Checklist: General safety measures

The following are general safety measures and precautions that can help reduce injury risk inside an equipment and event rental business:

• Providing ramps, elevators, wide doorways, wheelchair-accessible bathroom facilities, handicapped parking spaces and other Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-required equipment/measures, if applicable.
• Providing handrails along stairways and ramps.
• Securing or separating potentially dangerous areas.
• Isolating hazardous materials or chemicals from customers.
• Properly using and storing hazardous materials or chemicals.
• Posting signs to mark employee-only, eye protection and other safety-related areas.
• Keeping combustible materials away from heat sources.
• Assisting with loading and unloading of equipment to ensure customer safety.
• Providing hoists or lifts for the loading and unloading of small equipment.
• Providing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-approved slings for the loading and unloading of equipment.
• Displaying posters indicating proper lifting techniques and/or other safety procedures.
• Supplying and posting important contact information to be used in case of emergency.
• Look around your facility and make sure that items are not stacked too high in overhead storage, which is a common unsafe practice at rental stores.
• Aisles also should not be too narrow or have exposed sharp objects.
• Make sure that areas are not cluttered to the point of being fire hazards.