Increase Staff Efficiency Through A Solid Warehouse Maintenance Plan

Warehouse owners must be ready to face all kinds of problems. Maintenance issues are undoubtedly one of them, but your facility could get out of control fast without trust in your team. It is imperative to review your maintenance plan often to increase efficiency.

Different maintenance tasks will arise at different times depending on if it is a warehouse or production facility. Some things can be done daily, while others can be done once or twice a week. 

Typically, the following should be kept in mind.

Daily:

Go around checking all of your equipment to make sure it is clean and free of debris that could interfere with the operation of the equipment. Also, check for any damaged parts or faulty wiring that may need to be replaced or repaired. If you find faulty wiring, make sure to shut down the machine right away and not use it.

Monthly:

Check all of your electrical equipment, including the compressors on your air conditioning unit, ice maker in your freezer, refrigerator, etc.; check pneumatic devices like air-operated valves; check hydraulic equipment like pumps or presses, etc. Make sure to check the oil level of all your equipment that requires it during this time.

Also, have an inspection for safety purposes of all your warehouse facilities, including stairs, dock doorways, walkways, cargo bay areas, and so on. Make sure not to overlook any possible safety hazards, new or old.

Quarterly:

Go through your facility and look specifically for signs of rust or corrosion, leaking equipment, spilled chemicals spilling onto the floor, etc. Repair as needed.

Bi-annually:

Inspect your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system to ensure it is running correctly. If you have a dehumidifier, inspect that as well for any leaks or spills. Please get rid of all standing water as soon as you spot it.

Annually:

Inspect all safety switches and valves to make sure they are working correctly. Clean the dust from every machine that has a filter, including electrical and pneumatic equipment.

Make sure all your building codes are up to date and compliant with local laws. Go through your standards operating procedures book from front to back for anything that needs to be updated or revised. This is an excellent time for this, so get it done while you’re at it.

Perform a thorough inspection on all of your forklifts, making sure they are in good working order. This is a great time to go over the basics of properly running and maintaining your forklift.

Any piece of equipment with moving parts or pressurized fluids needs to be regularly inspected for leaks and worn bearings/bushings. Ensure you have enough pallet jack spare parts. Make sure to check all valves on your compressed air unit. Also, make sure to inspect the belt on any driven equipment like tractors or forklifts.

Preventative Maintenance

A warehouse can be a busy facility with lots of moving parts. Ensure you provide all your employees with training on maintaining their workstations and keep watch for any maintenance issues that arise. If someone finds a problem, have them report it right away so you can get it repaired before it becomes worse.