According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, over 145,000 employees work in 7,000 warehouses across the US, with number of fatal work injuries amounting to 677 in 2012.
This costs the US $1 billion in workers’ compensation every week. The numbers are exorbitant and raise serious concerns about keeping employees safe at work and lowering the cost of workers’ compensation.
Common causes of injuries in the warehouse that have been cited by The Occupational Safety & Health Administration are as follows:
- Not enough preventive measures taken to control fire conditions
- Repeated injuries due to motion
- Negligent attitude towards stacking of products
- Not using protective equipment
- Unsafe use of forklifts
- Inability to follow proper lockout and tag out procedures
- Keeping passageways and aisles free of any physical obstructions or using aluminum crossover stairsto get over potential obstacles.
- Fostering a spirit of teamwork whenever required to implement division of labor. This reduces the burden on one individual or machine.
- Taking immediate action when any hazardous element is identifying that may cause trips, slips or falls.
- Putting a ban on smoking. This is because drugs of any kind can make the mind cloudy and blur vision.
- Gloves, masks and eyewear can greatly reduce the impact of the fall in case there is one. And even prevents them in the first place.
- Licensed and trained forklift drivers should be recruited. This ensures they have the relevant technical knowledge and experience.
- Ensure that workers stack loads in a proper and orderly manner.
- Blocking dock doors that may potentially cause a fall
- Adhering to load capacities.
- Not creating a sense of urgency to avoid trips and falls
- Allowing proper rehydrating breaks to prevent mental and physical exhaustion
