Office desk screens: How to make your office safe

Government guidance on COVID-19 workplace safety varies according to how closely your staff come into contact with customers and other people, including the best ways to maintain social distancing and infection control.

For office workers, the advice has pivoted mainly on enabling staff to work from home for long periods during the pandemic response.

This is not always practical. Plus, employers must install social distancing and hygiene control measures for when a return to the office is sanctioned, or for when remote workers need to temporarily re-occupy their head office or branch desks.

Fortunately, suppliers of protective screens have been quick to respond. Beaverswood offers a range of products to segregate staff and stop virus transmission, without interfering with operational needs.

Specifying social distance screens

The best virus protection screens for offices are – of course – clear. This makes sure that workstations, desks and counters are properly lit, and provides the comfort factor of not being ‘boxed off’ and out of sight.

When buying durable protective screens for offices, simplistic installation is important. As is a quality finish that enables regular cleaning of the surface. If it is easily scratched, blurred or stained, it prevents light from passing through and looks scruffy – no one wants that!

However, easy to install hygiene screens that are made of quality materials don’t need to cost a fortune. Beaverwood offers an excellent range of COVID-19 safety products, with prices kept as low as possible.

The price of protective screens is impacted by the type and size you need though. What options are there for COVID office desk screens?

Reception areas and POS counters

Non-intrusive and aesthetically smart reception desk screens can protect staff, without making them look ‘inaccessible”. As part of your customer service standards, you will no doubt want staff to greet your guests, visitors or customers efficiently and warmly, without compromising infection control.

That makes reception desk screens with a gap at the bottom ideal for completing transactions or for issuing site passes or key cards, for example.

Receptions and transaction counters can also benefit from bespoke protection screens, though Beaverswood stocks reception desk protectors 800/1200/1400/1600mm wide and 600mm high for quick delivery.

Extensions for office desk screens

If you already have dividers in your office – but need to adjust them to create additional protection for staff – can you buy desk screen extensions? The short answer is yes!

Beaverswood supplies transparent panels you can clip easily (with adjustable brackets) onto existing workstation or desk dividers. These office desk divider extensions come in various heights and sizes to make them a versatile COVID safety solution for office environments.

Moveable office desk screens

The clear Polycarbonate office segregation systems Beaverswood sells are quick to install. However, there are times when you need to be able to move your protective screens around frequently.

One great solution is to buy office floor freestanding Perspex screens. As the name indicates, you can reposition these screens in modular offices or move them to help with COVID safety during meetings, for example.

Locations for protection screens

Though the different types of office desk screens outlined above are discussed in terms of segregating office or reception staff, there are other situations they can be used for.

For example, the freestanding screens we stock and the countertop versions can be used in staff canteens, cafes and restaurants, and tabletop screens can protect people in healthcare and professional service consultation rooms.

Our freestanding clear hygiene screens work well to protect customers in beauty and hair businesses too.

You could even adapt some of these reliable hygiene screens to provide COVID-control at leisure centres, gyms, libraries and theatres.

How to maintain COVID safety in offices

If you’re not sure which category of office desk screens you need, or you want a large consignment of new protective screens to improve infection control in your workplace, please get in touch. The Beaverswood team would be pleased to help you find the best sizes and types of screens for offices, reception areas and POS counters.

Also, we can provide made-to-order office desk screens for COVID protection.

Anti-slip roll: Where to install in your workplace

One ‘slip up’ with your flooring could cause injury, and cost you H&S fines, lost productivity and a dented reputation. Yet the best anti-slip roll paves the way for better floor safety.

Accidents involving wet, greasy or sticky floors can be costly, but preventable. They contribute to the biggest cause of workplace injuries – trips, slips and falls – and therefore to absenteeism and millions of pounds of lost revenue for the UK economy.

They can also damage your reputation as an employer and a supplier, particularly if you fail a Health & Safety inspection for something so easy to guard against.

It is certainly an issue the HSE ‘comes down hard on’. It covers it extensively in its ‘Getting to grips with slips and trips’ guidelines.

One of the most valuable safety products you can buy to prevent this type of accident is a humble but effective anti-slip roll. This ingenious self-adhesive tape costs very little, but creates a reliable surface underfoot, even in challenging work environments.

However, knowing the best version to specify, and where to apply an anti-slip roll in your workplace helps in optimising all the advantages it provides.

Features that ‘mark out’ anti-slip roll

You can buy various types of floor markings, and some may claim to provide a reasonable amount of traction for foot traffic. However, there are important design aspects that set anti-slip roll apart from other floor tapes.

