If you work in an industry that involves manufacturing equipment then you know the value of your tools. They are what enables you to do your work and without them, it is essentially impossible to accomplish tasks. These tools can also present dangers, especially to those who are not properly trained in their use. The nature of the value and danger associated with manufacturing equipment leads the vast majority of their owners to consider how they can better store them to increase their security and safety.
Here are three golden rules to keep in mind when you are looking into how to store your manufacturing equipment and materials safely and securely.
Limit Access
The number one risk presented by expensive and hazardous materials and equipment is unauthorized persons getting access to them. Unsavory characters with knowledge of the value of the equipment can try to steal it, or innocent children may try to play with what they find. Either way, the first golden rule of storing your gear is to limit access to it. This often means locking it up in some way. Gortite doors are one of the most popular ways to accomplish this. They are an aluminum roll-up style door that can be fitted into a building or truck to separate your equipment from the outside world.
Protect Your Equipment
While nefarious and innocent people alike are both considerations in keeping your equipment safe and secure, mother nature should also be kept separate from critical materials. In most cases, prolonged exposure to moisture, heat, or even sunlight, can negatively affect manufacturing equipment. Different pieces of equipment designed for different industries can handle different levels of rain, wind, dust or other natural occurrences, but the principle is applied generally; seal off your gear from the outside. Standard toolboxes or even outbuildings can prevent people from entering, but special care must be taken to prevent much smaller dangers. Look for weather ratings when purchasing storage items. If you notice that you are having issues with weather-related elements, purchase a sealant that can be used to shore up the weak points in a roof or door.
Make It Functional
Many options for securing storing equipment are bulky and heavy and can be a pain to lock and unlock. This can be a hindrance to your operation as your tools become less effective to you due to the lack of convenience. The third and final golden rule for safely storing your materials is to strike a balance between security and accessibility.
Mobility is most probably the key to such a balance. Many professionals report the biggest consideration in this balance is that of mobility. Storing equipment on service vehicles can be the easiest way to allow laborers access to their critical tools on site. This can be less secure than simply keeping everything in a locked-down warehouse, but can be a huge difference to a worker who doesn’t have the time to go back and forth to a more secure storage location while on a job.