5 Best Practices with Barriers That Keep Warehouses WHS Compliant

Date Posted:7 October 2025 

Safer warehouses start here. Discover 5 WHS compliance best practices for using safety barriers to protect staff, equipment, and infrastructure while reducing risks.

Compliance and Safety: Meeting WHS Standards with Warehouse Barriers

Warehouse safety is of paramount importance, not only to protect inventory and equipment but also to ensure the safety of workers. For businesses operating in environments like warehouses and distribution centres, adhering to Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations is critical.

WHS standards in Australia set strict guidelines to ensure workplace safety across various industries, including warehousing. One of the most effective ways to meet these safety requirements and improve overall safety is through the installation of warehouse barriers.

In this blog, we’ll walk through 5 best practices for using barriers that help warehouses stay WHS compliant. Each practice highlights how barriers not only reduce risks but also keep operations running smoothly and efficiently.

 

What Are WHS Standards for Warehouse Safety?

WHS regulations establish and enforce workplace safety standards in Australia. In the context of warehouses, these guidelines aim to reduce accidents and injuries that can occur during the daily operations of moving goods, handling materials, and operating machinery.

The WHS requirements relevant to warehouses primarily focus on:

  • Safe Material Handling and Storage: Ensuring that goods are safely stored and handled to avoid injuries caused by falling objects or improper storage practices.

  • Forklift and Equipment Safety: Implementing guidelines on the safe use of forklifts, pallet jacks, and other industrial vehicles.

  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Providing employees with appropriate protective equipment, such as helmets, gloves, and other personal safety gear, is a non-negotiable requirement. Outfitting teams with the right PPE clothing is one of the most effective ways to meet this obligation and reduce injuries.

  • Safe Environmental Design: Creating safe environments through the design of spaces that limit the potential for accidents.

Understanding these requirements is the foundation for the 5 best practices we’ll outline next. Each practice shows how warehouse barriers directly support WHS compliance while giving businesses a clear, practical path to safer operations.

extended yellow safety guard rail fencing outdoor warehouse

 

Best Practice 1. Preventing Forklift Accidents

Forklifts and other material handling equipment are essential for moving goods in a warehouse. However, they are also responsible for a significant number of warehouse injuries, including collisions with workers, inventory, and infrastructure. According to WHS guidelines, maintaining a safe environment for operating forklifts is crucial to preventing accidents.

How Warehouse Barriers Help:

  • Physical Barriers for Traffic Control: Installing safety barriers along high-traffic areas or near dangerous zones such as loading docks and intersections can prevent forklifts from accidentally veering off course. Bollards and barriers act as a physical boundary, clearly marking areas where vehicles and pedestrians are not permitted to cross. This reduces the chance of forklift operators unintentionally driving into restricted areas.

  • Protecting Pedestrian Walkways: Barriers are also an effective way to separate pedestrian walkways from forklift paths, helping reduce the risk of accidents involving workers. WHS requirements mandate that pedestrian traffic be kept away from operating machinery, and the installation of these barriers helps reinforce this safety standard.

  • Minimising Damage to Infrastructure: Barriers help protect not only people but also vital infrastructure, such as walls, columns, and shelving units. By preventing forklifts from colliding with these structures, warehouse barriers contribute to reducing downtime due to damage and avoid costly repairs.

While barriers play a critical role in WHS compliance, selecting the right type is just as important. At Verdex, we offer a wide range of material handling equipment and barrier solutions designed to meet both safety needs and regulatory standards.

 

Best Practice 2. Preventing Falling Objects and Material Handling Hazards

WHS regulations also mandate that warehouses take measures to prevent objects from falling and causing harm. The storage and movement of materials must be carried out in a manner that eliminates the risk of injury from falling items.

How Warehouse Barriers Help:

  • Protecting Shelves and Racks: Safety barriers around shelving units and racks ensure that goods stored at height remain secure. In the event of a forklift collision or accidental bump, the barriers absorb the impact, preventing shelves from tipping over or items from falling.

  • Guarding High-Risk Storage Areas: For areas storing hazardous or fragile materials, barriers can help isolate them from heavy traffic zones. This not only complies with WHS requirements but also provides an extra layer of security for high-value or dangerous items.

