Inventory and Warehouse maintenance

A well-maintained warehouse helps the Publications ministry run smoothly. It saves time, reduces waste, and ensures that books reach people safely. It is also important to recognize the hard labor performed by the warehouse team on a day-to-day basis that is demanding on their physical body. By maintaining a good warehouse, the team can work efficiently in a productive, high-quality space with all the resources they need for their daily tasks.

Here are some practical guidelines to maintain a clean, safe, and efficient warehouse.

1. STORAGE

The main purpose of a warehouse is to store inventory. Storage, arrangement of books on shelves, movement of stock to and from the warehouse are some of the daily tasks of the warehouse team. The warehouse building must be spacious and well lit. For the safety of the warehouse team, ensure adequate space is given for comfortable movement between stock, good ventilation, and there is sufficient light for visibility of books.

• Labels: Labels are used on the storage shelves to indicate the books stored in them. Every shelf must be given a label. Ensure labels are given in the language(s) understood by the warehouse team who will be arranging and moving stock. Labels must be legible at all times. Hence, replace the labels when they are not readable anymore due to wear and tear.
• Shelves: Shelves, either metal or wooden, are required to store the stock; use strong and stable shelves. Avoid overloading shelves to ensure they are not damaged over long periods of usage. Identify the maximum quantity the shelves can support and ensure to not exceed the recommended weight in order to use shelves efficiently without any unnecessary replacements. Heavy items should be stored at lower levels. Light items can be placed higher.

The main stock of books can be stored in the interior part of the warehouse. At the front of the warehouse, a working shelf can be maintained with a sizable quantity of the stock for ready access. Whenever a title is low in stock in the working shelf, new stock is moved from the main stock to the working shelf. This process helps in maintaining good condition of the stock despite extensive periods of storage.

MAINTENANCE

A large collection of stock tends to gather dust and attract pests. Regular rounds of cleaning will help keep the warehouse and the inventory safe and clean at all times.

• Dust the shelves storing books every day. Clean and mop the warehouse building every day.
• Remove waste materials immediately, especially after packing work where there tends to be excessive paper waste.
• Treat the place with pesticides at regular intervals to avoid damage to books by pests.
• Do regular checks on pipes for water leakage, especially during rainy seasons. Check ceilings and walls for leaks.
• It is good to have the contacts of a plumber and an electrician to immediately attend to emergency situations.
• Use pallets to keep goods off the floor.
• Stock must be kept away from any major electrical wiring set-up to avoid any accidents from short circuiting. Avoid loose or exposed wires. Do not overload sockets.

3. DAMAGED STOCK / RECYCLE

Sometimes, books are returned to the warehouse due to unsuccessful delivery. These books, if returned in good condition, can be reused. The stock will have to be updated in the records when there is re-use of dispatched items. Ensure the stock data is maintained accurately to avoid any oversight of resources within the warehouse. Regular cross-checking of items against entries in data sheets will help avoid this error. If stocks are damaged due to unavoidable reasons, they are usually recycled by vendors who may pay an amount for the quantity of items given for recycling. The aim is to be good stewards of every item and resource to ensure there is no wastage of books.

A follow-up practice for returned items is to highlight the delivery address in the records. Ensure the address is verified with the contact person and errors in information are fixed before making future delivery attempts. If there are multiple failed delivery attempts, the address may have to be blacklisted and an alternate address obtained for successful delivery.

4. INTERNET / PRINTER

Modern warehouses are provided with internet and a printer. With the availability of the Internet, data maintenance and records can be updated at the warehouse by the supervisor after stock checking and new stock deliveries. Labels for shelves and packages, dispatch notes, and other necessary items can be quickly printed when a printer is made available at the warehouse.

5. PACKING STATION

A dedicated packing station that is well-organized with adequate space is vital for smooth packing and dispatch of books from the warehouse. On a regular basis, plan and purchase all necessary supplies required for packing such as cardboard boxes, tapes, paper for label printing, stationery items, etc.

6. HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT

For warehouses with large quantities of stock, heavy duty equipment such as platform trolleys, forklifts, or lifting tools must be provided to help the warehouse team handle large quantities of stock. The equipment must be maintained well as they would be expensive investments for the warehouse. The team members must also be trained to use the heavy-duty equipment in the correct way to avoid causing damage to the equipment or getting hurt while using the equipment. Only trained staff should be allowed to use the equipment.

7. SAFETY

It is important to keep a medical first-aid kit ready in case of any emergency. There can be possible injuries while working using equipment at the warehouse or at the time of packaging or movement of stock. Ensure all necessary items in the First-Aid Kit are available. Fire extinguishers must also be placed at key exit points at the warehouse. Regular fire drills for the team must be conducted to know the immediate steps to be taken at the time of emergency. Ensure an adequate number of fire extinguishers are kept and they are checked regularly.

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23,24) The warehouse is a vital space where the work done is invaluable to the ministry growth. A well-organized, hardworking team at the warehouse means resources are dispatched efficiently and readers receive their books on time and in excellent condition. A well-maintained and functional warehouse means the team can work in a productive environment with all the resources they require for yielding maximum potential.