towards your business and its unique needs. For more information and to talk to one of our experienced team please call us now on 0845 689 1300.
Many warehouses and factories in the UK rely heavily on racking for their daily duties. Using them to store large quantities of items in a safe and secure manner, they provide the backbone to many of their operations. However, despite this, when it comes to inspecting and repairing vital equipment, racking often gets overlooked in favour of other tools or equipment and is rarely looked after until it’s too late.
Sadly, all too often racking is forgotten when it comes to reviewing how safe and stable equipment is. However, failing to address issues can have a devastating effect on a business. A piece of damaged equipment can reduce load bearing capacity by as much as 40%. It can also lead to the collapse of racking which can endanger both stock and staff.
Despite what you may be thinking, quality racking is not inherently flawed nor is it very easily damaged. More often the problems instead tend to come from human error. Adjusting or re-assembling racking without proper training or guidance can cause racking to become ineffective or unstable. Overloading racking beyond its capacity can do the same and accidents with fork lift trucks impacting racking can be quite common and are part and parcel of a busy warehouse environment.
The key to ensuring a long lifespan for your racking is to undergo regular inspections. This allows the opportunity to carry out both urgent repairs and preventative maintenance which will ensure your racking and stock remains protected and your business can continue to function well. To be absolutely confident in your racking you should have a professional company look at your racking at least once a year.
To learn more about Logical Storage’s rack inspections, please click here, or contact us on 0845 689 1300 to discuss your needs.
We all get to the point in the day where we need a break; in fact it’s essential in order to catch our breath and work out our priorities for the remainder of the day. However, for many businesses the break area is a space which often comes very low on the list of priorities. If renovation is going to happen then it will more frequently take place in client facing areas such as reception areas, meeting rooms and bathrooms. However, with so many businesses suffering from high rates of absenteeism among their employees, it makes perfect business sense to begin investing in their health and well being. Having a comfortable, clean and functional break area is a good place to start.
The essentials of a staff break room are of course, tables, chairs and some kind of cooking facilities – even just a kettle, microwave or fridge. However, many businesses today often take their break areas a step further incorporating leisure activities like ping pong tables, pool tables and even electronic gaming machines. Together with comfortable furniture and a relaxing colour scheme, these types of changes can make a big difference to the morale of your employees who know that they have somewhere to relax after a particularly stressful morning. Extra added touches not only keep your current employees satisfied but also provide an extra ‘feather in your cap’ when showing job candidates around your premises. How better to show that you genuinely care about the well being of your employees.
If your company operates within an open plan area such as a warehouse then you may believe it would be difficult for you to create such a break area, however with the use of office partitions or mezzanine flooring, it can easily be done. Mezzanine floors can be built quickly and make the most of overhead space that would normally be wasted, while office partitions can be an ideal solution for a private lunch area with glass or normal wall partitions. What’s more, both of these types of solutions can be customised and erected as temporary structures should the need to relocate your business arise in the future.
Here at Logical Storage we know that no two businesses are the same and you may need a combination of different solutions to help create space in your warehouse. For a tailored proposal designed to meet the specific needs of your business, call us on 0845 689 1300.
Any business is pleased when orders begin flying out the doors. However, while an increase in demand for your products is a positive thing, it can also provide headaches if you aren’t adequately prepared to deal with it. An increase in sales can put pressure on your staff and your infrastructure, which can eventually leave question marks over whether or not your warehouse or other business premises can sustain growth. However, there are some solutions out there to help you cope.
One way to meet growing demand and cope with the pressures of added work is to consider outsourcing some of your duties. This might mean asking another experienced and trusted business to help handle some of your work, for example by handling your human resources work, sales or even order fulfilment. However, many business owners are understandably wary of outsourcing work away from their watchful eye.
An alternative to outsourcing work would be to ask your employees to work longer hours. The added time clocked in may allow for more work to be done and you can ensure that it meets your standards. However, asking your employees to work longer hours can often lead to poor morale, higher levels of absenteeism and may cause the quality of work to suffer. You could also consider employing another member of staff, but should the growth in your business not sustain itself you may find that you are left with an employee that is surplus to your requirements and hard to get rid of.
In our opinion there are better alternatives available to businesses when it comes to meeting demand. One way to adapt your business during a high pressure period is to consider how you can improve the layout of your site. Are there processes that could be sped up by better organisation – such as by using pallet racking or long span shelving? Both of these solutions can allow you to better organise your stock and provide you with more space and flexibility in your operations. A further way to increase your storage capacity is to consider installing a mezzanine floor. A mezzanine floor makes the most of the vertical space in your warehouse and allows you to operate in space that would normally be wasted. You can then use this newly created space to house machinery, equipment or better organise your current stock.
Logical Storage’s experienced team can help your warehouse to perform to its maximum potential. For more information on our racking solutions, mezzanine floors and office partitions please visit http://www.logicalstorage.co.uk/. Alternatively, please call us on 0845 689 1300 for a tailored proposal.
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