Preventing accidents with good solutions and the right advice

Support through comprehensive on-site inventory

Anyone who regularly visits a warehouse is familiar with them: the displays at the entrance that state how many incident-free days are on the counter. It symbolizes the great importance companies place on workplace safety. After all, the impact of an accident is enormous. In addition to personal suffering, it can lead to bad publicity, absenteeism and even production downtime. However, it is almost impossible for companies to be aware of all safety solutions. In addition, corporate blindness lurks. Heffiq therefore offers support by making a comprehensive on-site inventory of the possible risks and corresponding solutions.

"During the site visit, we give our eyes a hard look to identify every risk. Are there any speed restrictions? Is everything inspected? Are the right trucks being used for the right jobs? Here we look at three facets: the drivers, the machines and the working environment," says Martijn Veerkamp, commercial director at Heffiq.

Best learning company nomination

"Every year some 150 serious accidents occur in Dutch warehouses. Safety is therefore an important part of our business strategy. We started the Heffiq Academy in 2019 to offer drivers of customers and our own employees thorough training. From generic certificates such as the forklift certificate, to targeted training and refresher courses. This can be done on location or at our professional academy in Vianen. We attach great value to the quality of our training courses, which is why we have experienced in-house trainers, including a teacher who comes from the world of education. They not only ensure that the training is extremely instructive, but also create a pleasant atmosphere so that the participants enjoy the training. We have been nominated for Best Training Company 2024 and of course we are extremely proud of this."

hoarse duck

Heffiq has been an exclusive dealer of Hyster since 1938. Safety is of paramount importance with this American brand, and the machines are inherently very stable and have a high residual carrying capacity. "In addition, we offer numerous safety solutions that we can fit to any brand of forklift. And we can also perform this on site. Take the Streambelt, for example. Drivers often forget to wear the mandatory belt or deliberately omit it because they find it inconvenient. The Streambelt is much more comfortable than the standard forklift belt and its red color means it simply cannot be overlooked. Another solution offers the White Noise Alarm that produces a distinctive sound to alert bystanders. Also jokingly called the "hoarse duck," this alarm is often combined with other safety options such as our camera systems and warning lights. Or with our sidelines that project distinctive red lines on the floor, marking a zone so pedestrians know exactly where they can walk safely. In turn, our OverloadSystem prevents trucks from tipping over by sounding an alarm as soon as the weight on the forklift forks exceeds a set limit."

Surroundings

The layout of a warehouse is the third determinant of safety. "During our inventory, we look at all kinds of facets. From the correct walking lines and avoidable blind spots, to weight distribution on the racks and a logical warehouse layout. For example, we regularly see that in warehouse expansions, the logic that was initially created has disappeared. Often our advice consists of practical adjustments, such as the installation of safety posters, a refresher course or the use of cameras, lasers, et cetera. If the entire warehouse needs a major overhaul, we can call on our partner network for this." 

Speaking of partners, Heffiq is also a professional dealer of the entire Kärcher range. After all, spilled liquids and leftover packaging material pose a safety risk in the form of fall and slip hazards. As a full-line supplier, Heffiq wants to be able to fully support its customers in this crucial safety area as well.