  • Creating Safe Work Zones: Safety barriers can be used to cordon off dangerous areas where lifting or handling of heavy items is taking place. These zones are marked clearly, reducing the risk of workers coming into contact with overhead loads or falling objects.

Alongside barriers, investing in a full range of workplace safety supplies and equipment ensures warehouses are prepared to handle risks from every angle.

 

Best Practice 3. Protecting Employees from Moving Equipment

WHS also places a strong emphasis on protecting workers from moving equipment and machinery. This includes forklifts, pallet jacks, and conveyors. While operators are trained to handle these machines safely, accidents can still occur due to unexpected human error or equipment malfunction. 

How Warehouse Barriers Help:

  • Physical Barriers for Personnel Protection: Installing barriers around moving equipment, such as forklifts and conveyor systems, helps create clear boundaries between employees and machinery. This not only meets WHS standards but also keeps workers safe from unintentional collisions or being in the way of moving vehicles.

  • Preventing Unauthorised Access: WHS requirements specify that workers be kept away from hazardous or heavy-duty machinery. Barriers provide a clear indication of restricted zones, preventing workers from wandering into areas where they might be exposed to moving equipment.

  • Guarding Dangerous Machines: In areas where large or potentially dangerous machinery is in use, safety barriers can provide an additional layer of protection, helping to avoid accidents that may result from machinery malfunctions or operator errors.

Even with clear boundaries in place, it’s vital that warehouses are also equipped with accessible workplace first aid kits to respond quickly if an incident does occur.

 

Best Practice 4. Improving Warehouse Organisation and Safety Compliance

Proper warehouse organisation is another key factor in meeting WHS standards. Again, these guidelines emphasise the importance of clear walkways, organised inventory storage, and properly marked hazardous zones. An organised environment not only reduces the risk of accidents but also ensures that workers have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and boundaries.

How Warehouse Barriers Help:

  • Organisation of Traffic Flow: Barriers play an essential role in ensuring that traffic flow within a warehouse is organised and predictable. By separating pedestrian pathways from vehicle routes, barriers help reduce congestion and create safer working environments. In turn, this improves the overall safety compliance of the warehouse.

  • Clear Hazard Zone Identification: Barriers are often used to demarcate dangerous areas within the warehouse, such as spaces where hazardous materials are stored or machinery is operated.

  • Efficient Emergency Evacuation Routes: Barriers can also be used to define clear and unobstructed evacuation routes, which is an essential component of WHS compliance. In the event of an emergency, workers need to know where to go, and barriers help ensure these routes are easily identifiable and accessible.

To reinforce these boundaries, pairing physical barriers with safety signs for workplaces ensures that workers are constantly reminded of hazards and safe pathways.

 

Best Practice 5. Ensuring Fire Safety Compliance

Fire safety is a critical part of WHS regulations. In warehouses, there are a number of potential fire hazards, including electrical equipment, flammable materials, and malfunctioning machinery. Safety barriers can help protect against these risks.

How Warehouse Barriers Help:

  • Protecting Fire Exits and Equipment: Barriers can be installed around fire extinguishers, alarm systems, and emergency exits to prevent them from being obstructed or damaged.

  • Containing Hazards: For warehouses that store flammable materials, barriers can help contain spills, leaks, or fires, reducing the risk of a fire spreading to other areas. This limits the potential damage and helps protect both workers and inventory.

orange safety traffic cones with traffic cone extension bar

 

Apply These 5 Best Practices to Keep Your Warehouse WHS Compliant

Meeting WHS standards is essential for every warehouse, not only to avoid penalties but also to create a safe working environment. Safety barriers are an invaluable tool in achieving compliance.

They prevent forklift accidents, protect against falling objects, and help create clear boundaries that keep workers and equipment safe. Additionally, barriers contribute to overall warehouse organisation, improving traffic flow, and reducing the risk of injuries or damage.

For warehouse operators looking to ensure that their facilities meet WHS standards and improve safety, investing in the right safety barriers is a practical and cost-effective solution. These barriers provide a physical layer of protection that not only helps to safeguard employees but also ensures the warehouse operates smoothly and efficiently, while meeting all necessary safety regulations.

 

Get in Touch with the Verdex Team

Ready to make your warehouse safer and fully WHS compliant? The team at Verdex can help you choose and install the right safety barriers for your facility.

Leave a comment

Comments have to be approved before showing up