If you’re managing a warehouse you are probably well aware of the perils there are when running such an establishment. Before your workers start buzzing in with accident compensation claims, you should prevent them from even happening.
Here at SharpEagle, we’re well aware of accidents that can happen in a warehouse, so let’s get over them, and see what dangers they hide and how you can prevent them!
Warehouse Fatal Accidents
In your standard warehouse, the most common accidents will include slips, falls, falling objects, forklift crashes, tip-overs, and rack collapses.
1. Pallet or Rack Collapse
When your warehouse materials aren’t stored safely they become dangerous and life-threatening. These poorly stored racks can be placed somewhere high and if they fall on people they can cause severe injuries and even death! Even the smallest object can be fatal if dropped from a high enough space.
Key Findings
Here at SharpEagle, we’ve observed too many times what a careless approach can do when placing improper or damaged goods in high altitudes. There’s even poor handling of inspections of pallets being sorted.
Sometimes these things can happen when your forklift operator manages even a good rack poorly and miscarries the weight. Some of the most falling objects accidents are caused when people fail to operate forklifts properly.
One of the key findings that include weight falling from forklifts and injuring workers is when someone spots for the driver if the weights are properly picked!
Solutions
Your first ally is to employ proper inspections of pallets before they get carried on a high spot somewhere in the warehouse where they are going to wait just like ticking bombs!
If at any point such a weight gets dropped from a forklift it can be fatal! Never allow a worker to check the spots and weights being lifted properly. Instead, you should invest in a Forklift Camera System, and one of the best is right here at SharpEagle!
2. Slips And Falls
Slips are one of the most common causes of accidents, both at and off the work. More than 300,000 people suffer injuries from falls in the US alone. These can be fatal as well and are ranking second only to car crashes! These accidents can lead to severe injuries with long-lasting conditions!
Workers often fall from heights or forklifts which is a potentially fatal injury.
Key Findings
Here at SharpEagle, our cameras captured a lot of slip-and-fall accidents.
Sometimes these accidents can happen in broken bones, and even fatal skull crashes. Most severe injuries are caused when forklifts tip over, the worker falls out, and is crashed below the machine.
Solutions
You should always employ safety routines of floor cleaning before and after shifts! Chemicals often spill on the floor and workers may slip and break something.
As we said, forklift falls aren’t at all that rare! You should always look to ensure proper training for your forklift operators and make them use all the safety equipment — these include safety belts which can prevent them from falling out of the machine.
3. Forklift Crashes
Forklift accidents and crashes most often happen when an inexperienced worker joins your team, makes a wrong turn, or uses improper acceleration in a tight spot! Operator mismanagement of the vehicle isn't the only error we can make in our facilities! There can always be malfunctions that happen due to improper maintenance routines.
Key Findings
Here at SharpEagle, we have seen our share of forklift accidents and crashes, and wrong turns are one of the most often causes.
Often there’s a lack of a forklift camera system, no signs or forklift speed limiters, and an overall poor warehouse traffic management system!
Solutions
Forklift safety solutions are a must, and proper safety training is one of the first things you should employ. Regular maintenance and machine inspections should be employed to ensure the operator is driving a good condition machine every time.
Conclusion
Warehouses are busy places with many moving things. In the rush to make our work orders within tight deadlines, we allow slip-ups that can lead to fatal consequences. Some of the most contributing factors are poor warehouse traffic management systems, and to set them up you should mark pedestrian passageways, and ensure proper signs are placed and used.
Try to clearly define forklift lanes and employ a forklift anti-collision system — this includes with all mentioned and installation of proper surveillance equipment! Here at SharpEagle, we pack the best collision-proof cameras on the market.