As the winter approaches, overcoming certain challenges is at the core of a business, but logistics professionals face even greater challenges! While modern innovations have minimized some operational hurdles and vulnerabilities, still some concerns are left when it comes to the safety of workers, inventory, and overall warehouse operations.
Damaged stock and frozen pipes could mean a substantial repair and replacement costs, along with the business interruption, delays, and broken contracts – and can even end up trading altogether.
We simply can’t control Mother Nature, but we can put efforts and take the necessary steps to mitigate the risk of roof collapsing and other property damages.
By taking reasonable steps such as keeping the drains clear of ice, regular inspection of the roof, following a snow removal procedure, warehouse managers can effectively maintain a safer work environment through the coldest months.
Let’s continue reading to how you can prepare your warehouse during chilly weather:
Keep Your Warehouse Warm
Naturally, your warehouse tends to get cold during winter. Plus, with the frequent closing and opening of the door during day and night, it seems challenging for workers to work in such an uncomfortable environment. Following things you can do to maintain the temperature inside:
- Make sure the loading doors have plastic sheeting that allows smooth movement as well as provide a barrier from exterior elements. Also, make sure that the loading area doors are well sealed and maintained. Check if the motor is functioning properly. This will minimize the likelihood of a door to get stuck open in the cold weather.
- Winter season is known to be the cause of equipment malfunction or downtime. Inspect your equipment like lift trucks and others if they are in good working condition. Employers should not only ensure the forklifts to be checked and inspected, but also provide forklift certification to the operators. Trained operators know how to drive the forklift correctly to prevent tipping-overs, hazards, and worker injuries.
- Improving the warehouse airflow can make a huge difference in maintaining the overall climate inside your facility. By installing high volume low-speed fans, you can not only move warm air inside the facility but buy also reduce your utility bills. Check the warehouse layout if it needs a shelving upgrade.
- One of the best solutions is adding more electric radiators to create a good amount of warmth for large spaces.
- Make sure to give your HVAC system a good service so that it can function as efficiently as possible.
Do a Roof Inspection
Check the warehouse roofs if there are stains, leaks, or cracks. If it has a flat roof, make sure to drain the collected water in the water pools. Pay attention to flashing near walls, vent pipes, and other openings where water can penetrate. Clear your downspouts and gutters to prevent water buildup and clogging. Have good insulation from the outside to reduce heat transfer.
Have a Back-Up to Prevent Data Loss
While a physical inspection of a warehouse is important, make sure your electronic equipment and computer systems are protected from the impacts of winter. With the massive amount of data stored in computers, you can risk losing the critical data and having to change costly hardware if it fails to function unexpectedly.
Reduce the risk of losing data by ensuring emergency backups in place. Install UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) systems to protect files, reduce downtime, and maintain productivity. Backing up your files is one of the greatest IT rules of all time. You can even consider a cloud storage service to make sure that the data is being protected and stored in a secure location offsite.
Conclusion
These are a few important things you need to address in your warehouse. By preparing your team members, and warehouse, logistics and distribution managers can make sure the entire process runs smoothly during the cold and adverse weather conditions throughout the year!
