How Can Warehouse Safety Be Improved?
Warehouse work can be dangerous. Many different kinds of accidents can happen in this environment. Fortunately, there are improvements available to prevent some of the most common types of warehouse accidents.
Below are some ways both warehouse employers and employees can help prevent accidents and injuries.
Prevent Wet Floors
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that slip and falls are a leading cause of injuries in many industries, that is no different in warehouses. The areas where this is highly likely are areas where moisture can accumulate on floors, such as a loading dock.
One way to prevent wet floors on loading docks is to ensure there is a good seal around the space where the trailer meets the loading dock to keep rain and snow out. Foam compression dock seals are available in addition to dock shelters that can seal the outside of the trailer and keep out wetness.
Secure Elevated Dock Access
Fall dangers exist for forklift operators on a loading dock. Loading and unloading from these areas should involve a dual reciprocating barrier, which is a structure that includes an inner gate and an outer gate that cannot be opened at the same time. These structures often have a link bar that works so that when one door opens to let shipment materials in, the other door closes to keep workers from entering the area.
Avoid Back-Over Accidents
Back-over accidents are a serious safety issue in noisy loading areas and the roads and driveways that lead there. The drive approach, which is the outside area that is used to orient the trailer in the space that leads to and connects with the loading dock, can be a lengthy strip. In this zone, back-over accidents are a real danger.
To address this danger, new technology has been introduced that uses audio and visual warnings attached to a motion sensor installed to monitor the area. Trucks and trailers can be detected by the motion sensor up to 30 feet away. Upon detecting a moving threat, the sensor will set off a light and release a loud warning alarm.
Motion detectors can also be used inside the loading dock to warn workers to look out for forklifts or other transport vehicles. Lights may be installed around the unloading area. Some are mounted in the ceiling and may use high-visibility blue LED lights that shine down onto the floor to get the attention of those nearby.
Allow for Inside Verification
The fewer workers on the drive approach, the less likely a back-over accident happens. The use of cameras and other communication devices can help delivery drivers and dock employees work together without putting anyone in harm’s way. Once the trailer is situated properly, a lock verification system can ensure that the vehicle restraint is secure before any workers enter the unloading area.
Prevent Trailer Separation
When a trailer is not properly secured to the loading dock, premature departure incidents can lead to accidents. These incidents can be dangerous for a forklift operator working inside a trailer or traveling between the trailer and the dock. Preventing these accidents is a matter of using vehicle restraints to secure the trailer to the dock. Wheel-based restraints are also effective.
Use Data to Assess Safety
Electronic monitors and other systems can be used to chart the safety of certain procedures. Smart controls can collect and save information.
Warehouse workers are at risk of many kinds of workplace injuries. If you have been injured in a warehouse accident, you should be covered by your employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance.
Highland Park Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Help Injured Warehouse Workers
Our Highland Park Workers’ Compensation lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr can provide legal assistance after a warehouse accident. Contact us online or call us at 732-537-8570 to schedule a free consultation. Located in Highland Park, New Jersey, we serve clients in New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, Colonia, Elizabeth, and Newark.
