Good Business Storage housekeeping is key!
The phrase ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’ rings true in every aspect of life – none more so than in a warehouse storage environment.
It was once said to me ‘why do we have to tidy up as we go? Can we not just leave it and tidy up once a week on a Friday?’ I asked him that when he was at home did he leave washing the pots, pans, plates and cutlery until Friday or did he keep on top of the washing up. I was glad that he didn’t reply that his mum cleans up after him but I think that I got my point across!
In addition to being important to all things Health and Safety, workers in general much prefer a clean, tidy and organised workplace. They perform better, they enjoy their work more and they adopt an attitude of pride which extends to their individual work performance and therefore increases productivity.
The following basics are not an attempt to re-create the wheel, but are simple pointers which any business storage warehouse manager can adopt:
• Lead by example – Be seen to pick up any litter, discarded shrink-wrap or splintered pallets and deposit in bin. Every employee is far more likely to ‘buy in’ to good housekeeping if they see senior employees respecting their warehouse facilities.
• Ensure there are plenty of bins available – Cloth sacks at the end of fixtures or on walls are both versatile and do not take up much space. These can be emptied periodically into a large skip as a designated job for one storage person. If there is nowhere to place discarded rubbish, people will soon get into the habit of leaving it where it is – leaving the problem to fester!
• Ensure that there are brushes available – Designate areas where brushes are kept when not on use. Place brackets on walls for them to be housed in a safe manner. There will be many occasions when an employee will be in-between tasks or awaiting instruction from a storage supervisor. Make it an un-written rule that if this occurs, spend the time sweeping up – in time, this will become a good habit for all the warehouse workforce.
• Ensure that there are shovels available – These must be housed in the same area as brushes. If they are not available workers will sweep up and leave ‘mounds’ of dust and debris which will eventually be spread underfoot and by pump trucks and fork lift trucks. This is both unsightly and dangerous especially in a warehouse environment.
Generally speaking, you can judge the standards of various workplaces by the housekeeping. It is natural to assume that visual standards mirror the standards of work expected and achieved by any particular organisation.
Here at K2 Storage Solutions, we like to lead by example and good housekeeping is a priority in our business storage warehouse facilities.
David Wilson – K2 Storage Solutions – (December 12th 2011)