Warehouse safety is a significant concern, with the warehousing industry ranking near the top in injuries annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When choosing a third-party logistics (3PL) partner, it’s important to work with a company that has safety at the forefront of its operations.
The biggest reason, of course, is the people. No one wants to work with a company that doesn’t take care of its employees and prioritize their health and safety.
Beyond the human factor, safety helps your business run more smoothly and predictably. If you're working with a partner that doesn't have proper safety protocols implemented, you could be rolling the dice.
Warehouse safety is instrumental for smooth 3PL operations and providing the best service to clients.
Having strong safety protocols in place and processes to reinforce them can:
On the other hand, not focusing on warehouse safety can be detrimental. More accidents are likely, and that leads to fewer workers available for shifts and slower service levels. Not having control of safety practices can also indicate that the company doesn't have control of its entire operation.
Partnering with a 3PL provider that doesn’t take safety seriously can affect your timelines, costs and quality. If a 3PL employee gets hurt, the company not only needs to stop and help investigate what happened, but it also needs to pull people off other tasks to take over the person’s responsibilities. There can be equipment involved in the accident that may need to be pulled off the line as well. Overall, it’s a snowball effect that significantly slows down the day-to-day operations, which, in turn, slows down yours.
The concept of employee morale is especially important. An employee that feels unsafe isn’t going to want to put in their best work. If they or a coworker is injured on the job, it can impact their confidence, lower their motivation and possibly cause them to seek employment elsewhere. An engaged employee puts in their best effort, meaning the quality of their work is higher (which translates to better service for you).
To feel at ease with your selected 3PL provider, start with some basic questions to understand their approach to warehouse safety. Consider the following:
At G&B Fulfillment, we take our employees’ safety very seriously. Our processes address a variety of aspects that impact safety in the warehouse, making sure that workers are confident and careful.
Here are some of the measures we take:
Our employees also take part in regular safety training, during which we review our safety plans and conduct practice drills. As a company located in California, we must keep natural disasters top of mind. We have developed emergency preparedness procedures for fire, lockdowns and natural disasters such as earthquakes. This helps our employees respond to real-life scenarios with efficiency and without panicking. Everyone knows where to go, what to do and where to exit.
Communication is absolutely vital to safety. We encourage communication across all departments and among all employees, at every level. This includes an open-door policy among management and the opportunity for anonymous feedback and suggestions. We hold (at least) weekly meetings with every employee to discuss the work ahead, celebrate successes and address concerns.
Partnering with a 3PL provider that keeps safety as a top priority is going to be best for you in the long run. Reach out to G&B Fulfillment today to learn more about our fulfillment services and safety practices.