Warehouse employees are at risk every day when they leave their homes for work. There is a likelihood of them getting hurt or even being killed while working in a warehouse. The bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gave a list of 16 fatalities that can happen in the warehouse industry. Moreover, 5.5 workplace injuries are recorded for every 100 full-time workers at warehouses. A number of reasons can cause these injuries and fatalities. Some of the injuries faced by warehouse workers include:
Forklift accidents
Forklifts are powered industrial trucks that are used in warehouses for the purpose of removing, raising or lowering objects. Forklifts can either be operated by walking operators or those riding it. Accidents involving forklifts result in injuries and even death of warehouse workers. The most common types of forklift-related deaths include forklift overturning and crushing workers beneath. Injuries also occur during loading and unloading of forklifts. Workers also face the risk of being run over by a lift, fall between the lift and a trailer or fall while on an elevated pallet.
Overexertion Injuries
Injuries can also result when workers face stress on their body. This is also a very common type of injury among warehouse workers. Stress or overexertion results when workers try to lift too much weight. Parts of the body that are most likely to get hurt as a result of overexertion are back and shoulders but other parts can also be affected. Overexertion injuries can also result from pushing, pulling, carrying and lowering along with lifting.
Truck Accidents
Most warehouses contract with trucking companies for the purpose of providing transportation services. Warehouse workers who operate trucks are always at the risk of getting involved in accidents while moving materials from one place to another.
Being hit by Objects
Some of the workers who get hit by industrial lift trucks or handling equipment face the risk of severe injuries or even death. Falling loads and shifting materials can also collide with workers and result in deadly injuries.
Loading dock Injuries
The most dangerous area in a warehouse is the loading dock. Warehouse employees can fall down the docks, can be crushed while loading or unloading, can also get hit by trucks or vehicles and hurt themselves while moving materials from the truck for shipment to the dock.
Fall Injuries
Some areas at the warehouse may have slippery or wet floors. Sometimes, the flooring surfaces are uneven or dissimilar. There is a risk of tripping as well due to the accumulation of debris, empty containers, pallets or sometimes excessive inventory. Many warehouses have poor lighting conditions because of which workers can face difficulties while avoiding obstacles. All these factors together lead to workers falling. Sometimes, employees also fall from ladders, loading docks and other elevated surfaces in a warehouse.
The aforementioned injuries can occur to any employee of any warehouse. It is unfortunate that these injuries can result in permanent disabilities that bring an end to the labor-intensive and physically demanding career of the warehouse employee. Contacting a personal injury attorney is advised in order to get compensation for the injuries sustained at the workplace.
Author Bio:
Experienced Divorce Lawyer Kelly Peterson handles child custody, visitation, paternity, grandparent rights and mediation cases.