This includes the fact the tape is made from a specially manufactured thick carrier that’s been combined with diamond-hard aluminium oxide. This is a proven combination to create a highly effective slip prevention surface.

The adhesive used also needs to be a specialist type, that creates a reliable, pressure-sensitive fix without damaging the surface beneath.

This sort of tape is also hard, durable and water-resistant. Adding to its value as a safety product in areas where there is excessive moisture.

Make sure the product you buy also has the ability to create an anti-slip surface where grease and other floor pollutants can settle, and in areas where there could be extremes in temperature.

Anti-slip roll performance measures

Buying the best anti-slip tape for commercial floors doesn’t need to involve great expense, but it does ‘pay’ to only purchase quality versions. Leading anti-slip roll brands can be used in a multitude of both internal and external locations, for example.

Also, you need a safety tape product that adheres to concrete, tarmac and other common flooring materials, easily and completely. It must stand up to considerable wear and tear. This can be vital, as slip prevention tape that frays, peels back or lifts too easily not only fails to do its job, it could present a trip hazard too!

Plus, finding a supplier of reliable anti-slip roll ensures you don’t have to replace your floor markings and surface layers too often. Saving time and money.

Anti-slip roll added bonuses

Beaverswood anti slip yellow and black roll tape

The best anti-slip tape rolls are also multi-purpose. For example, tape in the universal warning colours of yellow and black flags up high-risk areas in your workplace.

Or, you can use floor tape that’s anti-slip as a directional and segregation aid, marking out pedestrian boundaries or indicating the edge of steps, curbs and other structures. Anti-slip rolls even offer a way to mark out safe manoeuvring areas for off-road vehicles in warehouses, for example.

Planning taped floor areas

As this is such a low cost but high-value safety product, you don’t need to be frugal in your usage.

Your latest workplace risk assessment may well suggest areas that need anti-slip tape replacement, or new risks from wet or polluted floors. This is especially true in the winter months when feet can drag in moisture and debris.

Find anti-slip rolls in different widths, so you can fit it easily into a variety of different locations, including thinner tapes for steps or tight spaces. Another example would be sourcing wider anti-slip tape rolls to mark out high-risk walkways, where a fall could put a pedestrian into traffic, or some other workplace danger.

Don’t forget the best anti-slip rolls come in different colour choices too, so you can vary their use and safety ‘signals’.

Beaverswood supplies a range of anti-slip roll widths, in Black/Yellow, Yellow, Black, Green and Grey.

We also sell clear anti-slip tape for when aesthetics matter, but you still need to keep people’s feet stable. Such as in foyers and entrances, or on potentially slippy areas within public buildings.

Do you need made-to-order anti-slip rolls, in a particular width or colour?

Get in touch with Beaverswood’s versatile customer service team, to get a firm hold on your floor surfaces.

The best anti-slip tape to keep your staff safe this winter

Protecting employees often begins at ground level. When Winter increases the risk of damp floors within workplaces, how can rolls of the best anti-slip tape be an ideal H&S problem-solver?

Some of the wettest Winter months on record were experienced in parts of the UK in 2020/21. This also means sunshine in England and Wales was in very short supply last winter.

Could the Winter of 2021/22 bring more of the same, or worse?

The reason this matters to employers is not simply because snow, ice and torrential rain effects staff mood and transport. More wetness means more chance of moisture transfer into workplaces, creating serious Health & Safety risks.

This is the sort of Winter peril that adds extra stress to factories, warehouses and other buildings that use or store liquids too, or which tend to have a lot of moisture in the air. Creating multiple ways floors can become damp.

As slips, trips and falls are the biggest cause of accidents in UK workplaces, it’s an issue that demands constant attention.

Easy way to stay on top of floor safety in Winter

For many companies, the quickest, cheapest and most obvious solution is finding the best anti-slip tape. Especially as modern manufacturing methods mean you can buy anti-slip tape that does an outstanding job!

How can a simple roll of tape be such an advantage when you’re looking for anti-slip flooring materials to eliminate Winter risks in workplaces?

For one thing, it’s a versatile option.

You can fix specialist floor tape down anywhere, in any situation, including stairs, doorways, and loading bays, as well as many outdoor locations. There will be a size and type of tape that matches any situation.

Also, you create a good grip on floors – without adding a trip hazard – as tape lies flush to the ground. If you choose a product that offers the assurance of an immediate fix for many slippery surfaces, that’s strong enough not to peel pack, fray or snag, of course.

Clearly, much depends on sourcing the best waterproof anti-slip tapes, that feature heavy-duty adhesive for permanent and reliable grip.

