Major Threats to Warehouse Worker Safety

Workers are the cornerstone of an effective warehouse operation. It is essential to protect these employees to promote a safe and secure workplace, while keeping your projects moving along efficiently.

Any time you’re working with heavy equipment, or in very crowded environments, there are always safety hazards. Safety rules are in place to prevent most of the major threats to warehouse worker safety, but there are still risks to consider. What are the most common threats to warehouse worker safety?

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Slips, Trips and Falls

Based on data from 2018, tripping, falling or slipping on something in the workplace accounts for over 26% of all injuries and over 15% of accidental deaths in the workplace. A variety of hazards can cause these injuries, but the most frequent causes include unsecured power cords, cracks in the floor, spills and scattered tools or materials.

The easiest way to prevent slips, trips and falls in the workplace is to assess what needs to be changed and then act on your findings to improve workplace safety. Be sure to:

• Cover stray cords with cord covers. Removable covers can prevent tripping over cables for equipment that’s not permanently plugged in. You can screw permanent caps into the floor.
• Keep things organized. If cord covers aren’t attainable, place warning signs advising of the trip hazard or keep the area secured.
• Put caution signs around spills. You should address fluid spills as quickly as possible, but while you’re gathering the equipment to clean up the spill, place warning signs around the area.
• Utilize non-skid coatings. If you have areas that are always wet, cover the area with a nonskid coating or use nonskid mats to prevent slipping.
• Repair floor cracks. Take the time to have cracks in your floor repaired. Not only does this prevent fall injuries, but it also stops the cracks from causing structural problems later.

Exposure to Harmful Substances

In warehouse settings, exposure to toxic substances is sometimes unavoidable. Unfortunately, if it’s unaddressed, it can also be fatal.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 419 workplace deaths in 2018. The BLS report also cited other leading causes of death:

• Electrocution: 174 deaths were the result of exposure to electricity.
• Temperature: 63 deaths were the direct consequence of exposure to extreme temperatures.
• Inhalation: 57 deaths were attributed to the inhalation of a harmful substance.
• Other: 144 deaths were caused by exposure to other hazardous substances, though the details of each case are unavailable.

There are two steps to help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries related to exposure to toxins: education and maintenance.

First, make sure you educate your employees about which products or substances in their workplace are harmful and train them in the proper handling of each substance. Additionally, it’s essential for every employee to know how to locate and use the eyewash stations in the facility.

Second, facility maintenance can help to keep employees safe. Make sure your staff has proper safety equipment to handle the hazardous substances, and ensure the warehouse is properly ventilated in the event of a material spill.

Ergonomics

Musculoskeletal disorders are a major danger to workers, as they make up 33% of all worker injury and illness cases in the United States. Due to the nature of the freight and stock moving industries, workers are especially susceptible to:

• Rotator cuff injuries
• Tendinitis
• Epicondylitis
• Lower back injury
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Trigger finger

Many of these injuries, such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, are caused by the repetitive movements that often accompany these warehouse positions.

The easiest way to avoid many of these injuries is to both teach and enforce proper lifting techniques, including utilizing team lift for heavier items and using tools like pallet jacks and lifters to prevent injury. Reducing repetitive tasks can help to lower the frequency of repetitive injuries, but you can’t always avoid them.

Finally, lifting should occur within the ‘safety lifting zone’ — the area between the worker’s shoulders and knees. Lifting heavy items from the floor increases the risk of injury, especially when proper lifting techniques aren’t being employed.

Machines

If it is not made a priority to follow safety best practices, machines can become extremely hazardous, leading to injuries and even death. Between 1992 to 2010, a total of 14,625 occupational fatalities occurred while using machinery. Since, on average, 770 deaths occur each year, proper safety practices around machines are absolutely crucial.

