Warehouses in North Carolina can be busy hubs that employ a lot of people, especially during the fourth quarter. But warehouses can also create the perfect storm for work-related accidents. With so much activity and the frequent influxes of temporary workers, the pressure to get things out fast at a warehouse can be dangerous.
Here are some of the most common accidents that occur in warehouses:
#1: Forklift accidents
Forklifts can be dangerous when inexperienced and poorly trained workers are expected to operate them. In an effort to save money, some negligent employers skip vital training on forklift operations. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Association, around 100 workers die every year in forklift accidents. There are also about 95,000 work-related forklift injuries each year.
#2: Slips, trips and falls
A busy warehouse will have a lot of people moving a lot of stuff around. If walkways aren’t kept free of clutter, this can be a recipe for disaster. Little things like pieces of cardboard or shrink-wrap that are not cleared away could potentially cause a worker to slip and hit their head on a hard floor. The US Department of Labor says that 25% of workers’ compensation claims are for slip and fall accidents.
#3: Repetitive strain injuries
Many warehouse workers lift heavy boxes and other objects all day long. But whether or not your job duties involve heavy lifting, any task performed repetitively can cause strain. To prevent these types of warehouse injuries, employers should make sure that workstations are ergonomically designed and workers have some variety in their tasks. The use of proper body mechanics is also crucial to preventing repetitive strain injuries.
Your injury may be compensable
If you sustained an injury while working in a warehouse, you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim. Even if you are a temporary worker at a warehouse, you may be covered by your temp agency’s insurance policy.