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Things You Need To Know About Getting A Warehouse
(This is a contributed post)
If you run a business which is expanding, you may have considered hiring or buying a warehouse space for your products. Particularly for those running online businesses, this might be a new experience which comes with all sorts of concerns. Warehouses are easy and safe ways to store your products before they are shipped, but they also constitute expenses, health and safety concerns and all sorts of other regulations.
When you decide to get a warehouse for your business needs, you have a range of things to consider, from commercial insurance to public liability insurance. There is a lot that goes into running a warehouse and without the proper considerations, your business could become a liability and it could cost you in more ways than just financially. It takes time to plan your business premises, and you should ensure that you include insurance when you decide to rent a warehouse, or even buy one. The more careful you are about your business needs the better, and if you are new to this, take deep breaths. This blog is here to guide you through all you need to know about hiring or buying a warehouse.
Consider The Products You Will Store There
The contents of the warehouse are vital to the type and size of warehouse you will need. If the warehouse is essentially there for storing and packing products, these products need to be perfectly preserved in the space you put them. This means that the warehouse you obtain will need to have the following criteria:
- It needs to be dry. Whatever type of products your business sells, it is likely that they will need to be kept away from damp. Damp causes mold and rotting, which would ruin your product line and cost you serious cash.
- There should be room for all equipment. When sizing up warehouses to buy or hire, you should not just consider the stock you need to retain, but additionally the equipment needed to shift it – such as forklifts, bailers and other heavy duty vehicles.
Adequate Storage
Of course, the warehouse itself is only one component that makes up the adequate storage of your products. Pallet racking, for example, will be needed to organise and store away all the products you have in your warehouse. These storage facilities can cost a huge chunk of your budget. Luckily, you can find second-hand pallet racking, as well as used vehicles like forklifts, from reputable sellers online.
Your Staff and Their Safety
Factoring in the size of the warehouse and the storage within it requires considering the number of staff you can afford to hire. Additionally, all your staff will be required to go through safety training and undergo supervision on the job. If your company hires a warehouse without going through the proper procedures, both in terms of health and safety and in terms of hiring and retaining warehouse staff, you could face fines and even legal action if an accident occurs.
Furthermore, you must consider the general health & safety regulations when setting up your warehouse. You need to have processes in place to keep the warehouse as safe as possible and to prevent as many incidents as you can. Many small businesses opt for HSEQ Software to help them with this, letting them log any incidents, print of any health and safety forms, and maintain control over everything. This helps you stay on top of your business and minimize any risks.
For these reasons, it is also vital that you take out the necessary insurance when obtaining a warehouse for your company. Business insurance will only go so far, so make sure you carefully research the type of insurance that is best for high-risk environments like warehouses. With heavy duty equipment, high shelving and heavy lifting involved, your staff could be at risk if proper safety measures are not taken at all times.
In conclusion, hiring a warehouse for your business is more than the simple action of signing the lease. This step requires careful health and safety planning and budgeting in order to be successful.
