Working in a warehouse can be a stable job. There is constant demand for the transportation and storage of raw materials and consumer goods. Warehouse professionals help facilitate the distribution and storage of items required by their employers or business clients.
Warehouse employment may provide competitive wages in many cases, but workers may have to accept a degree of risk on the job to obtain those wages. The five types of situations outlined below are among the most common causes of injuries in warehouse settings. Workers who know about these injuries and how to avoid them can help reduce their chances of getting injured and missing work.
1. Repetitive strain injuries
Many warehouse workers perform the same tasks over and over again. They have to grip the controls on heavy equipment or twist and lift repeatedly throughout each shift.
Repetitive strain injuries can affect a worker’s job performance and can cause increasingly painful symptoms. Performing a variety of tasks and allowing time to rest when performing repetitive functions can reduce the risk of a repetitive strain injury.
2. Slips, trips and falls
Workers in warehouses are vulnerable to slipping and falling. They can break bones, sustain soft tissue injuries or incur traumatic brain injuries when they fall. Wearing non-slip shoes and walking at a measured pace instead of rushing around a workplace can both reduce slip and fall risks.
3. Heavy machinery incidents
Many warehouses have forklifts or robotic equipment loading items on the shelving or removing them for shipping purposes. It only takes a moment of inattention for the heavy equipment used in warehouses to cause severe injury or death.
Avoiding loose-fitting clothing and paying attention to the work environment instead of listening to music or audiobooks while on the warehouse floor could protect a worker from a heavy machinery incident.
4. Struck-by incidents
Items might fall from warehouse shelving. They can strike workers on their heads, shoulders or arms. Workers can sustain broken bones or brain injuries in struck-by incidents.
Wearing protective gear when appropriate can help. Being cautious when approaching all shelving and keeping items stacked in a safe and appropriate manner can reduce the risk of struck-by incidents.
5. Chemical exposure
There are numerous dangerous chemicals that workers could encounter in a warehouse setting. Frequently, chemical exposure occurs due to spills or other incidents on the job.
Workers moving chemicals often need to be especially cautious to prevent spills that could put them or their coworkers at risk. Proper labeling and safety protocols can go a long way toward preventing chemical-related incidents.
Warehouse workers hurt by these or other job hazards may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Seeking benefits can help workers pay for medical care and replace lost wages after an on-the-job incident.