Harmful Warehouse Accidents

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than 145,000 people work in over 7,000 warehouses across the United States. The fatality rate for the warehousing industry is higher than the national average for all other industries, partly due to the variety of potential hazards present in the workplace.

OSHA’s top ten most frequently violated standards in warehousing establishments pertain to:

• Hazard communication and information: Workers may be injured by hazardous materials if chemicals are not stored or cleaned up properly. Employers are required to maintain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for all chemicals, and train employees on how to handle them.
• Forklifts: Approximately 100 employees are killed and 95,000 are injured in forklift accidents each year. Employers should train workers on how to handle forklifts and forklift equipment should be properly maintained.
• Electrical system design: Workers may also be injured from poorly designed electrical systems. Employers should ensure that all systems meet OSHA standards.
• Electrical wiring methods: Workers could suffer electrocution due to faulty wiring. Employers should ensure that all electrical wiring is done properly.
• Exits: If a fire breaks out or there is a dangerous chemical spill, workers should know how to exit the building. Exit signs must be clearly visible, and workers should be trained on evacuation plans.
• Guarding floors, wall openings, and holes: According to OSHA, slips, trips and falls account for 15 percent of all accidental deaths in the workplace. Employers should ensure that walkways are clear, there are no holes in the flooring, and areas that pose fall hazards such as loading dock doors are blocked off.
• Respiratory protection: Workers may contract deadly work-related illnesses if the workplace is not properly ventilated. Employers should ensure that there is proper ventilation and that workers are given appropriate respiratory protection.
• Mechanical power transmission: Heavy machinery and other power equipment poses serious risk of injury. Workers should be trained on the proper usage of all machinery.
• Portable fire extinguishers: Workers can suffer injury or even death from workplace fires and explosions. Employers should ensure that portable fire extinguishers are accessible and that workers are trained on how to use them.
• Lockout/tagout: Workers can become seriously injured in lockout/tagout related accidents. Employers should have a lockout/tagout program in place, and workers should be trained on the program.