Workplace safety for an e-shop warehouse

An e-shop starts in a living room and ends in a hall with racking and a forklift. Safety and fire protection duties grow with it, but most operations only notice when the first accident or the first inspection arrives. Here is what a warehouse needs.

What you need from your first employee

• initial OSH training and refresher training at least every two years (Section 7(1) and (5) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.),
• a written risk assessment document and a list of PPE provided (Section 6(1)(c) and (d) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.),
• occupational health service and work categorisation (Section 21(3) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.),
• fire protection training on entry and then every 24 months (Section 22 of Decree No. 121/2002 Coll.),
• fire protection documentation under Section 9(2) of Act No. 314/2001 Coll.,
• records of occupational accidents and the reporting duties under Section 17 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.

Manual handling of loads

Packing, picking and loading fall under Government Regulation No. 281/2006 Coll. on minimum safety and health requirements for the manual handling of loads. You need to assess the weight of loads, their shape, the frequency, the pick height and trunk rotation, and wherever possible replace manual handling with equipment: pallet trucks, conveyors, lift tables. The assessment must be part of the written risk assessment, not a verbal agreement.

Racking

Racking is equipment with a load capacity, and it has to be inspected. In practice:

• a legible label with the maximum load per beam level and per bay on every rack,
• regular inspections of the condition of the racking with a written record, at least once a year and after every impact by a truck,
• withdrawal of a damaged upright or beam from service, not welding it in place,
• anchoring of the racking and corner protection along handling aisles,
• the rule that nobody climbs the racking instead of using a ladder.

Forklift trucks

Operating a powered truck requires a certificate issued on the basis of professional competence (Section 16 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.). Besides the certificate you need records of operators, regular refresher training, work-related medical examinations, traffic and operating rules for the site, and regular checks and maintenance of the truck according to the manufacturer's instructions. Charging traction batteries is a separate risk: hydrogen, ventilation of the area and a ban on open flames.

Storage of flammables and packaging

Cardboard, film and plastic packaging are fire load. If you store flammable liquids or pressure vessels, stricter requirements apply. The basics that must be right in every warehouse: designated and marked no smoking and no open flame areas, portable fire extinguishers in the quantity set by Section 9 of Decree No. 347/2022 Coll. checked once a year, hydrants checked under Section 15 of Decree No. 699/2004 Coll., free access to extinguishers, hydrants and main switches rather than pallets in front of them, free and marked escape routes under Government Regulation No. 387/2006 Coll., and preventive fire inspections under Section 14 of Decree No. 121/2002 Coll.

If you weld or cut in the warehouse, this is an activity with an increased risk of fire under Section 1(1) of Decree No. 121/2002 Coll. and you need a permit and a fire watch.

Seasonal staff

The pre-Christmas peak is the riskiest period of the year. A temporary worker is entitled to the same training as a permanent employee, before starting work and not at the end of the week: initial training, instruction about the specific workplace, assigned PPE and a signed record.

Electrical equipment and lighting

Extension leads, charging stations, packing machines and hand tools are subject to inspections and tests; since 1 May 2025 under STN 33 1630:2025, which replaced STN 33 1600 and STN 33 1610 with parallel use until 1 May 2027. The hall's electrical installation is dedicated technical equipment under Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. Emergency lighting of escape routes must work and be tested.

Ask for a quotation for your warehouse, send us the floor area and the number of employees including seasonal staff.