Common safety issues in warehouses and shipping departments
Material handling has one of the highest rates of OSHA recordable accidents. Much of that material handling deals with storage, shipping and warehousing product. Here are some common areas that can be classified as “accidents waiting to happen”.
Oil slicks, wet floors Leaking oil from forklifts or puddles of water can make floors slippery and dangerous, not only for pedestrian traffic but also for forklifts. Many forklifts have poor traction to begin with, but an oil slick can be as bad as ice. The video below is a perfect example of how forklifts slip and slide on wet surfaces:
Stacking pallets Many palletized loads get stacked 2, 3 or more layers. Each subsequent layer is relying on the structural stability of the previous layer. Many times the product itself gets stacked on, or product is in boxes or containers that really were not built to bear the weight. Sometimes all it takes is a leak that moistens the container and weakens it enough to collapse. Below are some videos showing some epic stack failures:
Packet offers a number of stackable solutions that are durable, high impact resistant and safe. Permapal and the Buckhorn Maximizer ™ are a couple of standard stackable solutions that we offer. Packnet also can customize a stackable solution to meet your exact needs.
Pallets that are in poor condition or are not sized correctly can lead to stacking and loading issues. Pallets can be overloaded and become unstable, especially if one is trying to stack pallets. Here is a video of an obviously unstable pallet load:
Awkward loading and unloading Crating or uncrating large, bulky or heavy products can result in ergonomic injuries to your work force. Many times packaging/crating designs do not consider safety or ergonomics, but workers who repeatedly load and unload in awkward position are subject to back injuries. Side loading containers or containers that can be assembled after the product is loaded can alleviate the situation. Packnet offers a number of standard and custom solutions that are ergonomically friendly. The video below shows its Slotlock product:
This video shows another solution to reduce stress by creating a split case for tradeshow transport:
Packnet has also custom engineered tradeshow cases that have built in ramps.
Businesses often put little thought into the crating, packaging, storing or shipping of their product. Using poorly designed crates and containers can cost you money in the long run with inefficient use of labor and space as well as unneeded stress injuries. Packnet offers a free assessment of your current packaging. This assessment can show you ways to save money and reduce product damage as well as ergonomic/safety risk. Request a free assessment.