Insight
ESG DIGEST NEWSLETTER - Q2 2026
Discover SMI’s Q2 2026 ESG progress, including product life cycle assessments, customer projects, recycling initiatives, social impact, and team updates.
8 minute read
Slips, trips, poor visibility, vehicles in the workplace…
Warehouse work can be fast-paced and rewarding. But there are constant risks to mitigate.
At SMI, we stock thousands of safety products designed to make warehouse environments safer – from compliant storage solutions to PPE.
But we also know that your team is busy. So, trawling through thousands of safety products might not be top of the list today.
You’re in the right place. We’re sharing our top 10 warehouse safety products to make it quicker and easier to stock up on warehouse essentials.
Read on to see our top warehousing must-haves in reverse order, and discover our very favourite products in each category.
Psst! Missing any? You can find all these warehousing supplies and more in the SMI shop.
The uncelebrated workhorses of warehouse environments, barriers and cones are a must for controlling hazards and managing movement.
Their work includes separating pedestrians from vehicles, highlighting temporary hazards, and restricting access.
This kit can create a barrier of up to 27m. Its retractable design makes it versatile, easy to store, and easy to set up. So, it’s a great option for busy warehouse environments where hazards can appear quickly.
Its rechargeable safety lights are an added bonus, providing additional visibility in low-light conditions.
Where would your warehouse be without storage?
But it’s not just about the obvious warehouse racking and shelving.
You may also need compliant warehouse storage solutions for:
Examples include PPE lockers, COSHH cabinets, and flammable storage containers.
After all, a safe workplace depends on good housekeeping, organisation, and secure storage.
Shop warehouse storage products.
We think this hazardous floor cupboard deserves particular attention right now, given HSE’s latest crackdown on COSHH breaches.
It’s been designed specifically for the storage of hazardous substances and complies with all relevant COSHH regulations.
Not only does it feature a liquid-tight sump to store spillages. But it’s also large enough to contain a range of hazardous substances, from cleaning chemicals to maintenance products.
Let’s face it, there’s a lot of unpacking that goes on in a warehouse!
A good safety knife can help minimise the risk of hand and finger injuries. So, it’s worth its weight in gold.
Made for cutting cardboard, shrink wrapping, and strapping, this safety knife will be a hard worker in any warehouse.
A moving blade prevents snags. An enclosed blade prevents accidents. And a built-in tape cutter opens sealed boxes without damaging the products inside.
Slips are a common hazard in busy warehouse environments. And the consequences can be even worse if someone’s carrying a heavy load or falls near moving equipment.
In the spirit of prevention rather than cure, we’re shouting about anti-slip flooring.
This anti-slip floor covering is made for reducing the risk of slips, trips, and falls in your warehouse.
It can be fitted directly onto concrete, metal, wood, and more. Plus, it’s quick and easy to install. So, you can maximise safety while minimising downtime and disruption.
On the topic of minimising slips, it’s important to consider safety footwear.
The right safety trainers can provide added protection against slips, trips, dropped objects, and moving vehicles. At the same time, they can boost productivity by reducing foot fatigue over long shifts.
The ROKWEAR® Vulcan is a breathable and lightweight safety trainer shoe, ideal for use in warehouse environments.
It features a composite toe cap to add protection without adding too much weight. Meanwhile, an antibacterial memory foam insole provides comfort throughout the working day.
A safe warehouse environment depends on good communication. That’s where warehouse signage comes in.
Highlighting hazards, directing people and vehicles safely, and telling people what actions to take... The right signage creates a safer and more compliant workplace for everyone.
Shop warehouse safety signage.
The signage your site needs is dependent on how your business operates.
However, we've highlighted three that deserve particular consideration:
HIGH VISIBILITY CLOTHING MUST BE WORN IN THIS AREA
Remind workers to wear hi-vis clothing so that they remain visible and reduce the risk of accidents. Shop now.
Make sure people are aware when they’re entering an area where forklift trucks operate. Shop now.
Prepare for the unexpected by making sure people can clearly find the fire alarm call point. Shop now.
No matter how hard you try, a spill is always a possibility. As well as being a slip hazard, spills can expose workers to hazardous substances and even damage stock.
Luckily, the right spill control products will make sure your team is equipped to act fast in an emergency.
What happens if there’s a leak of hydraulic oil, engine oil, lubricating oil, or solvents? This kit is ready and waiting to clean spills up quickly and efficiently.
It includes absorbent pads to soak up spilt liquids, absorbent socks to protect drains, and a disposal bag to finish.
What’s that coming round the corner? Whether it’s a forklift, pallet truck, or someone carrying a load, don’t rely on a crystal ball to tell you.
A warehouse mirror can help your team spot hazards before they become a problem.
When it comes to eliminating blind spots indoors, you can’t get much better than this indoor safety mirror.
Its high-visibility design makes it hard to miss, and it’s also impact-resistant.
So, you’ll be able to rely on it for a long time to come.
This traffic mirror is the king of eliminating blind spots outdoors.
It’s impact-resistant and features a durable casing with reflective strips. A must for helping to reduce accidents and injuries in warehouse settings.
As you know, your workers aren’t just wearing hi-vis clothing to make a fashion statement. It’s one of the most important pieces of safety gear in your warehouse.
This class 2 hi-vis waistcoat ticks all the boxes.
Yes, it’s EN ISO 20471 compliant. But it also has several handy pockets that make life in a warehouse that little bit easier. That includes a mobile phone pocket, ID pocket, bellowed storage pockets, and scooped sides for easy access.
Taking the top spot on our list of warehouse safety essentials is first aid supplies.
While we all hope they're never needed, being prepared for the unexpected is a vital part of workplace safety.
Having the right first aid supplies on hand doesn’t just help ensure compliance with workplace regulations. It also enables your team to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency.
This selection of four wall-mounted first aid kits takes well-deserved first place on our list.
Recent updates to BS 8599-1 (the workplace first aid standard) encourage workplaces to go beyond standard first aid provision. This includes requiring burns kits and eyewash kits in workplaces where there’s a risk of those kinds of injuries.
This product could be the answer for many warehouse environments!
It contains:
All on an easy-to-install wall-bracket system.
That means one simple solution for meeting workplace regulatory requirements. And one simple solution to equip workers in (almost) any emergency situation.
That concludes our top 10 warehouse safety products.
But there are so many more where those came from. Hand protection, AEDs, and fire equipment are just a few must-haves that didn’t make it onto our list.
So, what’s next?
Together, we can help make your warehouse even safer, even more compliant, and even more proactive.
Insight
Discover SMI’s Q2 2026 ESG progress, including product life cycle assessments, customer projects, recycling initiatives, social impact, and team updates.
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Meet the ROKWEAR® Spinel: A lightweight dial-lace safety trainer built for fast-paced working environments. Request a trial.
Insight
Slips, trips, poor visibility, vehicles in the workplace… control every risk with this breakdown of our top 10 must-have warehouse safety products.