What else to look for in the best anti-slip tapes

The leading range of anti slip tape rolls offer you more important benefits too. Passing reference has already been made to how rolls of special flooring tape from safety product suppliers provide a semi-permanent solution.

That’s due to the incredible durability of modern anti-slip tapes. You won’t have to replace configurations frequently

Also, our anti slip tapes are quick and easy to apply, but it’s likely to surprise you what a hard, tough surface they create. That’s because the thick moisture-resistant material used has been impregnated with diamond-hard aluminium oxide.

Now that’s good grip!

Our anti slip tape has also been rigorously tested and approved as a way of managing wet floors, even when oil or grease is mixed in with the moisture.

Giving employers ‘strong’ peace of mind that feet will be firm on walkways and stairs, to protect your safety record year-round.

Options for the best anti-slip floor tape

As well as buying anti slip tape in various sizes – to fit your needs flawlessly – you can also opt for different colours or a clear anti slip tape. This gives you an ideal way to use tape that creates grip as a warning and directional aid too.

The availability of different colours of anti slip flooring materials is also significant when aesthetics matter.

For example, you may simply want to be confident of a non-slip surface in warehouse environments and a yellow/black zigzag tape is ideal as a risk warning too.

However, in the foyers and hallways of buildings, managing foot-traffic safety in winter requires flooring materials that prevent slipping, but also look good. Making transparent anti slip tape rolls a superb option.

Where to buy products to beat Winter slippage

Did you know that every snowflake has six sides or points, to enable water molecules to form in the most efficient way? Also, snowflakes are clear, not white (it’s a trick of the light).

More importantly, the most efficient and clearest way to combat the risks of snow, ice and rain creating slippery surfaces in your workplace is to contact us. We can provide low prices and fast delivery for the best anti-slip tape rolls for your site.

The best high-visibility safety products for your warehouse

We process visual information in as little as 13 milliseconds, according to neuroscientists¹. So, the best high-visibility safety products for warehouses should top all H&S purchase lists.

To remain H&S compliant you must be ‘seen’ to take site safety very seriously. You also need to look closely at the visual signs, signals and prompts that you give to your staff and visitors, by using the best high-visibility safety products.

Hi-vis items are important because the human eye is your first line of defence against workplace hazards. This is why clothing with fluorescent panels or strips is such a crucial part of site safety in many places.

A flash of bright colour can prevent accidents and save lives. Particularly when it’s yellow, the universally accepted colour to indicate a need for caution.

Sometimes it’s the design and positioning of safety signs, floor markings, bollards and visual aids that are important too. The sort of factors that can turn an inanimate object into an important visual signal.

According to the company that invented Post-It notes (3M), the human brain can process visual references 60,000 times faster than text.

This all makes it important to find a cost-effective supplier of visual safety products, the sort of structures, fixtures and signs that communicate risks to your site uses, in a compelling and versatile way.

Especially in places like warehouses where vehicles and pedestrians need to move around seamlessly and safely!

So, what are the best high-visibility safety products for warehouses, that are also low cost and easy to instal?

Floor-level communications and control

Making ground-level communication unmissable is a particular challenge in warehouses.

Site users – and off-road vehicle drivers – can become focused on structural obstacles, doorways or their destinations, overlooking floor level hazards. As well as important directional information signalled using floor marking products.

Also, as the leading cause of workplace accidents in the UK is slips, trips and falls, it’s another reason your floor is in need of the best high-visibility safety products.

Fluorescent footprint stickers are a great example of a simple ‘step in the right direction’! You can also blend bright-coloured text warning stickers with high-vis symbols and floor marking tapes, to get people moving around safely.

Unmissable safety signals for vertical surfaces

Keeping important safety information and directional guides at eye level also requires you to use lots of vertical surfaces for communication purposes. Such as clear signs that provide crucial H&S information, and safety graphics that can be applied to warehouse walls.

Even something as simple as commissioning racking bay markers and end signs in yellow (or other bright colours) can make your operations run smoother, and avoid confusion which in turn can lead to accidents.

Adaptable hi-vis products for warehouse layouts

Sometimes the best high-visibility safety products are the most ingenious but straightforward ones.

The perfect illustration is fluorescent column protectors for warehouses and the ever-popular metal Armco safety barriers with high-vis safety ends and corners. Easy to spot and a great site asset.

This type of unmissable safety product can be ordered in a diverse range of shapes, sizes and configurations, to fit around all the risk areas in your workplace. You can also choose from permanent, semi-permanent or moveable hi-vis fixtures that increase warehouse safety.

