Compared to other industries, warehouse workers have one of the highest injury rates in America. Working in a warehouse can be more dangerous than most people realize. Each year an estimated 5 workers out of 100 in the warehouse and storage industry have a work-related injury according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average workplace injury rate is 2.7 injuries per 100 workers and warehouse workers are injured almost twice as frequently. OSHA verified these figures.
Warehouse workers can sustain a wide range of injuries for a lot of reasons, but some situations and injuries are common. Slip and fall accidents are especially common and involve concussions and head injuries. Other kinds of injuries that are common to warehouse workers include accidents involving forklifts, packaging machinery, and being struck by a falling object. Since many of these falls are from a height and especially from a ladder, these injuries can be quite serious. While an injured worker may not identify it, repetitive stress injuries are also common involving back or limb pain and damage to ligaments, tendons and discs in the spine.
Warehouse workers who sustain injuries should obviously report the injury. It may benefit them to contact a workers’ compensation attorney.
