With the UK’s vaccination programme having been rolled out and offered to every adult, the results are a welcome relief for everybody involved. New infections will fluctuate for some time to come, but thankfully the death rate has dropped dramatically, and the panic associated with the virus seems to be subsiding.
As restrictions ease, it is essential that we do not let our guard down. Cleanliness and social distancing must be enforced for the foreseeable future if we are all to remain safe and halt the spread of the virus. But what has become clear in the past 12 months, is that many of the instructions issued to help keep us safe have now become a habit. Experts say that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic, so to wear a mask, stay socially distant and keep up a routine of hygiene and cleanliness has now become second nature.
In the warehousing world, cleanliness procedures are in place to keep the workforce safe and practices applied to help them stick to their new habits.
Here are our top tips to help maintain warehouse cleanliness and hygiene, in the current situation as well as beyond the pandemic.
Safe pick up and drop off
Provide safe pick up and drop off points at your warehouse premises. Make sure all incoming stock and packages are sanitised and handled carefully. Try not to share pens and tools etc, but if you must, keep the supply sanitary.
Disinfection station
Make disinfecting wipes and or gels available so that personnel can clean as often as they need to. Drivers may want to wipe down their cabs or forklifts between shifts, particularly if they are operated by more than one person.
Ventilation
Keep good ventilation within your facility. Opening windows will help create a draught that will keep the air inside moving. The use of fans could help to draw fresh air in but may also move contaminated air and airborne germs around, so should be used with caution, particularly in staff dense areas.
Work in stages
Keeping a large facility clean and sanitised is a big undertaking. Make employees responsible for a specific area; creating a checklist will help keep track of when each area was last cleaned.
Talk to your workforce
Explaining why these rules are in force will give a better understanding, even for those who have been fully vaccinated. Treat your rules as you would any other health and safety issue; it is an employer’s duty of care to ensure all employees are safe while they are at work.
Are you looking for a warehousing solution in the Cambs, Beds or Herts region?
Situated just outside of St Neots town, with fast access to the A1, A14 and A428, centrally located between Huntingdon, Bedford, Cambourne and Baldock, our location is perfect to provide easily accessible storage and warehousing for Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. You can get in touch with us directly on 01480 215555 or click here for more details.