NEW YORK -- When you are contemplating entering into a contract with a third-party Long Island warehousing operator like Hamilton’s, you should be aware of the following five crucial components toward ensuring that, indeed, your commodities are in good hands. Keep in mind that commercial warehousing projects should be granted to well-established, well-respected and well-equipped third-party contractors for several reasons.
The commodities in storage may be crucial in effective and efficient production of finished goods or in their distribution to the channels like stores. The bottom line: The third-party contractor for the commercial warehousing project should have the capabilities to deliver on these five crucial components.
General Location and Construction
The best Long Island warehousing contractors provide for buildings in good, if not excellent, structural condition for their clients. Before agreeing to the warehousing of your raw materials and/or finished goods, you must ask for a physical tour of the buildings where your assets will be placed.
The buildings should be located in an area where natural disasters like floods, windstorms and hurricanes are least likely to cause damage to both the structures and their contents. These should also be well-maintained – sturdy roofs, walls and ceilings in no danger of collapsing at the slightest earthquake, for example.
Utilities and Lighting
While on the building tour, you should also make observations and ask questions of the Long Island warehousing contractorabout the utilities including the electric, water and gas connections. The utility lines should be well-protected with the following aspects as your guide:
Sufficient clearance between the cargo areas and heat-producing appliances
Adequate quality and quantity of lights in and out of the building
Satisfactory circuit protection and protection from physical damage
Fire Protection
Look for the following important aspects of fire protection:
The portable fire extinguishers should be compatible with the commodities stored inside the warehousing facility. These units should also be fully accessible to the personnel who, in turn, must be trained in general fire safety including the use of fire extinguishers.
The automatic sprinkler system, fire-doors and other fire safety equipment should be in good condition.
The “no smoking” rule should be strictly followed.
The warehouse personnel should practice good housekeeping – emptying pallets, clearing debris, and inspecting the premises on a regular basis.
Security
Thefts mean losses for the business so the Long Island warehousing facility should have excellent security measures in place. These measures can include background checks for employees, termination procedures are in place, and physical security steps 24/7 controlled access, CCTV cameras in strategic areas, and back-up alarm systems, to name a few.
Cargo Handling
The cargo handling procedures should be designed to complement the abovementioned aspects of effective warehousing. These procedures should ideally include:
Proper cargo storage – off the floor and on clean pallets in good condition
Safe storage of hazardous materials
Adequate spaces in between rows and aisles
Equipment used for mechanical handling should be in good condition and operated by trained personnel
When all of the five aspects can be provided by the Long Island warehousing contractor being considered for the job, you are one step closer to signing the contract.
For more information of Long Island Warehousing visit at http://www.crhamilton.com/warehousing/
