Warehouse work is becoming more and more common, especially as people continue to buy products online. Most of these products are stored in warehouses and shipped out when the online orders come in.
This means that many of these warehouse workers are exposed to certain injury risks. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that people get hurt when working in this type of environment.
Slips, trips and falls
First of all, slip-and-fall accidents – or trip-and-fall accidents – are common. There may be inadequate lighting or a cluttered workplace. Either way, falls can lead to head injuries, fractures, ligament and tendon damage and much more.
Materials handling
Additionally, workers can be injured when carrying heavy items or materials. For instance, maybe two employees should work together to lift a heavy item, but one employee tries to do so on their own in order to be more productive, and they suffer a back injury.
Power equipment
Next, many warehouses have different types of power equipment. This could include forklifts or other vehicles used in the warehouse. It could include a conveyor belt system for sorting or even packaging these items. In modern warehouses, automation and robotics may also have to be considered.
Fatigue and injuries
Finally, injuries are more likely when workers are fatigued. Fatigue makes mistakes more common, leading to both cognitive and physical issues. Warehouse workers who are putting in overtime need to be especially aware of their injury risks.
What options do workers have?
As you can see, these injury risks are everywhere in a warehouse. Those who have suffered serious injuries need to know about their rights to workers’ comp benefits.
