The danger of added pressure for materials handling leading up to Christmas

Christmas time and the long lead up are an exceptionally busy time of year for those working in warehouses, distribution and logistics. With demand high and shops stocking Christmas merchandise earlier and earlier every year, it is crucial that supply chains are prepared well in advance for this manic time of year. With added pressure on the whole system, it is still vital that safe practices are adhered to in order to avoid preventable accidents and issues which can affect your operational efficiency.

To help you cope with the added pressure, we’ve put together some top tips for warehouse operatives and distribution centres during the holiday season.

Review workflow and layout

Ensuring that your warehouse is set up to facilitate the smoothest and quickest workflow is vital for achieving the most streamlined, efficient system. As the old adage goes ‘time is money’, and the quicker standard tasks can be completed, the more work can get done. Evaluate your warehouse layout and your workflow of goods in the run up to the holiday season to make sure that they are optimally efficient. Remember, what has worked throughout the year may not be the best system for Christmastime.

Ensure machinery servicing is up to date

As workload increases, it is all the more important that the materials handling equipment that we rely upon to carry out work is fully functioning. The loss of working hours that can occur as a result of a broken down machine can be significant, particularly at such a busy time. To prevent unexpected failings, make sure your equipment is in top condition by carrying out comprehensive vehicle servicing prior to the uptick in demand.

Hire additional equipment

To keep up with the high volume of deliveries during the festive period, it can be handy to hire some extra plant machinery. Even just the help of another few counterbalance forklifts or pallet trucks could make a valuable addition to productivity. With the welcome help of additional equipment, the temptation to overload your original machinery should also be mitigated, encouraging proper, safe working practices.

Train up temporary staff

Hiring temporary staff to help you cope with this busy period is a common and useful solution. However, you should ensure that such staff have the necessary training to work effectively in your distribution centre otherwise you won’t get the best quality work and dangerous accidents could occur. If your seasonal staff are to be working with any plant machinery, it is particularly vital that they have the necessary certification and training for the equipment you have.

Safety refreshers

When working in a high pressure environment, such as will inevitably occur with the huge influx of work in the lead up to Christmas, it is important that the whole workforce know how to work safely. It is, therefore, a good idea to organise refresher training around this time of year so that correct techniques and health and safety practices are fresh in people’s minds and consistently carried out.

Euro 1 Training offer a variety of high quality training courses for plant machinery. Our courses are comprehensive and our course leaders all have industry experience, ensuring your training is informed by on-the-job expertise. With Euro 1 Training, you can gain certification for many types of machinery, from forklifts to excavators and HGVs. We are ideally placed for clients across Sheffield, Wakefield and Goole. Get in touch with our friendly team today with any enquiries.