Working in a warehouse can be extremely dangerous. Between the falling hazards, the crushing objects, and the overall air of danger about the place, it’s no wonder why there are so many safety procedures in place. Even so, injuries can still occur when employees are careless or distracted during the job. Knowing the most common injuries can help you understand what to look out for to protect yourself and your coworkers. Here are the most common warehouse injuries to look out for on the job.
Crushing Injuries
In a building that suspends large objects high above the ground, the potential for crushing injuries is undoubtedly high. Crushing injuries happen when a person’s extremity is trapped under a heavy object. These injuries can result in broken or fractured bones and even death. As such, they are some of the most serious injuries to occur. While these accidents are not entirely preventable, enacting strict hard hat policies can help protect your workers from smaller falling objects.
Slip and Fall Injuries
In any warehouse, it’s not uncommon to see liquids on the ground. As such, slip and fall accidents can occur when there isn’t proper signage displayed warning workers of slick surfaces. Whether the liquid stems from regular cleaning or a nearby vehicle, you must let your workers know of any dangers in their work area as soon as possible. After all, a warehouse is essentially an indoor-outdoor storage space.
Cut Injuries
Cut injuries are the last common warehouse injury to occur. These will likely happen due to a worker not wearing protective gloves on the job site. Keep in mind that cut injuries can result from interaction on any surface—not just with knives. As such, it is important to treat any edge as a sharp and deadly surface to avoid injury. And, as mentioned before, ensure that you wear your safety gloves to provide that extra layer of protection against any sharp surfaces.
We hope this article on the most common warehouse injuries has helped you understand how to be safer on the job. If you are looking to improve safety in your warehouse, start with what you can provide to your employees to make their jobs safer and easier to accomplish.