The key thing is, they will get their message across brilliantly!

Where to buy the best high-visibility safety products

Authentically hi-vis products for workplaces are ‘clearly’ far more effective as an accident-prevention measure. Compared to safety fixtures and signage that blend into the background.

Quality counts though, as these site safety fixtures, fittings and signs must be finished professionally and made from quality materials, so their visual impact is durable and reliable.

Specifying the best high-visibility safety products for your warehouse also means planning how to apply them to your site layout and usage properly. Including options that are only semi-permanent, so you can respond quickly to changing needs.

This all relies on finding a supplier of visually-unmissable products and good advice for site safety.

Contact us for help, quotes and a fast turnaround on the best high-visibility safety products for your warehouse.

¹ We process visual information in as little as 13 milliseconds

How To Protect Electric Vehicle Charging Bays

As the UK green revolution gathers pace, many companies are considering the steps involved in planning, specifying and then protecting EV charging stations. How can you protect electric vehicle charging bays?

The Government’s ten-point plan for a ‘green industrial revolution’ in Britain is backed by £12 billion of investment. It includes a wholesale switch to electric vehicles and the current aim is to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.

To accelerate and support this ‘drive’, £1.3 billion of funding has been earmarked to create a nationwide electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Siting and supporting charging bays in workplaces

Naturally, companies which operate fleets – or which have large staff or visitor car parks – will be keen to be at the front of the queue for EV charge point funding! However, even small organisations will need to provide access to at least one electric vehicle charging bay.

The Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) is a source of excellent information on EV charging station grants, and there is application assistance online.

Fortunately, companies which supply the tech needed are plentiful. They can help employers and public bodies to choose the best locations for this complex equipment. As well as providing assistance in tackling issues such as DNO and safety requirements, and planning regulations.

What else do you need, to optimise electric vehicle charging bays on commercial premises, public highways or within company car parks? Beaverswood has two ingenious products to help you protect electric vehicle charging bays.

Make your EV charging stations easy to see

electric charging stencil

Once your equipment is in situ, you will have three main priorities.

Firstly, to protect it from damage and avoid interruptions in this essential service. Secondly, you will want to help drivers locate and use EV charging points swiftly and with no hassle.

However, making sure that electric car drivers locate your charging points quickly is not just about keeping things running smoothly. It also avoids them blocking access to other vehicles and creating traffic safety risks. Especially on sites where LGV and HGV are constantly on the move, or you have pedestrians to consider too.

Floor level graphics for EV charging bays

One of the best ways to safeguard an expensive EV charging station is to make your locational signage 100% clear and impossible to miss! This is not always easy as the bay will be on public roads, within sites where commercial vehicle operate or tucked away at busy car parks!

Putting your signage at ground level can be the ideal solution, for any location, to protect electric vehicle charging bays.

Beaverswood has put together everything you need to mark out EV charging bays in one handy product. Including a stencil to create a universally recognised graphic, high-performance outdoor paint that works well on multiple surfaces and a no-mess paint applicator.

The paints in our electric vehicle charging stencil kit are red, yellow or white, so you can colour code the graphic.

You can also buy the 600mm x 600mm EV charging point graphic stencil on its own.

If you want a made to order stencil (to vary the dimensions) or an EV charging bay graphic as part of a consignment of other traffic management stencils, we would be happy to quote for a bespoke order.

Flexible Delineators

Flexi delineator posts

Having found the best method to mark out EV charging stations, the next consideration is a system to guide vehicles to them smoothly, minimising any potential for impact with pedestrians, other drivers or on-site structures.

Our flexible delineator range is perfect for this, not least as it can be installed quickly and securely on tarmac or concrete surfaces.

Just like many other traffic management products we sell, this range features high vis polyurethane. Making the posts remarkably durable and weather resistant, and able to flex and bend when a driver misjudges distances. They even spring back into shape when a vehicle drives over them!

The aim though is to make your EV charge bay easy to manoeuvre into, using the delineator posts and chains as a logical guide.

Sign of the times

Like many of the high-quality workplace signage and safety aids we sell, both of the above are low-cost solutions.

However, they are an important way to mark out EV charging bays to protect your investment and make accessing your charging stations a streamlined process.

To discuss more bright ideas to make your premises a better protected and productive work environment, please get in touch.

Top 10 Warehouse Safety Tips

Author: Beaverswood® | Last Updated:January 2024

Warehouses can be potentially dangerous environments and can generate a wide range of risks for employees, which is why we have compiled our Top 10 Warehouse Safety Tips.

