How to Train Warehouse Workers to Recognize Hazards
Written by Staff Writer | Edited by Michael Purser
Warehouses and distribution centers serve a vital role for so many industries, including manufacturing, retail, food production and more.
Keeping up with the demands of warehouse customers is hard work, and it’s easy for workers to become so focused on getting the job done that they put their health at risk. That can lead to serious injuries and even fatalities, which is why it’s so important to follow OSHA guidelines and safety practices for warehouses.
The right training can reduce warehousing risks as workers learn how to protect themselves and others from the most common industry hazards.
Common Hazards in Warehouse Work Environments
Although each warehouse is a unique environment with its own dangers, some hazards are common to almost every one of these crucial facilities. These include:
Heavy Machinery
Forklifts, other Powered Industrial Trucks (PITs), conveyors and even cranes are needed to move loads. These heavy machines are powerful and capable of causing traumatic injuries.
Every type of heavy machinery has specific requirements and operational guidelines to prevent injuries. Employers must ensure that anyone operating such machinery is properly trained. Non-operators also need to know how to work safely with and around these devices.
Lifting Heavy Loads
Improperly lifting heavy loads is responsible for a significant percentage of workplace injuries and missed workdays. Overexertion and cumulative trauma play a major role in these musculoskeletal injuries.
Fortunately, supervisors can train workers to understand their physical limits and work within those limits. Employers can also provide training in safe lifting techniques and provide tools like weight belts or lifting straps to help mitigate the risk of injury.
Falling and Tripping Hazards
Slips, trips and falls are some of the most common workplace injuries in every industry, including warehousing. Uneven surfaces, wet floors, slippery terrain, unseen obstacles like cables and boxes — all of these can be present in warehouses and any of them can pose a hazard.
Even a short educational course can help workers understand various falling and tripping risks, including how to spot potential hazards and how to deal with them safely.
Falling Objects
Depending on the weight of the object and the height of the fall, a plummeting object can cause major head injuries, break bones and potentially cause fatalities.
Workers should be taught to stack inventory carefully, secure shelving and move objects at heights to minimize the risk of injury. It’s also important that everyone in a warehouse wear a hard hat.
Noise Hazards
The sound of industrial machines, PITs, ventilation systems and more can constitute noise hazards. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can lead to hearing loss, which is why employers are required to provide hearing protection in noisy work environments.
Hearing conservation training can help workers understand the specific risks of noisy work environments and protect their senses.
Ergonomic Hazards
All the daily lifting, twisting and loading can lead to musculoskeletal damage. Some tasks require employees to stand for long periods and/or repeat the same motion over and over — which can lead to chronic injuries.
Business owners can mitigate the risks of such injuries through careful ergonomic planning. Body-safe movement training and the use of tools and supports can significantly reduce the risk of unnecessary ergonomic injury.
Mitigating the Dangers for a Safer Workplace
There is no single cure for all workplace hazards, but managers and workers can work together to reduce the risk of major warehouse accidents or injuries. These include:
Safety Training
Safety procedures and best practices are constantly changing and growing. Under federal law, OSHA requires training for specific dangers in the workplace. Awareness training is extremely effective in keeping workers safe. The better you understand the risks and how to prevent them, the safer you are.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Employers are responsible for providing and maintaining safe and protective equipment. Workers are not required to buy their own PPE. High-quality training can help workers use PPE correctly to maintain peak protection.
Online Safety Courses for Warehousing
Warehouse safety training courses offer employers and workers an effective way to learn safe warehouse best practices and avoid danger. Proper training has never been easier.
With online safety courses, you can pick and choose the topics that make the most sense for your workplace needs. We offer more than 150 training courses on many workplace safety topics. Our most popular courses for warehouse workers include:
Warehouse Safety Certificate Course
This course can help you proactively avoid common risks while handling materials, storing and stocking pallets, cooperating with forklift drivers and working on loading docks. You can finish this course and receive a digital certificate in less than an hour. What are you waiting for?
Forklift Training:
Forklifts and other PITs are incredibly useful but must be piloted carefully to avoid serious injuries. This course offers the comprehensive safety training needed to obtain a forklift license.
Safe Lifting Techniques
Learn general lifting techniques that you can use throughout your career and your day-to-day life to avoid lifting injuries.
Why Choose Us?
Students choose us for more than just the size of our course catalog. Every safety training program we offer is designed to maximize convenience and safety. We bring high-quality educational resources to any internet-connected device on any schedule.
No matter how busy your life is, we make it simple to complete a high-quality warehouse safety education. Sign up now and learn the safety protocols you need to protect yourself and others. Are you ready to make a difference?