The Top 3 Causes of Damage to Stored Goods
Warehouses are used for the temporary storage of a wide variety of goods. The storage conditions must be tailored as closely as possible to the needs of the stored goods. At the same time, the warehouse operator must work efficiently, cost-effectively and with a high degree of flexibility. It is a great challenge to meet these conflicting demands. This is why incidents of damage occur time and again during the storage of goods. But what are the most frequent causes?
In this regard, we took a closer look at damage to stored goods of the last 15 months as part of a master‘s thesis in cooperation with the Jade University of Applied Sciences in Elsfleth, Germany. The aim was to filter out the risks that occur most frequently in storage by analysing our survey reports. A total of more than 100 different cases were examined.
After initial evaluation, a clear picture emerged. Damage is most frequently caused by handling errors. These are, in turn, due to a lack of training or the absence of regulations.
But the building construction also often has deficiencies, be it leaky roofs or poor overall equipment of the warehouse. In third place among the causes are fires. Often a high fire load is introduced by the storage of goods, so the slightest carelessness or a technical defect an have major consequences. Particularly devastating: especially in the case of fire damage, it is often almost impossible to obtain residual value proceeds through reconditioning or emergency salvage sales.
Our goal is to further analyse damage to stored goods and to integrate our experience into preventive warehouse risk analyses and training. This way, not every risk has to turn into an immediate danger.
Source: Battermann & Tillery Group, independent specialized surveyors worldwide