Written by: Emily Joswiak • July 18, 2022• Business

Most Common Warehouse Injuries and How To Avoid Them

Safe employees are happy employees. Minimize risk in your facility with this guide to the most common warehouse injuries and how to avoid them.

Secondary packaging facilities and other material handling warehouses see a lot of movement every day. Products, heavy machinery, and employees move quickly throughout the facility to accomplish their tasks and achieve successful levels of productivity. With all that traffic and movement, it’s important to prioritize safety across the board. Create a healthier and happier work environment by learning how to avoid these common warehouse injuries.

Traffic Accidents

Forklift safety is essential for any warehouse that uses heavy machinery. Even minor accidents can result in injured employees, damaged equipment, and product losses. Fortunately, there are a few straightforward ways to minimize the risk of traffic accidents in your facility.

Start with your layout. Make sure your warehouse floor is clear, spacious, and well-lit, especially along the paths where your forklifts travel. If there are tight corners that forklift drivers might have trouble seeing around, place caution signs and traffic mirrors to help operators stay aware of their surroundings. You should also invest in routine training to ensure all forklift operators are up to date with safety procedures and other best practices.

Back Strain and Other Ergonomic Injuries

Not all injuries come from big accidents. In fact, ergonomic issues such as back pain or tendonitis are some of the most common warehouse injuries you want to avoid. Repetitive motion, muscle strain, and other side effects of common warehouse tasks take their toll on the body over time.

You can help employees stay healthy by providing training on proper ergonomics while on the job. Healthy lifting techniques, for example, can make a big difference for warehouse employees.

Another solution is to give physically strenuous tasks—like lifting or stacking heavy loads—to automated machinery. In fact, employee safety is one of the biggest reasons why automated solutions such as palletizers are worth the investment. When machines handle repetitive or strength-based tasks, employees can focus on much safer jobs in the warehouse.

Slips and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are common injuries in any job. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to minimize hazards in your warehouse. Once again, it’s essential to keep the floor of your warehouse clear, clean, and well-lit. This reduces the number of tripping hazards your employees might come across.

Additionally, keep proper signage on hand to mark slipping or tripping hazards. Using wet floor signs, marking stairs or ramps with tape, and redirecting traffic when messes do occur are all effective ways to keep employees safe and aware on the warehouse floor.

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