Despite the improvements, employees around moving machinery should always be required to use safety equipment. The machinery shouldn’t be turned on without the use of machine guards to keep the workers safe. Make sure the equipment you’re purchasing has proper safeguards and the fewest amount of exposed moving parts. You should regularly assess your machines for risks that could create a hazard for workers.

Forklifts

Forklifts are easily one of the most useful tools in the workplace — and the most dangerous. From 2011 to 2017, more than 7,000 nonfatal injuries occurred each year due to forklift-related accidents. Plus, a total of 614 deaths occurred due to forklifts in the same time period.

Properly train and certify all forklift operators. Educate non-certified employees about the dangers of working with these large pieces of equipment. All forklift operators should also review a daily inspection checklist to make sure the machine is safe to use. Use floor tape, signs or other safety guards to mark where it’s safe to walk and where to drive the forklifts.

Lockout and Tag out

It’s inevitable — sometimes even the best-maintained machines break down. When that happens, it’s important to lock down the equipment until you can have it repaired. Unusable equipment is considered “hazardous energy” until it’s repaired.

Take the time to develop a training program to teach your employees about the dangers of using this locked out equipment. You’ll need a lockout/tag out plan for each specific type of machinery, as the methods employed to lock out the equipment will vary.

Warehouse jobs can be extremely dangerous if you don’t follow the recommended safety guidelines and standards. Make sure all your tags and the rest of your workplace complies with OSHA standards.

How Does Warehouse Cleanliness Affect Worker Safety?

Sanitation in the workplace is tied directly to worker safety. An unsanitary workplace means that your workers are exposed to a greater risk of disease, and it also allows hazards to build up that could result in injury. Rotting food or loose chemicals in a warehouse, for example, could make your workers fall ill. Additionally, a slippery piece of equipment that wasn’t properly cleaned could cause a worker to lose their grip and injure themselves.

Since sanitization in the workplace is so important in the warehouse for worker safety, you might be wondering how to maintain a clean workspace. One of the top warehouse sanitation tips you can follow is to use equipment that’s easy to clean and designed for sanitation. Those who want to know how to improve sanitation at warehouses should start by reviewing the pieces of equipment below:

• Stainless steel equipment: If you want a high-level of sanitation, stainless steel is the perfect material for your warehouse’s equipment. Stainless steel can be used for equipment ranging from Sanitary Lift Tables to Deluxe Hand Trucks. Stainless steel is an ideal material for sanitation since it can withstand ultra-tough solvents and cleaners. It can also be crafted into an ultra-smooth shape that prevents contaminants from accumulating.
• Plastic pallets: For companies who regularly store and transport food, plastic pallets are crucial in the warehouse. Unlike their wood counterparts that are susceptible to rot and insect damage, plastic pallets are highly durable and avoid the food contamination risks that can come about from using wood. The best plastic pallets will be FSDA and USDA approved for food processing and chemical handling. With plastic pallets, you can reduce the chances of your pallets harboring contaminants that could be harmful to your workforce.
• Washing equipment: Plastic pallets, freezer spacers and other materials you use to handle products will need to be cleaned regularly, especially if you’re transporting food or pharmaceutical items. Pieces of washing equipment like Tray and Spacer Washers and Pallet Washers are specially designed to sanitize pallets and other materials with high-powered nozzles. To clean floors, walls and other materials in your facility, you should use pressure washers.
• Floor tape and signs: Another way to make your warehouse more sanitary is with simple floor tape and signs. If necessary, you can use floor tape to show appropriate social distancing lengths. Floor signs can also be applied in a way to show where people are supposed to be working and block off areas that may still require a deep cleaning before they’re acceptable for employees to work in again.

Improve Warehouse Cleanliness and Safety With Cherry’s Industrial Equipment

Now that you’re aware of the importance of proper sanitation at work, you should take a look at the top pieces of equipment in the industry. Cherry’s Industrial Equipment is committed to providing only the most effective and sanitary equipment on the market today to our customers.

Find out more about our machine safety standards, and browse our equipment. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.