Due to the sudden uptick of product demands and fast delivery services, supply chains across Canada and the globe are under greater pressure than ever before to produce fast results for the customers. End-to-end logistics operations including warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centres have always operated on incredibly tight schedules, but the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency of delivering certain in-demand products that are difficult to obtain. This forces many warehouse workers to move faster and with greater purpose. But it can also increase potential health and safety risks for warehouse employees.
One way to combat this issue and ensure that proper health and safety measures are in practice is to provide facilities with reliable industrial warehouse lighting solutions in Toronto and the GTA.
Certain government safety standards for warehouse operations are in place for a reason—to protect employees and boost the accuracy and efficiency of the facility. Simply put, proper ambient lighting makes it easier for warehouse workers such as forklift operators to see more clearly and judge distance more accurately when moving inventory and operating heavy machinery.
High-quality and reliable LED warehouse lighting solutions in Toronto can optimize warehouse operational efficiency by making it easier for employees operating various material handling equipment to easily read the labels on certain products and pallets from long distances before moving them. Considering the amount of physical obstacles warehouse workers have to work around, it’s important that they’re able to see long distances in every direction possible so that they easily maneuver their equipment accordingly.
Failure to follow the industrial lighting standards indicated by Canada’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) will result in some pretty hefty fines and penalties. However, avoiding those penalties shouldn’t be the only reason to comply with the rules. Every warehouse owner and supervisor should prioritize the full health, safety, and productivity of their employees to facilitate consistent operational functionality and accuracy.
The benefits of using LED lighting in warehouses are endless. Warehouse operators need ample lighting in order to be able to see long distances ahead of them as well as properly read product inventory labels. Here are some of the most notable ways in which installing high-quality warehouse LED lighting in your Toronto facility can strengthen your operations and make it easier for your employees to do their jobs.
LED lighting solutions emit significantly less electricity than traditional industrial lights. Rather than wasting the majority of energy produced and overheating, LED bulbs convert those excess energy emissions into bright light.
When standard warehouse lights overheat, they can pose a serious fire hazard in your warehouse, especially if they’re installed the wrong way or come into contact with certain chemicals. Lack of proper ventilation in your warehouse can also ignite a fire or cause an explosion if these outdated lighting systems overheat. Since most warehouses operate on a 24/7 schedule with rotating employee shifts, the constant use of overhead lighting could pose a serious fire hazard. LED lights are the better solution because not only do they maintain a mild temperature, but they can also lower your operational energy costs.
Countless studies have shown that working conditions have a significant impact on employee morale, motivation, and productivity. Providing employees with stable, safe, and well-lit working conditions—especially in jobs that require a great deal of movement, accuracy, and consistency—can greatly boost overall performance and ability to work efficiently as a team that’s part of a well-oiled machine. Comfortable working conditions that include a great deal of soft, yet bright lighting creates an energizing effect that encourages your employees to work smarter, not necessarily harder. This yields more positive results for your employees and your operations.
Proper warehouse lighting fixtures that emit the right amount of ambient lighting prevent physical injuries such as eyestrain, headaches, and various bodily aches or joint pains that are a result of overstraining muscles while trying to see clearly in dimly light work conditions. Being able to see properly also prevents on-the-job injuries caused by tripping, bumping into things, or slip-and-fall accidents. This reduces your business insurance premiums for workers’ compensation and prevents business interruption.
Better lighting conditions produce better results from your employees. Dimly lit working conditions make it a lot harder to see and this can result in a lot of mistakes, and it increases the risk of injury. Mistakes have to be corrected and injuries have to be treated and be given time to heal. As you can see, failing to provide proper lighting can have an increasingly negative domino effect on your organization’s operational efficiency and slow down your operations immensely.
Bright lighting that somewhat imitates natural lighting or something close to it without increasing the temperatures in your warehouse makes for better working conditions for your employees, which makes them feel more energized and productive.
Warehouses are typically full of employees bustling about either on foot or using heavy machinery such as forklifts, pallet jacks, hand trucks, and other material handling equipment. With the potential for danger lingering around practically every corner, it’s important that you set your employees up for success by providing them with a well-lit work environment at all times. Being able to see clearly, especially when rounding corners while operating heavy machinery or driving a forklift through a curtained area or tight space, reduces the risk of workplace injuries and structural or equipment damages.
Warehouses that are used to store food and other perishable items need to maintain a certain temperature at all times to prevent spoilage. Traditional industrial lighting emits an exorbitant amount of heat that can rapidly increase the internal temperature of your facility. Not only does this make for some incredibly uncomfortable working conditions—particularly in the summer months—but it can also increase your operational energy bills and place undue pressure on your cooling system. LED lights convert 95% of the energy they emit into light instead of heat, which increases the environmental sustainability of your operations.
Faraday Lighting is synonymous with quality when it comes to providing industrial LED lighting solutions for warehouses in Toronto and the GTA. Our team of experienced lighting technicians do everything from performing in-depth lighting audits of your facility right down to professional installation and product maintenance. Contact us today to learn more.
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