How to Design Your Warehouse Floor
Your warehouse is like the brains of your operation, firing off products left and right as efficiently as possible. None of this is possible, however, without the right procedures and warehouse design in place. Complicating things even more is the fact that no two warehouse designs may be exactly the same.
So what makes a well-designed warehouse floor?
Warehouse Safety Solutions prides itself on delivering any kind of warehouse and mezzanine floor Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane might request. Our bespoke consultation and design team are ready to make your warehousing dream a reality. Just check out this blog first to understand what to expect.
Reflect and Plan
The fact you’re reading this blog is a great start. It’s important to commit to a proper planning process when designing something as complex as a warehouse floor.
Your first step should be analysing your current warehousing practices and identifying your weaknesses to ensure they don’t come up in the new layout.
If this is your first warehouse, it may be advisable to meet with your neighbours or other local warehouses to understand how they tackled their own design – as they may have similar constraints and obstacles.
Consider Your Inventory
Understanding the size, shape, and volume of your inventory will help in choosing your shelving and picking equipment. Make sure to optimise these things to reduce the number of passes it takes to pick your products. The smaller your products, the more refined this can become because you can be more specific in your measurements.
In terms of where each product is allocated, consider the popularity of each and prioritise them at the most accessible parts of your warehouse floor. This way you can cut costs on machine uptime and reduce the time it takes to send each package on its way.
Make it Manoeuvrable
It’s no good optimising the order of your warehouse shelving if your equipment can’t navigate them to pick each product.
Make sure to measure each and every element of your warehouse to be sure they can safely and efficiently get the job done. That includes forklifts, pallet stackers, large vehicles, people, and any extra storage areas you might need.
Plan for the Long-term
If you’re filling this warehouse with products, you’re either planning a massive flash sale, or you’re in it for the long haul – we assume it’s the latter. When designing a warehouse floor, leave some room for your business to grow, or else you’ll be forever upscaling and moving location – a sure-fire route to going broke.
Empty shelves can either be seen as a problem or an opportunity, and at Warehouse Safety Solutions, we see opportunity!
Make It Safe
Warehouses are as good as useless if they’re not safe for the staff who keep them running. So make sure a warehouse safety plan is the first thing you install into any warehouse.
This process will include identifying hazards, providing equipment and signage, and installing barriers. It can be a difficult process if you’re new to the warehousing game. That’s why Warehouse Safety Solutions is passionate about prioritising safety on each warehouse and mezzanine floor.
Get In Touch to Learn More
Our team at WSS is committed to helping you make your workplace safer and more efficient. We can’t wait to help with all your next warehouse floor design. Contact us today at 9720 3675 or visit our website!