Programme overview
Introduction:
Warehouse safety depends on how well forklifts, pedestrians, racking and loading docks are kept apart and under control. Most serious warehouse injuries come from vehicles striking people, loads falling from trucks or racks, trucks leaving dock edges and manual handling, and each of these usually follows a gap that a trained supervisor could have spotted. This Core Concept course gives warehouse supervisors and HSE officers practical methods to assess site hazards, control forklift and pedestrian traffic, inspect racking and docks and run audits. Participants finish with a Warehouse Traffic Management Plan and Safety Audit Report for a case site.
Course Objectives:
- Profile warehouse hazards and rank them using a site hazard register and the hierarchy of control
- Design traffic routes, pedestrian segregation and crossing points using the safe site, safe vehicle and safe driver model
- Supervise forklift and powered industrial truck use through pre-use checks, capacity plate reading, load stability rules and operator competence records
- Inspect pallet racking, stacking and storage areas, and control battery charging and refuelling zones
- Control loading dock and trailer operations to prevent trailer creep, early departure and falls from dock edges
- Produce a Warehouse Traffic Management Plan and Safety Audit Report with KPIs for a case site
Target Audience:
- Warehouse and distribution centre supervisors who allocate forklift work and control daily floor activity
- HSE officers who inspect storage areas, material handling equipment and loading docks
- Shift team leaders who brief operators and pickers and enforce safe working rules
- Yard and dock coordinators who schedule trailers, containers and vehicle movements
- Facilities and maintenance coordinators responsible for racking, charging bays and dock equipment
Course Outline:
Day 1: Warehouse Hazard Profile and Safety Context
- Warehouse Accident Patterns: Vehicle Strikes, Falling Loads, Dock Edge Falls and Manual Handling
- Warehouse Site Hazard Register: Zones, Activities and Exposed Groups
- Hierarchy of Control Applied to Material Handling Equipment
- Supervisor, Operator and Visitor Duties in a Warehouse Safety Procedure
- Current-State Warehouse Safety Snapshot Sheet
Day 2: Traffic Management Models and Material Handling Equipment Principles
- Safe Site, Safe Vehicle, Safe Driver Model for Workplace Transport
- Pedestrian Segregation: Barriers, Walkways, Crossing Points and Exclusion Zones
- Forklift Stability Triangle, Load Centre and Changing Centre of Gravity
- Capacity Plate Reading: Rated Load, Lift Height and Attachment Derating
- Powered Industrial Truck Types: Counterbalance, Reach, Pallet Truck and Order Picker Hazards
Day 3: Forklift Supervision, Racking and Storage Controls
- Forklift Pre-Use Inspection Checklist and Defect Reporting Routine
- Safe Operating Rules: Speed Limits, Travelling Laden, Ramps and Blind Corners
- Battery Charging Bay and Refuelling Point Safety: Ventilation, Spill and Fire Controls
- Pallet Racking Damage Inspection: Traffic-Light Classification and Load Notices
- Safe Stacking and Block Storage: Height Limits, Pallet Condition and Load Securing
Day 4: Loading Docks, Manual Handling, Fire and Incident Control
- Loading Dock and Trailer Safety: Wheel Chocks, Vehicle Restraints and Dock Levellers
- Manual Handling Risk Assessment with Mechanical Aid Selection
- Warehouse Fire Load, Housekeeping Standards and Aisle Obstruction Control
- Forklift and Pedestrian Incident Investigation Using the 5 Whys and Barrier Analysis
- Warehouse Safety Leading and Lagging Indicators: Near Misses, Racking Damage Rate and Audit Scores
Day 5: Case Site Walkthrough and Traffic Management Plan
- Case Distribution Centre Walkthrough: Traffic Routes and Pedestrian Conflict Points
- Case Site Racking, Charging Bay and Dock Inspection Exercise
- Warehouse Safety Audit Scoring and Finding Prioritisation
- Warehouse Traffic Management Plan Drafting: Route Map, Rules and Signage Schedule
- Safety Audit Report Presentation and Peer Challenge
Skills You Will Gain:
- Warehouse Hazard Profiling
- Workplace Transport Planning
- Forklift Operation Supervision
- Racking Damage Assessment
- Loading Dock Control
- Manual Handling Assessment
- Warehouse Incident Investigation
- Safety Audit Reporting
Why Attend This Course:
- Return with a Warehouse Traffic Management Plan and Safety Audit Report built on a case site walkthrough
- Challenge unsafe forklift practice with clear criteria on capacity, stability and pre-use defects
- Spot damaged racking, uncontrolled dock edges and pedestrian conflict points before they cause injury
- Compare warehouse safety practice with peers from retail, manufacturing, logistics and utility stores
Conclusion:
Warehouse safety fails in predictable places: shared routes, overloaded forks, damaged racks, open dock edges and rushed manual lifting. The course moves from the warehouse hazard profile and supervisor duties, through traffic segregation, forklift stability and capacity plates, to pre-use checks, charging bays, racking inspection and stacking, then to docks, manual handling, fire, incidents and KPIs. The final day applies these methods to a case distribution centre and produces a Warehouse Traffic Management Plan and Safety Audit Report ready to use at work.