Why Prep in the the Fall?
Peak season is rolling in, and now is the best time to brace yourself and your facility. Between increased demand, tighter deadlines, seasonal hazards, and higher staffing needs, maximizing efficiency and safety becomes more important than ever.
Without proper fall prep, you run the risk of costly downtime and preventable accidents. Here are the steps we recommend to help your warehouse maintain speed and efficiency before, during, and after the rush.
1. Inspect and Service Equipment
Cold weather can be hard on your equipment: batteries drain faster, hydraulics can stiffen, and mechanical parts may wear more quickly. By inspecting and servicing your forklifts, sweepers, conveyors, and other material handling equipment now, you can catch small issues before they turn into breakdowns during peak season.
Preventive maintenance ensures your fleet stays reliable, minimizing downtime when every minute counts. Here is what effective preventative maintenance looks like:
- Inspect for signs of wear and tear, such as cracked hoses, frayed belts, or worn tires
- Check for fluid leaks in hydraulics, brakes, and coolant systems
- Look for corrosion or rust on metal parts and joints
- Test battery health and clean terminals to prevent power loss
- Lubricate moving parts to reduce friction and wear
- Verify safety features like brakes, lights, and alarms are fully operational
- Clean equipment to prevent dirt buildup that can cause damage
- Ensure tires are properly inflated and free from damage
2. Safety
There’s no such thing as too much refresher training, and the change of season is always a good reminder to review safety protocols. Fall and winter in particular come with a range of safety complications, such as slippery floors from rain or leaves, reduced visibility due to shorter daylight, and colder temperatures that affect worker alertness. Use the transition period between summer and fall to protect your team from these seasonal hazards by taking the following safety measures:
- Conduct refresher training focused on seasonal hazards and safe equipment use
- Remind employees to wear appropriate footwear for slippery conditions
- Increase cleaning frequency to reduce wet or debris-covered floors
- Improve warehouse lighting in darker areas and during early shifts
- Encourage regular breaks to combat cold-related fatigue and maintain alertness
Another important element of fall safety prep is taking the time to check fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure all components are in working order and readily accessible.
3. Energy Efficiency
As temperatures drop, energy efficiency becomes a top priority for warehouses. Before the cold sets in, take the necessary precautions to ensure your HVAC systems and dock doors are working properly. Sealing and insulating dock doors is especially crucial to keep cold air out and warm air in, creating a comfortable environment for your team and protecting sensitive inventory. Here are some more actionable tips to improve energy efficiency this fall and winter:
- Schedule a professional HVAC inspection and cleaning to optimize performance
- Replace or clean air filters regularly to improve airflow and reduce strain
- Inspect and repair any leaks in ductwork to prevent heat loss
- Check and replace weatherstripping on dock doors and loading bays
- Install door curtains or air curtains to minimize temperature exchange during loading
- Use programmable thermostats to better control heating schedules and reduce waste
Taking these steps now to avoid higher energy bills, reduce equipment breakdowns, maintain consistent temperature control, and ensure a safe workplace throughout the colder months
4. Inventory Audit
Don’t wait until you’re drowning in holiday orders to get a clear picture of your stock. Fall is the perfect time for an inventory audit to get a comprehensive understanding of what’s on hand, what’s running low, and what needs replenishing. Completing a full inventory count now helps ensure your records accurately reflect reality, which is critical for smooth operations during peak season.
Key benefits of a fall inventory audit include:
- Identifying missing, damaged, or obsolete items before they disrupt orders
- Avoiding overstocking or stockouts through better purchasing decisions
- Preventing costly order fulfillment delays during high-demand periods
- Reducing the need for emergency rush orders
- Improving forecasting accuracy for the coming season
Taking these steps early keeps your warehouse organized and ready for the impending rush.
5. Adjust Layout
Adjusting your warehouse layout for the season can significantly boost efficiency during peak periods. Layouts like zone picking or wave picking often perform better when order volumes rise or product demand shifts. Seasonal changes might include relocating high-demand or holiday items closer to packing and shipping areas, clearing aisles to ease congestion, or setting up temporary staging zones for quicker order processing. Optimizing your layout helps maintain smooth workflows, cuts down worker travel time, and prevents bottlenecks during the busiest times.
Key seasonal layout adjustments include:
- Moving high-demand or seasonal products closer to packing and shipping stations
- Clearing aisles and pathways to reduce congestion and improve safety
- Creating temporary staging or sorting areas for faster order fulfillment
- Grouping similar items together to streamline picking processes
- Adjusting shelving heights or configurations to accommodate seasonal inventory changes
Get Fall-Ready With Maybury
Don’t handle fall prep alone. The Maybury team is here for you! Our priority is to understand the unique characteristics of your facility to design a tailored—and comprehensive—optimization plan that’ll keep your operation efficient and profitable. As New England’s leading material handling company, we are specialists in everything from safety training to equipment parts and service to warehouse design!
Contact us today to schedule your facility assessment and get ahead of the rush with confidence. Let’s make this peak season your most efficient yet!