Some companies exceed Health & Safety standards which not only shows their dedication to safety but also boosts employee loyalty and aids recruitment. Additionally, it helps prevent productivity problems caused by safety mishaps and oversights, which can lead to delays and disruptions.

To help you improve warehouse safety, here are our Top 10 Warehouse Safety Tips.

1. Create a Strong Signage System

Ensure that the warehouse is equipped with easily understandable and highly visible warehouse signage to effectively convey safety guidelines, emergency exit locations, and areas with potential hazards. By prominently displaying these signs, any confusion can be minimised, and overall awareness can be improved.

2. Regularly assess weight restrictions

Despite the advancements in automated technology, warehouses still rely on manual lifting and carrying to some extent. Back injuries pose a significant challenge for workers in these industries. It is essential to regularly review weight restrictions for your storage racks and lifting mechanisms and ensure that warning labels and staff information are always kept current.

3. Consider shelving units’ maximum weight capacity

Not only is it important to think about weight restrictions when employees are manually lifting items, but you must also consider the weight capacity of the storage rack or shelving unit. If the weight of items on a warehouse shelf exceeds its maximum capacity, it can lead to structural damage, potential collapse, and compromise safety.

The use of Max UDL labels ensure warehouses comply with safety regulations and avoid excessive weight that can cause structural problems. This protects inventory, equipment, and personnel from potential harm.

4. Implement anti-slip measures

Slip and fall accidents are a common danger in industrial settings, causing various injuries such as fractures, sprains, and concussions.

By adopting efficient and cost-effective anti-slip measures such as anti-slip footprints, anti-slip stair treads and adhesive anti-slip tapes, you can establish a safe work environment and minimise the chances of accidents.

Implementing anti-slip measures not only ensures compliance with safety regulations but also protects employees and enhances the company’s reputation.

5. Minimise waste and eliminate unnecessary clutter

Minimising waste and eliminating unnecessary clutter in a warehouse is essential for meeting productivity, recycling and space-saving targets.

Racksack® offer a practical solution to efficiently manage waste and maximise storage space. By securely hanging them on different fixtures, they create a clutter-free environment with their spacious open mouth, allowing easy disposal of waste. This not only optimises storage capacity but also minimises the need for additional storage facilities.

Additionally, ensuring the continuous removal of waste and organising it into separate Racksacks contributes to creating a safer workplace for warehouse employees.

6. Implement Warehouse Impact Protectors

It is essential to carefully assess your workspace and identify areas that may require impact protectors such as corners, pillars, doorways, and posts, as they may need to be re-evaluated to safeguard both your vehicles and staff.

By using versatile high visibility materials that are designed to absorb impact, you can effectively shield every edge and corner. Consider incorporating polyWRAP column protectors and safety ends to further enhance the protection measures throughout your warehouse.

7. Keep your Employees Informed

Having logical access to important safety and operational information is extremely important. To ensure that your commercial display boards, health & safety documents, and inspection documentation are well-maintained, it is essential to use the latest products that provide excellent visibility and clarity.

Modulean® shadow boards are the ideal solution for keeping your employees informed of important information as they boost organisation and visual management in the workplace.

8. Arrange Regular Training Sessions

When you’re under pressure to reach performance targets, don’t overestimate the level of your workforce’s understanding and awareness.

It is important to acknowledge that not all individuals retain information or acquire new skills at the same rate. Therefore, implementing continuous staff training modules and refreshers is a sensible approach and can help contribute to the overall efficiency, safety, and effectiveness of warehouse operations.

9. Review Exterior Warehouse Safety

Exterior spaces in warehouses frequently include the movement of vehicles like trucks, forklifts, and delivery vehicles. Reviewing these areas are crucial for maintaining a secure and efficient work environment.

Speed-reducing ramps are effective in reducing the risk of accidents and collisions by slowing down vehicle traffic and creating a safer environment for pedestrians. Alternatively, you could use flexible traffic bollards combined with plastic chains which can help separate traffic and pedestrian routes.

10. Perform Regular Safety Checks

It is necessary to perform both regular and comprehensive safety assessments in your warehouse to fulfil your health and safety responsibilities.

To keep track of this effectively, attach an asset tag marker to each piece of equipment, provide a handy checklist, and establish a system to record inspection dates. By taking this proactive approach, you can ensure the safety of your warehouse environment.

Making the workplace work smarter

All our Top 10 Warehouse Safety Tips share a common theme and that is to have a reliable supplier of high-quality products that ensure effective communication, control, and risk management in your workspace.

Therefore, we recommend browsing our extensive range or contacting us to discuss your safety shopping list.