Warehouse work can be inherently dangerous. Receiving proper training and carefully following safety protocols can greatly reduce the risks warehouse workers face. However, accidents can still occur and being mindful of some of the greatest dangers can be helpful.
If you are a warehouse worker, beware of three of the most common dangers workers face:
1. Slip, trips and falls
There are a lot of moving parts on the floors of a warehouse. Forklifts can spill fuel or oil, shipping containers that contain liquids may leak and weather (such as rain or snow) could cause a warehouse floor to quickly become slick or icy. Slip-and-fall accidents because of a slick floor can cause serious injuries to a hapless worker’s spine and head.
2. Falling shipping containers
If crates were incorrectly loaded or quickly moved during their delivery, then they could fall over onto unsuspecting workers. The weight of a shipping container could be enough to break bones, cause internal bleeding or even lead to amputations of crushed limbs.
3. Forklift accidents
Many employees who work at warehouses go through little to no training before setting foot on a forklift. Inexperienced forklift users can be extremely dangerous behind the wheel.
Not only can forklifts get into wrecks, but their pronged equipment can be lethal on the warehouse floor. If a forklift driver does not correctly angle their prongs before use, they could send the vehicle flipping. Reckless drivers could even impale these prongs into shipping containers, trucks or other employees.
If you’ve suffered serious injuries that prevent you from continuing to work, you have every reason to expect workers’ compensation benefits to provide for your medical care and other costs while you are unable to work. If your workers’ compensation claim seems stalled or delayed in any way, don’t hesitate to seek legal assistance from an attorney whose practice has a concentration in Workers’ Compensation law.
